In the News
The Blob: Warm Pacific Water Threatens Ecosystem, May Intensify Drought
Marine life seen swimming in unusual places. Water temperatures warmer than they should be. No snow where there should be feet of it.
How 'the blob' Caused USA's Weird Weather
A strange, persistent "blob" of very warm water off the U.S. West Coast is now linked to the recent winters that brought extreme heat and drought to the West, and record snow and cold to much of the East, according to two studies.
‘Warm blob’ in Pacific Ocean Linked to Weird Weather Across the U.S.
The one common element in recent weather has been oddness. The West Coast has been warm and parched; the East Coast has been cold and snowed under. Fish are swimming into new waters, and hungry seals are washing up on California beaches.
Pacific warm water ‘blob’ threatens salmon, seabirds
It’s being called “the blob”: a huge mass of warm water sitting on top of the usually cool Pacific along the coast from Oregon to Alaska, and while it’s encouraging sub-tropical fish to range further north, it’s hurting the animals that usually depend on the colder water.
Storm coming? Ask a weather buoy
Weather predictions in the Pacific Northwest rely largely on a network of buoys stationed in the ocean. These seemingly-inoperative bobbing towers are actually climate-data gathering devices that transmit information to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. References OCS Papa mooring.