Daily Coral Bleaching Heat Stress Alert Area

Healthy coral reefs provide a home for millions of aquatic species and numerous ecosystemic services. Yet they are severely threatened. When stressed, corals expel the symbiotic algae living in their tissues and become white (bleached) and vulnerable. The NOAA Coral Reef Watch daily global 5km satellite coral Bleaching Alert Area (7-day maximum) is a composite product that summarizes the current Degree Heating Week (a cumulative measurement of both intensity and duration of heat stress) and Coral Bleaching HotSpot (occurrence and magnitude of instantaneous heat stress) values. At a glance, this layer outlines the current locations, coverage, and potential risk level of coral bleaching heat stress.