Ocean temperature hit record high in February

The average global sea surface temperature was 69.91 degrees Fahrenheit in February, the highest temperature on record. Marine scientists warned the heat could trigger a fourth mass coral bleaching event in the Southern Hemishpere. There is a 90% chance that Australia's Great Barrier Reef will suffer more of the bleaching which destroys ecosystems that support at least 25% of the world’s marine species, providing food and economic security for hundreds of millions of people.

Class discussion: Besides threatening the world’s supply of seafood, how could warming waters endanger human life? How does water temperature affect the severity of storms? How could it affect coastal flooding? Do coral reefs help protect shorelines? Does water expand as it gets warmer? Does it speed up glacial melting? What steps should people take to cope with warming seas? Begin moving away from coasts? Try planting coral in cooler waters nearer the poles? Could Maine have coral reefs some day?