The location, season, size, duration and intensity of a marine heat wave (MHW) influences its impacts. For animals, summer and fall events are especially concerning because animals are already at temperatures closer to their upper heat tolerances. Sessile species like corals face greater risks than mobile species. For coastal weather, MHWs can lead to dangerously hot and humid conditions. They also contribute to rapid hurricane intensification.
Join GCOOS in June and July as we present our Summer Webinar Series focused on the science and impacts of MHW.
- When: Noon-1 p.m. CT | 1 p.m.-2 p.m. ET on three Thursdays in June and July for a webinar series on the science and impacts of marine heat waves.
- Click the links below to register today!
June 12: Marine Heat Waves and Marine Species
Featuring: Elizabeth Harris, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department | Megan Howson, GCOOS | Jerad King, GCOOS
Marine heat waves (MHW), periods of higher-than-normal temperatures 
in the ocean, can have significant impacts on marine species. The Gulf alone is home to more than 15,000 species ranging from highly migratory whales and sea turtles to fish that live their whole lives on a single coral reef. In this lunch & learn webinar, hear from experts about how environmental data, including temperature data, is used to sustainably manage marine species, as well as some new GCOOS tools being developed to make marine-species data more accessible.
June 26: Marine Heat Waves and Oysters
Speakers: Andrea Tarnecki, Auburn Shellfish Lab | Jeff Plumlee, Louisiana State
University/Louisiana Sea Grant | Blair Morrison, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
MHW can have especially high impacts on less-mobile marine 
species like oysters, which provide critical habitat for other species, aid water filtration in estuaries, reduce coastal erosion and provide food for humans. Oyster aquaculture is also a growing industry, with 2023 landings valued at $77 million by NOAA Fisheries. In this lunch & learn webinar, hear from experts who study oyster production, MHW impacts on oyster recruitment and general stressors for oyster reefs.
July 10: Marine Heat Waves and Coastal Weather
Speakers: Brian Dzwonkowski, University of South Alabama/Dauphin Island Sea Lab | Shawn Milrad, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Coral Lozada, Houston
Methodist Academic Institute
What happens in the ocean doesn’t just impact marine species, 
it also impacts coastal weather. In the Gulf region, hurricanes are a frequent and damaging reality. The Gulf also continues to experience very high summer temperatures that can be dangerous for local communities. In this lunch & learn webinar, hear from experts about how marine heatwaves impact hurricanes and coastal temperatures and what that means for all of us along the Gulf coast.
