Another large expanse of the northern Pacific Ocean is experiencing warmer sea temperatures — similar to what became known as the “Blob” in 2014.
Dr. Brian Hunt, an Oceanographer at the University of BC, says a large area of ocean off the coast of B.C. from Washington State north to Alaska now has average temperatures that are 2.5 to 3 degrees Celcius above the normal range.
Dr. Hunt says a higher sea temperature can pose a number of problems for the ocean’s food chain.
Dr. Hunt says a higher sea temperature creates more stratification — meaning fewer nutrients rise in the water, which in turns affects the growth of plankton, a very important part of the marine food chain.
Currently, the warmer temperatures are only found farther out and are not yet too close to the coast.
