Seawater temperatures in Florida climbed above 100 degrees Fahrenheit—about as warm as water in a hot tub—for two consecutive days in what may have been a world record. A buoy at Manatee Bay recorded highs of 101.1F on Monday evening, a day after the same buoy logged a temperature of 100.2F. Meteorologists say certain factors—including that the water there is shallow—may disqualify the temperatures from being considered a record. But the alarming highs come after scientists had already warned that devastating coral bleaching and even death had begun around 26 miles away in this year’s sweltering temperatures. “We’ve never seen a record-breaking event like this before,” said Yale Climate Connections meteorologist Jeff Masters.
