Water Temperature in Florida Keys Hits World Record

Florida Keys captured by a NASA SatellitePhoto byWikimedia

The big story

Beachgoers in South Florida were surprised when water temperatures in the Florida Keys soared to an alarming 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit on a scorching Monday evening.

Meteorologists are debating whether this reading at a buoy in Manatee Bay, near Key Largo, sets a new world record, but experts are more concerned about the potential consequences.

If you climbed in the water there, I’m pretty darn sure it would have felt like you’re in a hot tub-Jeff Masters, meteorologist, Yale Climate Connections

The previous evening had already seen temperatures surpassing 100 degrees, following two weeks of water temperatures in the upper 90s. These extreme temperatures are far from the expected range of 73 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit for this time of year.

Why it matters?

The situation poses a significant threat to the Florida Keys' coral reefs, which are already vulnerable because of bleaching caused by the heat. Some coral reefs have already perished.

Andrew Baker, director of the Coral Reef Futures Lab at the University of Miami, labeled it as the worst bleaching event ever witnessed in Florida.

This is definitely the worst bleaching event that Florida has ever seen. We knew something like this was going to happen at some point—we just didn’t know when. We still managed to be surprised by the magnitude of this event and how early it came in the season- Andrew Baker, director of the Coral Reef Futures Lab at the University of Miami

The Florida buoy, being only five feet deep and closer to the shore, is influenced by heat from the land and seagrass, making it less indicative of actual ocean conditions.

The 101.1-degree reading exceeds the unofficial world record of 99.7 degrees recorded in Kuwait Bay in 2020. However, comparing the two locations is complicated due to differences in depth and proximity to land.