Outlook of 2019 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico – December 1, 2019

The maps above show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. November 2019 continued the situation of October 2019. Very little Sargassum was found in the Gulfof Mexico (GOM), Florida straits, Caribbean Sea (CS), and Central West Atlantic (CWA). In all regionscombined, the Sargassum amount reduced to ~0.5 million metric tons in November 2019… Read More

High school students learn about waves and the correct use of wave data and forecasts

In collaboration with Puerto Rico Sea Grant (PRSG) CARICOOS has developed a “Waves Workshop” focused on educating K12 students and teachers on wave concepts and terminology. Sea Grant curriculum specialist, Delmis Alicea, PhD., has been advising CARICOOS staff on the importance of educational strategies and of assessing the learning progress following the Department of Education… Read More

Sargassum outlook update, by USF Optical Oceanography Lab-September 30, 2019 update

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. During September 2019, Sargassum amount has decreased significantly from August 2019 in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Florida straits, Caribbean Sea (CS), and Central West Atlantic (CWA). The reductions are more than our August 2019 prediction, at rates higher than previous bloom years…. Read More

U.S. IOOS allocates funds for CARICOOS that will support continuation of its ongoing operations, expand surface current observations, enhance the hurricane glider program, issue Sargasso inundation forecasts and asses its impact on coastal ecosystems

Every year, each of the eleven IOOS Regional Associations submits their revised work to the U.S. IOOS Office. The latter includes specific actions, new product developments, and partnerships that will be carried out to accomplish the mission of providing unquestionably high-priority decision-supporting information for enhancing safety and efficiency in our coasts as well as proper… Read More

CARICOOS continues its collaboration with the Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JBNERR)

Continuing a collaboration that began back in the earlier stages of CARICOOS, its chemical oceanography team commenced a series of field campaigns focused on documenting the spatial variability of critical chemical and physical properties in Jobos Bay. During earlier efforts, CARICOOS analyzed water chemistry data from all the fixed water quality stations throughout the Jobos… Read More

Three Naval Oceanography ocean gliders join six operated by NOAA AOML-CARICOOS in the Caribbean Sea and Tropical Atlantic

Naval Oceanography recently delivered three ocean gliders that will join six currently in operation by NOAA AOML-CARICOOS in the Caribbean Sea and Tropical Atlantic waters for a mission primarily focused on improving hurricane intensity forecasts. CARICOOS scientists and students and NOAA/AOML personnel deployed the three gliders off La Parguera near the southwest corner of Puerto… Read More

CARICOOS collaborates with MREP educating fisherman about how science plays a major role in recreational and commercial fishing

For the past years, CARICOOS has been collaborating with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in their annual Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) Workshop. MREP has been helping commercial and recreational fishers comprehend the complex nature of fisheries and how local organizations and agencies work together in fisheries management. One key factor that has made… Read More

Sargassum outlook – August 2019 update

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. During August 2019, while there are still large amounts of Sargassum in the Central West Atlantic (CWA) and Caribbean Sea (CS), these amounts are lower than in July 2019. The amounts in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and Florida Straits have also reduced…. Read More

Sargassum outlook update, by USF Optical Oceanography Lab – July 2019 update

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. The July 2019 situation is similar to June 2019 for all regions. Specifically, the following regions continued to experience large amounts of Sargassum: Central West Atlantic (CWA), entire Caribbean Sea (CS), eastern Gulf of Mexico (GoM), northern Florida Straits, and waters off east… Read More

Expanding underwater glider observations in the NE Caribbean

CARICOOS continues collaborating with NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory’s (AOML) Physical Oceanography Division (PhOD) by assisting in the deployments, recoveries, and refurbishment of underwater gliders. This year, the hurricane glider operations will be enhanced by establishing a network of underwater gliders in the Caribbean Sea, tropical Atlantic Ocean, and east US continental shelf. A… Read More