KEY LARGO, Fla. — Things are heating up this summer in the Florida Keys — so much so, they might even break a world record.
A buoy in Manatee Bay, located between the Everglades and Key Largo, recorded a water temperature of 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit at 6 p.m. on Monday, according to data from the National Weather Service. For context, hot tub temperatures are usually between 100 and 102 degrees.
Temperatures in the bay remained above 100 degrees until 9 p.m. when they dropped to 99.5 F.
The 101.1-degree measurement is unusually warm for this area and comes as ocean temperatures are breaking records across the globe. Though not officially confirmed, the reading could break the record for the highest observed sea surface temperature of 99.7 degrees recorded in Kuwait Bay, according to a 2020 study.
Climate scientists, however, have concerns that the potentially-record-breaking measurement could be invalidated by a few different factors in Manatee Bay.
In a thread on Twitter, NOAA hurricane scientist Dr. Jeff Masters explained that since the measurement was taken near land, organic matter and other debris could have influenced the reading. He added that the reading was recorded at a depth of only about 5 feet.
Even considering those factors, Masters concluded that "these waters were some of the hottest ever recorded on Earth."
Global sea surface temperatures have been record high since April and the North Atlantic has been off-the-charts hot since mid-March, meteorologists report as climate change is linked to more extreme and deadly events.
“We are in uncharted territory and we can expect more records to fall,” said WMO director of climate services Christopher Hewitt. “This is worrying news for the planet.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.