Potential Bleaching Predicted from June 2009

For the first time this year, NOAA's 18 week forecast is predicting potential bleaching conditions off western Sabah (starting at the end of May 2009). See their animation for details. Worrying... particularly hot on the heels of the potential severe bleaching warning in the southwest Pacific. Let's hope that neither the prediction climbs into a worse category, nor comes true!

Here's a 'critter' that might be affected if it does: hard coral Euphyllia divisa (family EUPHYLLIDAE) photographed off Gaya island on 1st September 2007.