Webinar on Marine Heat Waves

Sunset-watchers.\Photo by Sonja Peterson.

Marine heat waves, such as “the blob” that afflicted the West Coast in recent years, are one of many concerns regarding climate change and the ocean. The National Marine Sanctuaries Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is offering an educational webinar on the phenomenon. It takes place on Thursday, Aug. 10, 1 p.m. (our time—it is offered nationwide).

The description of the event offered by NOAA: “Much like we experience periods of extreme and unusual heat in different areas on land, parts of the ocean can experience persistently high water temperatures, also known as marine heatwaves. These extreme events can have devastating impacts on marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. The dangerous effects of marine heatwaves have been seen in national marine sanctuaries and by sanctuary users. Take a break from the heat this summer and join us online to learn what marine heatwaves are, why we should care about them, and what we can expect from them in the context of a changing climate and warming ocean.

To register for the webinar, go here.