May 19, 2024 — About a dozen years ago, the Gulf of Maine experienced an ocean heatwave unlike any other.
Today, scientists are puzzling over new data that suggest the Gulf may be experiencing another kind of climate shock.
Data collected from buoys placed in the Gulf of Maine show that over the last six months, deep water temperatures are noticeably lower than the long-term average.
“It’s not just cold in the deep waters right now, it’s really cold. And it’s fresher, it’s really fresher than it’s been,” said Nick Record, a senior scientist with Bigelow Laboratory. “These are very unusual conditions, so I think there’s a lot that we can learn by watching how the year unfolds.”