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Strong spring winds drive record-breaking upwelling

by Ike Allen June 9, 2021

Last month saw record-breaking upwelling off the coast as winds from a high-pressure system over the Pacific whipped along the shore. The winds push warm surface waters out to sea, allowing cold, nutrient-rich water to well up from the depths. Scientists believe upwelling is increasing with climate change, but this year is remarkable. Although upwelling can make for productive fishing, it often coincides with drought conditions on land. This year is no exception, and the winds themselves further desiccate the land. David Briggs

This spring delivered record-breaking upwelling off the Marin coast, according to data from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

“May, I think, is the highest or second-highest month just after 1999, which was a record in upwelling,” said Marisol Garcia-Reyes, a principal scientist at the Farallon Institute, a Petaluma-based nonprofit that studies marine ecosystems. The oceanographic phenomenon appears to be getting stronger over time, but this year was particularly remarkable, she said.

In late spring…