Sea surface temperatures in the Northeast Shelf Large Marine
Ecosystem during 2012 were the highest recorded in 150 years, according to the
latest Ecosystem Advisory issued by NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center
(NEFSC). These high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are the latest in a trend
of above average temperature seen during the spring and summer seasons, and
part of a pattern of elevated temperatures occurring in the Northwest Atlantic,
but not seen elsewhere in the ocean basin over the past century.
The advisory reports on conditions in the second half of
2012.
Sea surface temperature for the Northeast Shelf Ecosystem
reached a record high of 14 degrees Celsius (57.2°F) in 2012, exceeding the
previous record high in 1951. Average SST has typically been lower than 12.4 C
(54.3 F) over the past three decades.