What’s lurking in California’s waters this summer? Not just surfers and sea lions.
Scientists say a powerful El Niño could transform the Pacific into a “whole different ocean,” bringing an unusual wave of tropical visitors to the West Coast. Think more juvenile white sharks, hammerheads, stingrays, sea turtles and even the highly venomous yellow-bellied sea snake, a species rarely seen in California waters.
In a fascinating (and frankly, scary) story, researchers tell USA TODAY’s national science reporter Dinah Voyles Pulver that they are already spotting signs of change as a marine heat wave combines with one of the strongest forecast El Niños on record.
The biggest concern for beachgoers may not be sharks at all. Experts predict a surge in stingray encounters and injuries as warmer waters reshape marine ecosystems from San Diego to Monterey.
The changes don’t stop there: In a compelling new video from USA TODAY, Californian videographer Denis Akbari, experts explain how harmful algal blooms could threaten marine animals from sea lions to dolphins.
Bottom line: Scientists expect California’s coast could look very different by fall.
Here’s what else is happening in California.