NOTE: 23 SEP 97 -- HotSpots

HotSpot Charts indicate SSTs exceeding the HotSpot 
threshold off Belize and Honduras since 13 Sep appear 
to be migrating south and now persist only off Honduras 
and Jamaica -- possibly off western Haiti. 

In the eastern hemisphere HotSpots have been minimal
for the past few months except around the Red Sea.  During
the past few weeks, the southern Red Sea and westernmost 
Gulf of Aden appear susceptible to bleaching.  All other 
coral reef areas appear to have SSTs below levels that are 
believed necessary to produce bleaching.

For those with Netscape animation capability you can view 
the last 4 months of twice-weekly HotSpot Charts on our 
temporary NOAA/NESDIS/ORAD HomePage:

http://manati.wwb.noaa.gov/orad   

From the opening page link to:
 [1] Experimental Products and
 [2] Coral Reef Bleaching

The loop is updated weekly.

AE Strong