VOA慢速英语听力： 南佛罗里达的海水温度达到新高 Hot Seawater in South Florida Reaches New High.
Scientists say that a body of water at the southern end of Florida reached a new high temperature of over 38 degrees Celsius early this week.
Weather scientists, called meteorologists, say they measured the high seawater temperatures in Manatee Bay on both Sunday and Monday. They believe the water temperature may be the world’s highest ever recorded. A floating device that sends information to the U.S. weather agency, NOAA, recorded the temperature.
A 2020 study showed that Kuwait Bay reached 37.6 degrees Celsius. That was thought to be the highest-ever water temperature.
Jeff Masters is a meteorologist with Yale Climate Connections, a weather news service. “This is a hot tub,” he said. A hot tub is a heated water pool many people use for treating sore muscles. Jacuzzi, a company that makes hot tubs, recommends a water temperature of about 38 degrees Celsius.
Masters and Brian McNoldy, a meteorologist at the University of Miami, both said the temperatures might not be an official record because the water is close to land and contains sea grass.
However, McNoldy said, “it’s amazing.”
The high temperatures could put sea life, such as coral, in danger.
Andrew Ibarra is a researcher for NOAA. He took a small boat out to the area called Cheeca Rocks to look at coral and said, “I found that the entire reef was bleached out.”
Bleaching is when coral loses its color. It is a sign that the sea creatures are in danger of dying.
Ian Enochs studies coral for NOAA. He said coral bleaching was almost never seen before the 1980s. Now, he said, “We’ve reached the point where it’s become routine.”
Enochs added that the amount of bleaching he sees this early in the year makes him “nervous.”
The high water temperature in Florida goes along with all-time high sea surface temperatures in April, May and June. NOAA also said water temperatures in the North Atlantic, near the Canadian province of Newfoundland are five to six degrees Celsius warmer than usual.
I’m Dan Friedell.
Words in This Story
coral –n. very small organisms that live together and form a system along the seabed that supports other marine life
amazing –adj. very impressive, worthy of admiration or notice
entire –adj. all of something
routine –adj. usual or normal
province –n. a governmental region in some nations, similar to a state
科学家们表示，本周初位于佛罗里达南部的一个水域的温度达到了38摄氏度以上的新高。
气象学家称他们在星期日和星期一分别测得了马纳蒂湾的高海水温度。他们认为这可能是有记录以来世界上最高的水温。一个可以向美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）发送信息的漂浮设备记录了这个温度。
一项2020年的研究显示科威特湾的水温达到了37.6摄氏度，被认为是有记录以来的最高水温。
杰夫·马斯特斯是耶鲁气候联接天气新闻服务的气象学家。“这就像一个热水浴缸，”他说。热水浴缸是许多人用来治疗酸痛肌肉的加热水池。制造热水浴缸的公司Jacuzzi建议水温约为38摄氏度。
马斯特斯和迈阿密大学的气象学家布赖恩·麦克诺尔迪都表示，这些温度可能不是官方记录，因为这片水域靠近陆地并含有海草。
然而，麦克诺尔迪说：“真是令人惊讶。”
高温可能会危及海洋生物，如珊瑚。
安德鲁·伊巴拉是NOAA的一名研究员。他乘坐小船前往名为Cheeca Rocks的地区观察珊瑚，并说：“我发现整个珊瑚礁都褪色了。”
褪色是指珊瑚失去颜色，这是海洋生物濒临死亡的迹象。
伊恩·恩克斯是NOAA的珊瑚研究员。他说，珊瑚褪色在1980年代之前几乎从未见过，现在却成为“家常便饭”。
恩克斯还补充说，今年初就看到了如此多的褪色程度，让他感到“紧张”。
佛罗里达的高水温与四、五、六月份的历史最高海面温度一致。NOAA还表示，北大西洋靠近加拿大纽芬兰省的水温比平常高五到六摄氏度。
我是丹·弗里德尔。
