Thursday, February 26, 2015

The ocean waves in Nantucket are so cold, they're rolling in as slush

The unusually cold and snowy winter in southern New England has broken records and resulted 
in many indellible images, from collapsed roofs to massive snow farms and a frozen Hudson River in New York. Now, a new iconic image of the winter of 2014-15 can be added to the mix slush waves

The ice is forming in the top layers of the ocean in shallower waters. However, the ice has not fully covered the ocean surface yet; the waves, as well as water temperatures, aren't quite cold enough to support a solid ice pack.
Ice  Slush Waves

IMAGE: JONATHAN NIMERFROH
Ice Slush Waves

IMAGE: JONATHAN NIMERFROH
Ice Slush Waves

IMAGE: JONATHAN NIMERFROH
Ice Slush Waves

IMAGE: JONATHAN NIMERFROH
The slush waves formed during one of the coldest winters in many years, with a late February cold snap that broke all-time records in parts of the Northeast.
30-Day Anomaly






Temperature departures from average during the past 30 days, showing much colder than average temperatures in the eastern U.S. and Canada
IMAGE: NOAA/ESRL
The cold stands out on a global temperature map, with temperatures in New England beating out all other land areas for the biggest negative temperature anomaly.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

No comments:

Post a Comment