Eyes Over Puget Sound: Surface Conditions Report – May 22, 2018

Rainfall in May was extremely low: The third lowest amount ever recorded. Rivers are responding differently depending upon whether they received water from rain or snow, which is melting rapidly. With projected drier and warmer conditions, can the remaining snowpack maintain healthy streamflows this summer? Seawater is already getting saltier than normal in response to the lack of rain. We see algal blooms in many colors. What is that orange stuff out there? It’s a Noctiluca bloom and organic material drifting at the surface stretching from South to Central Sound and Whidbey Basin.

Eyes Over Puget Sound: Surface Conditions Report – May 22, 2018
Eyes Over Puget Sound: Surface Conditions Report – May 22, 2018
Title

Eyes Over Puget Sound - May 2018

 
Publication number Date Published
18-03-025 June 2018
VIEW NOW: Eyes Over Puget Sound - May 2018 (Number of pages: 38) (Publication Size: 4793KB)





 
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Author(s) Krembs, Christopher
Description Rainfall in May was extremely low: the third lowest amount ever recorded. Rivers are responding differently depending upon whether they received water from rain or snow, which is melting rapidly. With projected dryer and warmer conditions, can the remaining snowpack maintain healthy streamflows this summer? Seawater is already getting saltier than normal in response to the lack of rain. We see algal blooms in many colors. What is that orange stuff out there? It’s a Noctiluca bloom and organic material drifting at the surface stretching from South to Central Sound and Whidbey Basin.
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Contact Christopher Krembs at 360-407-6675 or ckre461@ecy.wa.gov
About the Author: 
Christopher Krembs, Ph.D., is the Lead Oceanographer at the Washington State Department of Ecology and oversees the Eyes Over Puget Sound monitoring program.