Long-term warming and record-breaking marine heatwaves in the Hauraki Gulf, northern New Zealand

• DOI: 10.1080/00288330.2024.2319100
• Publication Date: 2024-03-11T16:00:23Z
• Authors: Nick T. Shears; Melissa M. Bowen; François Thoral
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 01 natural sciences

As global oceans warm, long-term temperature records are critical in understanding and interpreting warming trends the significance of marine heatwaves (MHWs) coastal environments. Daily measurements sea surface (SST) have been taken since 1967 at Leigh Marine Laboratory, Hauraki Gulf, northern New Zealand. We analyse SST anomalies MHWs from to 2023. find a significant trend annual anomaly, with evident autumn winter, but not summer spring. has consistently anomalously warm over last decade, 2022 being warmest year 57-year record having high temperatures for six months. There were no number MHW days cumulative intensity annually, break point analysis revealed sharp increase both metrics 2012. had greatest (313 days) on record, including two longest cumulatively intense which numerous unpredicted impacts ecosystems. The data analysed here provides unique perspective Gulf demonstrates unprecedented nature recent MHWs.