CNBC's Catherine Clifford is reporting that a data-collecting buoy located in Florida registered an ocean temperature exceeding 101 degrees on Monday, July 24, 2023.
A buoy in Manatee Bay, Florida, measured an ocean temperature of over 101 degrees Fahrenheit on a Monday night, indicating record heat in the coastal waters.
The buoy, owned and operated by Everglades National Park and the National Data Buoy Center, recorded the temperature about five feet below the surface off South Florida's east coast at 10 p.m. ET. This extremely high temperature is concerning for the coral reefs in the area, which thrive between 73 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
The previous record for the hottest ocean surface temperature was 99.7 degrees in Kuwait Bay. However, comparisons are complicated due to the unique conditions of the water where the reading was taken.
The heat in Florida's coastal waters has raised environmental concerns, as sustained high temperatures above 84 degrees Fahrenheit can cause coral bleaching and even lead to coral death.
(The article was written with assitance from ChatGPT)
Source: CNBC
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/25/florida-ocean-temp-tops-over-101-degrees-fahrenheit-possible-record.html