Important Takeaways:

• Gulf of Mexico waters are hottest on record as coastal areas cook
• The entire Gulf Coast region is seeing its hottest August on record so far, and many locations are also seeing their warmest year to date.
• New Orleans also just finished its hottest seven-day stretch and has set record highs on 12 straight days (through Aug. 14).
• Like land areas that surround it, the Gulf of Mexico has been running hot all year. Recent data indicate coastal water temperatures of at least 90 degrees from Texas to Florida.
• “The Gulf of Mexico this week is the hottest it’s been at any point in any year on record by a wide margin,” Lowry tweeted.
• The warm water has boosted the humidity along the Gulf Coast and kept overnight temperatures at record-high levels. New Orleans and Baton Rouge have already registered 11 record warm lows this month. And Houston and Orlando have each seen 10.
• At the same time, there are signs the hurricane season may be about to awaken. Already, there are concerning signs that a disturbance could move into the gulf early next week. If it does, it will have exceptionally warm waters to fuel it. Certainly something to keep an eye on.

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