CANBERRA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Australia has launched a new forecasting system aimed at predicting marine heatwave disasters, offering up to three months' advance warning of extreme ocean temperatures and potential impacts.
The forecasts aim to prepare for severe ecological impacts like mass coral bleaching, extensive fish kills, and harmful algal blooms, as seen in 2024-25, according to a release of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia's national science agency, on Tuesday.
CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology scientists have trialed seasonal forecasts under the Marine Heatwave Prediction Project to help researchers and governments prepare for potential marine heatwave, the release said.
In 2024-25, marine heatwaves reached deep ocean layers, complicating forecasts. Australia is boosting monitoring with moorings, gliders, and fishing-vessel sensors to better track heat distribution, a key to predicting prolonged heatwaves and their ecological consequences, researchers said.
"It's really important to understand how heat is distributed in the ocean. It's that amount of heat that does things like supercharge cyclones, or slow ocean mixing which can lead to heatwaves lasting for an extended period of time," said Alistair Hobday, CSIRO chief research scientist.
Forecasts enable a shift to proactive marine heatwave management, with off-season preparations helping industries and conservationists mitigate impacts, Hobday said.
He said marine heatwaves are a "stress test" for future oceans, making early-warning systems and coordinated responses vital to protect Australia's coasts from worsening climate impacts. ■
