In an alarming development, the waters off South Florida skyrocketed to a potentially record-breaking 101.1 degrees on a recent Monday evening. To put it in perspective, this is akin to the ideal temperature of a hot tub, as per jacuzzi.com.

Source: WFLA News Channel 8/YouTube

The temperature was recorded in Manatee Bay, located around 40 miles south of Miami. What’s more, the water temperatures stayed at or above a scorching 100 degrees from 5 p.m. through the late evening.

This Manatee Bay reading might be the highest ever recorded globally, although there are no official records for ocean temperatures. The previous highest recorded sea surface temperature was possibly 99.7 degrees in Kuwait Bay, according to a 2020 study.

Interestingly, the water temperatures were higher than air temperatures, an unusual occurrence. Meteorologist Jeff Masters explained on Twitter that sunlit shallow water surrounded by dark land can sometimes have a sea surface temperature exceeding the air temperature.

This sweltering ocean heat is happening during Florida’s hottest July on record, with cities like Miami, Key West, Naples, and Tampa experiencing their warmest July to date. Miami alone hit at least 90 degrees on 64 days.

The toasty conditions aren’t confined to the shores of South Florida. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch has observed marine heatwaves in several regions in the Northern Hemisphere, including record-breaking temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea.

But what does this mean for the environment? According to the Coral Restoration Foundation, a Key Largo-based nonprofit, this oceanic heatwave is triggering a “severe and urgent crisis.” After visiting the Sombrero Reef in the Florida Keys, the organization reported “100% coral mortality” due to these historically high water temperatures.

These extreme water temperatures serve as a powerful reminder of the urgent need to address climate change. With ocean temperatures rising alongside air temperatures, the time for concerted, global action is now.

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