Recently, California's coast has seen a surge of Velella velella, blue, jellyfish-like organisms. This phenomenon has delighted beachgoers while alarming climate scientists monitoring changes in stranding patterns. These creatures, related to the Portuguese man o' war, utilize sails to navigate ocean currents. Factors such as nutrient-heavy spring upwelling and recent storms contributed to their beaching. Scientists forecast continued sightings if favorable weather patterns persist, underscoring the impact climate patterns have on marine life visibility and distribution.
"I would say if we get a nice high pressure system, which is generally associated with nice clear skies, but also upwelling, it's going to really concentrate them just offshore."
"The trippy part was that so many of them had washed ashore. I've never seen something like that before."
Collection
[
|
...
]