Scientists warn NEP24A could trigger ecosystem collapses like those that devastated marine life a decade ago.

Ocean temperatures off the West Coast are climbing to dangerous levels again, creating a massive warm water patch that scientists are tracking with growing concern. This new marine heat wave, designated NEP24A, reached its peak size of 5.5 million square kilometers in October 2024 and bears an unsettling resemblance to the early stages of “the Blob” that wreaked havoc from 2014 to 2016.
The timing couldn’t be worse for marine ecosystems still recovering from previous heat waves. NOAA researchers report that large marine heat waves have occurred each of the last six years, with five ranking among the largest on record since satellite monitoring began in 1982. What makes this latest event particularly troubling is its persistence and the vulnerable state of West Coast marine life heading into what could become another devastating warming period.