Marine heatwave

A marine heatwave is a prolonged period of unusually high ocean temperatures in a particular region, measured relative to that region’s seasonal climatology.

Ocean heat content: The total thermal energy stored in a volume of ocean water. Changes in stored heat can sustain unusually warm surface conditions.
Coral bleaching: The whitening of corals after stress causes them to lose or expel their symbiotic algae. Elevated ocean temperatures can trigger widespread bleaching and coral mortality.
Marine heatwave definition: A statistical criterion for identifying unusually warm ocean events by intensity, duration, and local climatology. The widely used definition formalized how researchers distinguish events from ordinary variability.
Marine cold spell: A prolonged period of unusually low ocean temperatures in a particular region. It is the cold counterpart to a marine heatwave under analogous statistical criteria.
Ocean stratification: The layering of ocean water by density, usually driven by temperature and salinity differences. Stronger layering can limit vertical mixing that would otherwise cool the surface.
Kelp forest: A coastal marine ecosystem dominated by large brown algae called kelp. Prolonged warming can cause kelp declines and shifts toward less complex habitats.
Hobday et al. 2016: A paper that proposed a standardized framework for detecting and categorizing marine heatwaves. Its framework helped make marine heatwave studies comparable across regions.
Heat wave: A prolonged period of unusually high air temperatures relative to local conditions. It occurs in the atmosphere, while marine heatwaves are defined by ocean temperatures.
Ocean circulation: The large-scale movement of seawater driven by winds, density differences, tides, and Earth’s rotation. Currents transport warm water into regions experiencing heatwaves.
Harmful algal bloom: A rapid growth of algae that can harm people, wildlife, or ecosystems through toxins or other effects. Warm conditions can favor some bloom-forming species and extend their growing seasons.

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