Check out the NOAA Coral Reef Bleaching Indices page:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html
and the NOAA Degree Heating Weeks for last 12 weeks:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/data2/dhwe.9.19.2000.gif

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The indices page shows at "Oman - Muscat" (23.7N, 58.6E):

          12wk accum today     9.7
          Max 12wk*            16 (98)
          Current temp (C)     27.5
          Exp. max temp**      30.1

The 12wk DHWs shows DHWs of 9 to 10 in much of the Persian Gulf/Arabian Sea!

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These levels were seen in 1999 at this time as well:
http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/icg/ehet.s71999.e91999.gif

...and the maximum accumulation at "Oman-Muscat" for the recent 10 years
occurred in 1998:  DHW = 16! (based on satellite SSTs)

Fortunately, SSTs have cooled considerably at this time at Oman - Muscat. 
We see 27.5C from our satellite data...some 3 degrees C BELOW the critical 
HotSpot threshold (30.1degC + 1degC = 31.1degC) that brought on this most
recent bout of bleaching.


Alan E. Strong

Sept. 20, 2000