Oil Spill Likely To Hit Gulf Stream And US East Coast

  Posted by - April 30, 2010 at 9:02 pm - Permalink - Source via Alexander Higgins Blog
Thermal Image of Gulf Steam Current and possible path of Oil Spill
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Left: Thermal Image of Gulf Steam current and possible path of Oil Spill as it moves up East Coast

Based on based on NOAA’s ocean current forecast and wind direction University of Florida professor and oceanographic expert says he believes the East Coast of Florida might see the worst of the impact of the oil spill and it is highly likely that the Oil Slick will get caught in the Gulf Stream and move its way up the US East Coast..

The Gulf Stream runs up the eastern coast of Florida and all the way up the entire US East Coastline.  Sheng said he believes it is entirely possible, even probable, that this will happen. The professor of marine biology at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, fast currents and winds may move the oil around Florida and up the east coast.

The Gulf Oil Spill Impact on Entire East Coast Could Be Huge

This thermal image above gives a great picture of just how the Gulf Coast Oil Spill could travel up the East Coast if not contained within a few months. Experts agree the economic and environmental impact could be devastating from Florida all the way up to North Carolina.

The Global model below shows the relationships between the major Atlantic Ocean currents and the Gulf of Mexico.  Meanwhile the US Government refuses give forecast more than three days out and declines to speculate on the potential devastation of the Oil Spill if it makes it way up the US East Coast.

Global Map of the Gulf Stream Current Flows

Global Map of the Gulf Stream Current Flows

David Mosley, a spokesman from the U.S. Coast Guard at the spill’s command center in Robert, Louisiana told WYFF News 4′s Kim Quintero over the phone Friday afternoon that they can only forecast three days worth of data on wind speeds, direction and sea currents: the driving force of the oil. It would take longer than that for the oil to potentially reach Carolina shores.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist has declared a state of emergency in the Florida panhandle as experts warn of impending likelyhood that the Oil spill will circle Florida and have a nasty impact the Southern Florida ecosystem. According to the NY Times, as of 4:30 EST  “Coast Guard officials said Monday afternoon that the oil spill near Louisiana was now covering more than 1,800 square miles of the Gulf of Mexico, and they have been unable to engage a mechanism that could shut off the well thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface.”

Also “The unified command is monitoring the situation and is working closely with officials from Fish and Wildlife, National Marine Fisheries Service and NOAA to understand the impact the spill and response activities may have on whales and other marine wildlife in the area.”

CNN reported early that the current spill is only 1/4 of the size of the Exxon Valdez Spill. But a huge difference here is that the wells continue to leak massive amounts of oil into Gulf of Mexico and we are talking about some densely populated areas of the United States. The Oil Spill contains potential to wreak havoc on many integral parts of the US Economy.

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