Just in time for the Atlantic hurricane season, water temperatures in large parts of the basin are cooling, but forecasters warn that it won't take much to reverse the trend. According to satellite estimates, the Atlantic basin entered record territory on March 5, 2023, and ended the streak around the last days of April – a preliminary record of 421 days. Water temperatures in the tropics usually peak in early September and coincide with the heart of hurricane season activity. Forecasters took into consideration computer model outputs that show a continued warm basin, coupled with less wind shear and other favorable ingredients. In 2023, the agency estimated that less than 22% of approximately 1,500 staghorn corals around the state of Florida survived due to record warm water.
