An immense marine heatwave off the US west coast has alarmed scientists. It is predicted to become worse this year.
Sub Statement: An enormous marine heatwave off the US west coast is ringing alarm bells among ocean and atmospheric scientists. An unusually warm triangle shaped area of water stretches thousands of miles from the California coastline and Mexico to Hawaii to the British Columbia. New projections by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) show it is now expected to expand and strengthen due in the months to come.
The heated waters is already reshaping marine biology and ecosystem. A few weeks ago, the first-ever evidence of a great white shark was found in British Columbia waters. Subtropical species – from plankton to pelicans to great whites – are shifting their range further north and closer to shore in search of cooler water and more food. Millions of seabirds and marine deaths were witnessed over the years and this year's incoming heat wave could propel those numbers.
Record-breaking temperatures are expected to disrupt marine food chains. Scientists also expressed alarm about the heatwave’s effects on vast networks of marine life such as whales, seabirds and seals and the food webs they depend on. Seafood prices may skyrocket. Additional data acquired in recent weeks has left climate scientists gobsmacked and re-examining their assumptions of how the complex interplay between the ocean and the atmosphere could accelerate the effects of human-caused climate crisis.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/may/22/marine-heatwave-west-coast