MAINE PUBLIC • May 14, 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," said Nick Record, a senior scientist with Bigelow Laboratory. The Gulf of Maine is still one of the fastest warming oceans on the planet, Record said. The ocean heatwave that hit the Gulf of Maine in 2012 served as a prime example of the kind of surface temperature warming that much of the Atlantic has been experiencing. But climate change creates more unpredictable conditions, and Record said the Gulf may be experiencing another kind of climate shock.