NOAA and Partners Issue 2016 Seasonal Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast from Ohio State’s Stone Lab
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science issued its fifth seasonal harmful algal bloom (HAB) forecast for western Lake Erie at an all-day press event at The Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory on July 7, 2016. The forecast predicts a moderate bloom for this summer, comparable to conditions seen in 2008-2010.
The 2016 HAB is expected to measure 5.5 on the severity index introduced in 2014. The index runs from a 10, which is equivalent to the bloom observed in 2011, down to zero. The 2015 bloom was rated at 10.5, Lake Erie’s most severe bloom to date, while 2013’s bloom received a final score of 8.7. Any score above 5 is considered to be of concern.