Florida water hits hot tub level, likely warmest record

The water temperature on the tip of Florida hit hot tub levels, exceeding 37.8 C two days in a row. Meteorologists say that could potentially be the hottest seawater ever measured, although there are some issues with the reading.

Just 40 kilometers away, scientists saw devastating effects from prolonged hot water surrounding Florida — devastating coral bleaching and even some death in what had been one of the Florida Keys' most resilient reefs. Climate change has been setting temperature records across the globe this month.

Weather records for seawater temperature are unofficial, and there are certain conditions in this reading that could disqualify it for a top mark, meteorologists said. But the initial reading on a buoy at Manatee Bay hit 38.4 C on Monday evening, National Weather Service meteorologist George Rizzuto said. On Sunday night, the same buoy showed an online reading of 37.9 C.

"It seems plausible," Rizzuto said. "That is a potential record."

While there are no official water temperature records, a 2020 study listed a 37.6 C mark in Kuwait Bay in July 2020 as the world's highest recorded sea surface temperature. Rizzuto said a new record from Florida is plausible because nearby buoys measured in the 36.7-37.2 C range.

"This is a hot tub. I like my hot tub around 37.8, 38.3 C. That's what was recorded yesterday," Yale Climate Connections meteorologist Jeff Masters said. Hot tub maker Jacuzzi recommends water between 37.8 and 38.9 C.

"We've never seen a record-breaking event like this before," Masters said.

But he and University of Miami tropical meteorologist Brian McNoldy said while the hot temperatures fit with what is happening around Florida, it may not be accepted as a record because the area is shallow, has sea grasses in it and may be influenced by warm land in the nearby Everglades National Park.

Still, "it's amazing", McNoldy said.

Agencies via Xinhua