Giant oceanic blob reappears, now expansive across the entire North Pacific region.
The North Pacific Ocean is currently experiencing a record-breaking marine heatwave, stretching approximately 5,000 miles and affecting both marine life and weather patterns on land.
This unprecedented event, often referred to as a "blob" of unusually hot water, is primarily caused by persistent anomalous wind conditions associated with stagnant high-and low-pressure areas. The ongoing marine heatwave in the northeast Pacific ranks as the fourth-largest yet observed, according to NOAA oceanographer Andrew Leising.
The hot ocean waters around Japan have contributed to Japan's hottest summer on record, which included an all-time national maximum temperature record. Similarly, the sea surface temperature difference from average across the entire North Pacific in August smashed an all-time record.
The ongoing marine heatwave has resulted in multiple die-offs of marine mammals, seabirds, and forage fish in Alaskan waters this summer. Multiple studies have been published attributing an increase in marine heat waves and accelerated warming in the North Pacific Ocean to global warming pollution from burning fossil fuels.
Nick Bond, a Senior Scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is focusing on the current marine heat event in the North Pacific region. He states that the fingerprint of climate change is clearly evident in this ongoing marine heatwave.
The North Pacific warmed at the fastest rate of any ocean basin on Earth during the past decade. If the broad ocean basin-wide heat wave persists, it could influence the wintertime storm track associated with the jet stream.
The current marine heatwave is more surface-based, making it likely to prove fleeting in the northeastern Pacific. However, the downstream effects of the ongoing marine heatwaves in the Pacific are likely to be significant in terms of how they impact marine organisms, ecosystem structure, fisheries, and the weather in the Pacific Northwest.
The effects of the ongoing marine heatwave on wildlife tend to be greater during longer-lasting strong blob events, as stated by Renner. Past Northeast Pacific Ocean blobs led to a historic die-off of seabirds in coastal Alaska. Impacts from the ongoing marine heatwave have been observed on other species as well.
The marine heatwave is affecting weather on land and could have ripple effects on marine life. If the heatwave persists, it could have far-reaching consequences for the Pacific region and beyond.
