An oceanic warm front is moving into Long Island Sound, bringing with it the conditions ripe for a red tide outbreak. This kind of ocean forecast on the local newscast may not be such a far-fetched idea. Just as there are fronts that move through the atmosphere and change weather conditions, there are fronts that move through the ocean. Ocean fronts affect water conditions, local weather, and marine life. For this reason, the research is focusing on a region of the coastline where satellites indicate the existence of strong recurring oceanic fronts.
Scientists have the technology to continuously measure weather and climatic conditions on land.
They also know that the ocean affects large-scale weather events like El Nino and La Nina. UConn's new ocean monitoring system would provide enough data to detect, understand and more accurately predict changes in the local climate. Those predictions would provide farmers with information early enough to determine which crops to plant and which ones to avoid. The fishing industry could benefit from an accurate and timely prediction of warmer or cooler water moving into a particular area, giving them an idea where to fish most effectively. Marine ecologists could use the information to anticipate and avoid a collapse in fish stock.