Mississippi River 'dead zone' largest ever

Posted at 3:32 PM on June 25, 2009 by Paul Huttner

Mississippi "Dead Zone" expected to be largest ever in the Gulf of Mexico this year.

It was a record spring for so called "nutrient runoff" from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. That has one scientist form the University of Michigan forecasting the biggest summer dead zone ever. As waters heat up in the Gulf, algae blooms create conditions that deprive areas on and near the bottom of critical oxygen. This condition is called hypoxia, and the lack of oxygen does not support marine life.

Researcher and aquatic ecologist Donald Scavia says the dead zone could reach 8,000 square miles. That's about the size of New Jersey.

4th warmest May globally

NOAA reports that May was the 4th warmest on record globally. Combined land and ocean temperatures were .95 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average.

ISS captures vocalic eruption in Russia

Talk about perfect timing. Check out this image captured by the International Space Station on June 12th. The ISS flew directly over the Sarychev Peak Volcano as it was erupting. The volcano is located in Russia's Kuril Islands, northeast of Japan.

Forecast: Hot, then cooler and wetter this weekend.

Temperatures are pushing close to 90 in the metro again this afternoon. Look for another hot and sunny day Friday with a high of 93 in the metro. The next cool front will move in Friday night and Saturday, brining showers and thunderstorms. Sunday appears much cooler with a gusty northwest wind and highs only in the 70s in most of Minnesota.

PH

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