From the Philippines and Hawaii to Peru and California, the massive marine heatwave baking the Pacific Ocean now covers approximately 13.5 percent of Earth’s total surface—that’s more than 37 percent of the oceans.
Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “extended period[s] of exceptionally high ocean temperatures in a specific region,” and when sea surface temperatures “exceed the 90th percentile of historic local values for at least five days in a row.”
Related: Ocean Temps Shattered Records Around the World in June
NOAA is currently tracking two MHWs: NEP25A, in its 15th month strong and counting off Central and Southern California, and (NEP26A), off Northern California and Washington, and NOAA predicts those will last through the end of 2026. But when nearly the whole northern Pacific is blazing hot, the magnitude is larger than the scope of NOAA’s current apparent purview.
It’s a mega El Niño, dubbed “The Blob,” and the last time we saw one of these, from late 2013 to early 2016, it spurred massive harmful (i.e., toxic) algal blooms (HABs), widespread seabird die-offs, starved sea lions washing ashore, and plenty of other terrific losses.
“The portion of the global ocean that is experiencing marine heatwaves has more than tripled since the 1980s, increasing from about nine percent to more than 30 percent,” writes the Independent.
Related: Where and How Artificial Intelligence Is Coming to Surfing
Calls to action aplenty are flooding in from climate scientists, such as UCLA’s (and the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s, and the Nature Conservancy’s) Daniel Swain: “This is the time for local governments, for county governments and for the state government to start to prepare for a significant likelihood of much higher than average sea levels, more disruptive coastal flooding and potentially record-breaking coastal water levels during winter storm events and king tide events.” Indeed, and for surfers one and all to start waxing down their surfboards. Yes, once again on this subject, volatile weather might offer more surf, if it’s a silver lining we’re after.
Further: “This coming winter, right now, does look like one where there’s an increased likelihood of historically unusual to unprecedented rain and storm events,” adds Swain. Get those snowboards tuned and waxed, too, folks. We may as well enjoy what we can, while we can.
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