So far in 2023, Gulf waters are the warmest on record, but what does it mean for hurricane season?

The Gulf of Mexico – the land-fringed head of hurricane alley along whose edge some 16 million Americans live – is observing its warmest start to a hurricane season (and year) since satellite records began in 1981.

https://www.local10.com/weather/hurricane/2023/07/12/gulf-of-mexico-warmth-breaks-records/

The exceptional marine heat is driving up nighttime lows from South Florida to Texas and contributing to oppressive summer heat indices, includinga record 31 consecutive daysof heat indices over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Miami. The environmental impacts of such an intense marine heatwave are far-reaching – from extremecoral bleachingstressing important reef ecosystems to decreasing oxygen levels for marine life, leading to large hypoxic episodes, dead zones and fish kills.

What influence could the record warm Gulf of Mexico have on the hurricane season ahead?

Sea surface temperatures are an…