Marine Heat Waves

Elaborated by STREAM, the service provides daily analysis of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, including spatial maps for marine heat wave occurrence and intensity in the Malta shelf area. The service is based on ultra high resolution SST nighttime observations made by the infrared sensors mounted on different satellite platforms. Personalised user requests for detailed pixel-based data visualisation and access are available operationally on the STREAM web and mobile app.

Showing 27.12.2023
Satellite data
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Spatial map of MHW occurrence and intensity. A MHW is signalled when the SST anomaly (SSTA) exceeds the SST 90th percentile (SST90) for at least 5 consecutive days. The category of a MHW gives its intensity, measured by the size of the SSTA compared to the difference  between SST90 and the climatological mean SST.

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Map of the sea surface temperature anomaly SSTA which gives the temperature difference of the satellite observed temperature and the climatological mean calculated over 30 years (1989 – 2019)

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Synoptic map of the sea surface temperature (SST) measured by satellite.  SST observations are centred at midnight of each day.

Subarea A
Subarea B
Subarea C

Select subarea for viewing synopsis and statistics

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Time series of daily SST values for a period before the chosen day, and 9 days of forecast issued on the chosen day. Values are domain averages for the selected sub-area.

Mean SST Area A
17.91
Min SST Area A
17.47
Max SST Area A
18.25
Standard Dev SST Area A
0.14
SST Climatology Area A
17.22
10th percentile Area A
16.51
90th percentile Area A
17.99
Mean SST Anomaly Area A
0.7

Domain-averaged SST statistics for the chosen day and sub-area.

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Time series of daily SST values for a period before the chosen day, and 9 days of forecast issued on the chosen day. Values are domain averages for the selected sub-area.

Mean SST Area B
17.98
Min SST Area B
17.66
Max SST Area B
18.29
Standard Dev SST Area B
0.13
SST Climatology Area B
17.43
10th percentile Area B
16.7
90th percentile Area B
18.12
Mean SST Anomaly Area B
0.55

Domain-averaged SST statistics for the chosen day and sub-area.

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Time series of daily SST values for a period before the chosen day, and 9 days of forecast issued on the chosen day. Values are domain averages for the selected sub-area.

Mean SST Area C
16.88
Min SST Area C
16.21
Max SST Area C
17.57
Standard Dev SST Area C
0.35
SST Climatology Area C
16.58
10th percentile Area C
15.83
90th percentile Area C
17.44
Mean SST Anomaly Area C
0.29

Domain-averaged SST statistics for the chosen day and sub-area.

The STREAM project partners make every effort to ensure that information contained in these pages is accurate and up to date. However, the STREAM partners do not accept any liability and/or responsibility for the reliance placed by the users of these pages on the information contained in these pages or any other information accessed via this web page. The information provided in these pages is provided on an “as is” basis, and no warranties of any kind are issued whether expressly or implied by the STREAM partners on the information provided. 

The STREAM project partners make every effort to ensure that information contained in these pages is accurate and up to date. However, the STREAM partners do not accept any liability and/or responsibility for the reliance placed by the users of these pages on the information contained in these pages or any other information accessed via this web page. The information provided in these pages is provided on an “as is” basis, and no warranties of any kind are issued whether expressly or implied by the STREAM partners on the information provided. 

The STREAM project partners make every effort to ensure that information contained in these pages is accurate and up to date. However, the STREAM partners do not accept any liability and/or responsibility for the reliance placed by the users of these pages on the information contained in these pages or any other information accessed via this web page. The information provided in these pages is provided on an “as is” basis, and no warranties of any kind are issued whether expressly or implied by the STREAM partners on the information provided.