Science AMA Series: Hi, we’re NOAA scientists who study the impacts of harmful algal blooms and forecast bloom conditions for various U.S. coastal regions. What is a harmful algal bloom and how do we forecast one? Find out when you Ask Us Anything!

Hi Reddit! We are Richard Stumpf (oceanographer) and Karen Kavanaugh (Harmful Algal Bloom project coordinator) from NOAA’s National Ocean Service. With harmful algal bloom season beginning over the next few months in several areas of the U.S., we wanted to take this opportunity to talk about our work on harmful algal blooms. Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae—simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater—grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. The human illnesses caused by HABs, though rare, can be debilitating or even fatal. We’ll cover the basics on HABs, our research, as well as dive into how we forecast harmful algal blooms for coastal communities. We’re here from 1:00 to 3:00 PM ET….ask us anything!