Strong Winds Push Billions of Velella Velella Jellyfish onto the West Coast

Strong winds and above average sea surface temperatures are killing off this unusual animal in large numbers.
Known as "purple sailors," billions of velella velella jellyfish have been carried onto multiple shorelines across the West Coast by powerful surface winds.
"Since March, the component of surface wind blowing from west to east over the northeast Pacific toward coastal Washington and northwest Oregon has been stronger than average," said weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman.

Enlarge

(Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy )

The indigo-colored jellyfish are famous for their small dorsal sails, which normally keep them out to sea eating plankton.

(MORE: Japan Tsunami Boat Found off Oregon)
After the winter, as sea surface temperatures rise, the jellyfish migrate closer to the shore in droves. Poised next to the beach, velella velella are powerless to avoid being carried onto shore by strong winds and turbulent thunderstorms.
Once they wash up, in the thousands on a single beach as the Oregonian reports, the sea creatures die.
Luckily for beach goers, velella velella aren't poisonous to the touch and won't sting, but scientists at Oregon State University say to avoid the jellyfish because they carry a mild neurotoxin.
Recently climate scientists identified a warm water "blob: disrupting marine life off the West Coast and affecting U.S. weather systems.

http://www.weather.com/science/nature/news/velella-jellyfish-west-coast-wind