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All eyes are on Florida now as the oil spill that is still leaking from the Deepwater Horizon still floods into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Parts of the oil may already being enterting the loop current, a warm
ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico that flows northward between Cuba and the Yucatán
peninsula, moves north into the Gulf of Mexico, loops west and south
before exiting to the east through the Florida Straits.
ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico that flows northward between Cuba and the Yucatán
peninsula, moves north into the Gulf of Mexico, loops west and south
before exiting to the east through the Florida Straits.
Shoreline property owners and real estate professionals are concerned
the disaster could literally hit home by decreasing house values. There is no way at this time to tell what the depreciation – if any – will be on the property values in the Florida Keys. Far
too many variables play a role in predicting the coastline(s) that will
be affected by the spill.
the disaster could literally hit home by decreasing house values. There is no way at this time to tell what the depreciation – if any – will be on the property values in the Florida Keys. Far
too many variables play a role in predicting the coastline(s) that will
be affected by the spill.
Most oil spill experts say any oil carried by the Loop
Current would be more dispersed and highly weathered by the time it gets
to the Keys, making it highly unlikely that large “rivers” of heavy oil would impact the
Keys. The weathered and diluted
oil would likely appear in the form of tar balls.
While arrival of oil in any form is unacceptable, tar balls are
“significantly less toxic,” according to Florida Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole. It is also possible
that some areas of the Keys could be affected and others not, or that the
oil residues could remain in the Loop Current and Gulf Stream and miss the Keys altogether.
Current would be more dispersed and highly weathered by the time it gets
to the Keys, making it highly unlikely that large “rivers” of heavy oil would impact the
Keys. The weathered and diluted
oil would likely appear in the form of tar balls.
While arrival of oil in any form is unacceptable, tar balls are
“significantly less toxic,” according to Florida Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary Michael Sole. It is also possible
that some areas of the Keys could be affected and others not, or that the
oil residues could remain in the Loop Current and Gulf Stream and miss the Keys altogether.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is providing oil slick
trajectory maps regarding the oil spill and its proximity to the Florida
Keys. Forecast maps are updated daily to plot and project approximate
positions of the oil slick, and provide the latest available forecast
showing movement in and around Gulf waters. The map below was issued on Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010.
trajectory maps regarding the oil spill and its proximity to the Florida
Keys. Forecast maps are updated daily to plot and project approximate
positions of the oil slick, and provide the latest available forecast
showing movement in and around Gulf waters. The map below was issued on Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010.
