Cold Blob' in Atlantic Warns of Gulf Stream Weakening Threat

WHO:

ScienceAlert - An international team of researchers conducted the study.

Live Science - The study was published by researchers analyzing the cold blob phenomenon.

WHAT:

ScienceAlert - The study indicates that the Atlantic's cold blob is a sign of weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

Live Science - The cold blob, also known as the North Atlantic Warming Hole, is an area where average sea surface temperatures have been decreasing.

Live Science - The AMOC is projected to slow down by around 50% by 2100.

Live Science - If the AMOC were to collapse completely, temperatures in parts of the Northern Hemisphere could drop by 18 to 27 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 15 degrees Celsius).

WHERE:

ScienceAlert - The cold blob is located in the North Atlantic, just south of Greenland.

Live Science - The cold blob is situated south of Greenland and Iceland.

WHEN:

Live Science - The study was published on May 28 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Live Science - A previous study linking the AMOC to the cold blob was published in 2025.

WHY:

ScienceAlert - The researchers concluded that the cooling is due to a deep, underwater current issue, with less heat being brought into the region.

Live Science - The weakening of the AMOC is considered a major potential tipping point for Earth's systems, leading to substantial and irreversible environmental changes.

HOW:

ScienceAlert - The researchers used satellite data, reanalysis records, and ocean heat content data, including records extending back to 1955.

Live Science - The study analyzed measurements of ocean heat content and surface flux changes in the blob region, based on data collected by Copernicus satellites and other sources.

(UPDATED June 11, 2026 06:33 UTC)

An international team of researchers has published a study indicating that the Atlantic's cold blob, also known as the North Atlantic Warming Hole, is a sign of the weakening Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC. This cold blob, located in the North Atlantic just south of Greenland and Iceland, has seen average sea surface temperatures decrease, and the AMOC is projected to slow down by around 50% by 2100, which could lead to significant temperature drops in parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The researchers utilized satellite data and ocean heat content records to analyze this phenomenon, concluding that the cooling is linked to issues with deep underwater currents that are bringing less heat into the region.