Sea Surface Temperatures in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
An AWIPS image of the 12 April 2007 MODIS Sea Surface Temperature (SST) product over the northwestern Atlantic Ocean (above) showed a very sharp SST gradient between the cold waters of the Labrador Current (30-40º F, blue colors) and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream (55-65º F, green colors). An interactive Java applet allows you to explore the SST values over that region (click on the SST image in the applet to activate the cursor readout). A MODIS SST image farther to the south (below) reveals SST values that were significantly warmer (75-80º F, orange to red colors) in the Gulf of Mexico and along the southern portion of the Gulf Stream. SST and other Level 2 MODIS Science Products are available daily on the CIMSS MODIS Direct Broadcast Products site.
