Ocean and Climate | NOAA Climate.gov

Climate & Lobsters

October 6, 2016

For New Englanders, the saying “as American as apple pie” may as well be “as New England as lobster,” but warming sea surface temperatures from climate change are forcing populations of the American lobster to higher latitudes than ever before—and upending fishing communities on the New England coast.

Northwest Passage clear of ice again in 2016

September 16, 2016

The Northwest Passage across the Canadian Arctic opened once again in 2016 as sea ice reached its second lowest extent on record.

State of the Climate 2015: Ocean Heat Rotator

2015 State of the Climate: Ocean heat storage

August 2, 2016

Ocean heat storage has increased substantially since 1993, hitting a record high in 2015, according to the State of the Climate in 2015 report. Ocean warming accounts for over 90% of the warming in Earth’s climate system.

Great Barrier Reef suffers through record-breaking bleaching event

May 6, 2016

Unusually warm water along Australia's Great Barrier Reef has led to record-breaking coral bleaching.

Tropical Pacific sea surface temperature patterns in March 2016

April 5, 2016

Temperatures across the tropical Pacific Ocean were warmer than average in March 2016.

Rains return to California to start 2016

February 3, 2016

Rains arrived in California during January 2016, but the drought remains.

El Niño warmth continued during January 2016

February 2, 2016

As they were in December, waters across the tropical Pacific Ocean continued to be much warmer than average in January 2016, suggesting* that El Niño still had a grip on the basin.

Map of sea surface temperature anomalies, highlighting the equatorial Pacific Ocean

Warmth in the tropical Pacific in December 2015

January 21, 2016

A strong El Niño continued during December 2015 with well above average sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, according to NOAA Climate Prediction Center’s monthly El Niño advisory update.

This summer’s West Coast algal bloom was unusual. What would usual look like?

September 30, 2015

Tom Di Liberto explains how algae and other phytoplankton usually behave.

Built to Last: Climate Data Ensure Oil Supply Route in Gulf of Mexico

August 27, 2015

For three days in 2005, flooding from Hurricane Katrina cut off the only road to Port Fourchon. Officials had to decide: did the risk of future flooding justify the cost of raising the roadway out of the Gulf's rising waters?

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