The expected arrival of El Niño in the next few months could trigger another mass coral bleaching event, just a year after the last one’s conclusion, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned this week. This would mark the fifth global bleaching incident in recorded history if it comes to
The expected arrival of El Niño in the next few months could trigger another mass coral bleaching event, just a year after the last one’s conclusion, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned this week. This would mark the fifth global bleaching incident in recorded history if it comes to fruition, said NOAA, a U.S. federal agency that also conducts weather and climate research around the world. Its updated coral bleaching outlook, shared Tuesday, predicts that reefs are at a high risk of losing their colors this summer across much of the northern Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii. Reefs surrounding Florida and the Caribbean may face the same threats, the latest outlook said. Coral reefs are vital underwater ecosystems that broadly support marine life and provide habitats for approximately one-fourth of all marine species. The
