Key developments
Southern California ocean temperatures set records
Shoreline stations run by Scripps Institution of Oceanography have logged record-breaking daily highs off the Southern California coast, with the La Jolla station reaching 10F above its historical average at one point last month. Scientists say the marine heatwave, which began last fall, is being driven by a persistent high-pressure system rather than El Niño or tropical currents, and it is also suppressing the spring upwelling that normally brings cool, nutrient-rich water to the surface. Researchers say the next few weeks will show whether the event eases or intensifies.
Why it matters
A prolonged marine heatwave can disrupt food webs, increase harmful algal blooms, and damage fisheries and coastal wildlife.
Sources & driving stories
THE GUARDIAN
The Guardian coverageNew York climate law faces revision push
Brian PJ Cronin reports that New York's climate debate is moving from grid flexibility to statutory rewrites. Sean Dague is pushing statewide virtual power plants, while Orange & Rockland has already run a battery-discount pilot for solar customers and Central Hudson has not joined. Separately, Gov. Kathy Hochul is seeking 2026-27 budget changes to the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, environmental groups have sued after penalty provisions were removed, and State Sen. Pete Harckham is advancing the ASAP Act to lift the solar target to 20,000 megawatts by 2035.
Why it matters
The outcome could determine whether New York meets its emissions targets and how quickly distributed energy resources scale.
Sources & driving stories
THE HIGHLANDS CURRENT · Brian PJ Cronin
The Highlands Current coverageLobster larvae appear vulnerable to warming
Inside Climate News reports on a NOAA Sea Grant-funded study that tested lobster embryos and larvae under present-day and projected 2100 temperature and pH conditions in a Virginia lab over five months. The embryos were relatively tolerant of acidification but sensitive to warming, and larvae exposed to higher temperatures hatched smaller, which could make them more vulnerable to predators and less likely to survive to the juvenile stage. The findings come as Maine's lobster fishery remains economically large, with 78.8 million pounds harvested last year and $619 million in commercial earnings.
Why it matters
Early-life survival is central to lobster recruitment, so warming could reshape the fishery's long-term outlook.
Sources & driving stories
INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS · Nicole Williams
Inside Climate News coverageWorth noting
WORTH NOTING
Solid-state cooling could reshape HVAC
The Contractor Magazine piece says refrigerant phase-downs and A2L safety concerns are accelerating interest in elastocaloric systems that use water or glycol loops instead of vapor-compression refrigerants.
WORTH NOTING
Britain is seeing early spring
Nature's Calendar observations suggest multiple seasonal events are arriving ahead of average, a warning sign for ecological mismatch if species do not adjust at the same pace.
Still unclear
OPEN QUESTION
Will New York's accounting changes weaken real cuts?
Hochul's proposed target and methane-accounting changes could alter reported progress without delivering equivalent emissions reductions.
OPEN QUESTION
Will the California heatwave become a longer event?
If the persistent high-pressure pattern holds, the marine heatwave could deepen ecosystem stress and fishery disruption.