A mysterious ‘ warm blob ’ of water off the West coast of the US could explain why states like California are experiencing their worst ever drought , while the East is battered by freezing weather . The blob in the ocean was discovered last year , with temperatures one to four degrees Celsius ( two to seven degrees Fahrenheit ) above surrounding ‘ normal ’ water . And the blob has now extended about 1,000 miles ( 1,600km ) offshore , from Mexico up to Alaska , and could herald a warmer summer for some regions . Scroll down for video . A 'blob ' of warm water 2,000 miles across is sitting in the Pacific Ocean ( shown in diagram ) . Since last June it has extended from Alaska to Mexico . It has been present since 2013 and causing fish to seek shelter elsewhere . And a new University of Washington study says it could be responsible for droughts . A new study by the University of Washington found that a high-pressure ridge could be causing the blob , by trapping heat in the water . In June of last year , the huge patch of water stretched 1,000 miles ( 1,600km ) in each direction , and was 300ft ( 90 metres ) deep . Dr Nick Bond , a climate scientist at the University of Washington , coined the term ‘ the blob ’ in June . Since the year 2000 , seven western states in the US has seen their driest periods in centuries : Arizona , California , Colorado , Nevada , New Mexico , Utah and Wyoming . And scientists in California have warned that the region may be experiencing a century-long 'mega-drought ' . The warnings came after sediment studies showed California is currently experiencing the driest spell since 1580 , and that the regular rainfall seen during the last century is likely to have been a temporary deviation in a cycle of droughts and very occasional rainfall over the last 3,000 years . In 2013 , California received less rain than in any year since its formation as a state in 1850 . However droughts lasting more than 100 years are far from unheard of in the state . Looking back over several thousand years , droughts have been known to last over a decade , and in some cases they can last a century . And the patterns tend to repeat , meaning another drought of this length will probably happen again in the future . Ten months later , the blob is now squashed up against the coast , and Dr Bond says all models point to it continuing through the end of this year . ‘ In the fall of 2013 and early 2014 we started to notice a big , almost circular mass of water that just did n't cool off as much as it usually did , so by spring of 2014 it was warmer than we had ever seen it for that time of year , ’ said Dr Bond . Researchers said it may have contributed to the state of Washington 's mild 2014 winter and might signal a warmer summer . But exactly how this area of warmer water has formed , or how long it will stay , remains a mystery . One thing that can be studied , though , is its effects . As air passes over warmer water and reaches the coast it brings more heat and less snow , which the scientists say helped cause current drought conditions in California , Oregon and Washington . The researchers said that it might not only be causing warmer temperatures on the West coast , but also cooler temperatures on the East coast . It could also be playing a part in circulating cold and wet air to the central and eastern states of the US . California 's drought ( stock image shown left ) is one of the worst on record , while the East coast of the US ( Central Park in New York shown right ) has seen unusually cold temperatures . It is also having an effect on marine life . Fish have been spotted in unusual places , supporting recent reports that West coast marine ecosystems are suffering and the food web is being disrupted by warm , less nutrient-rich Pacific Ocean water . Dr Bond noted that , while this phenomenon likely wasn ’ t caused by global warming , it could be a sign of similar weather to come . ‘ This is a taste of what the ocean will be like in future decades , ’ Dr Bond said . ‘ It was n't caused by global warming , but it 's producing conditions that we think are going to be more common with global warming. ’ The 'blob ' is also having an effect on marine life . Fish , like the Thresher Shark ( shown ) , have been spotted in unusual places , supporting recent reports that West Coast marine ecosystems are suffering and the food web is being disrupted by warm , less nutrient-rich Pacific Ocean water .
A 'blob ' of warm water 2,000 miles across is sitting in the Pacific Ocean . It has been present since several thousand years and causing fish to seek shelter elsewhere . University of Washington study says it could be responsible for droughts . But it is not clear where the blob has come from - or how long it will stay .