Originally published by Herald and News and Jefferson Public Radio.

Water temperatures several degrees above normal now span thousands of miles across the Pacific, although they have largely stopped short of the Pacific Northwest. Persistent upwelling of cold, deep water is helping keep surface temperatures near Oregon and Washington closer to average.

This underwater heat wave, known as “the Blob”, can disrupt the ocean food web, strain fisheries, and even influence weather patterns miles away. Sustained ocean observing systems, including IOOS, are essential for tracking these changes in real time and helping coastal communities anticipate potential impacts. Read more about how observations are being used to understand the Blob’s return in the Pacific Northwest here.