World's oceans hit hottest temperature ever recorded in August as El Niño takes hold
Copernicus said the record reflects a stronger El Niño and decades of human-driven warming as marine heatwaves spread and threaten ecosystems.
- On Monday, the European climate service Copernicus announced world ocean temperatures reached a record 21.1 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday, driven by a growing natural El Niño and human-caused climate change.
- Long-Term warming from burning coal, oil, and gas has warmed the waters by 0.8 degrees Celsius , Samantha Burgess, strategic climate lead for Copernicus, explained. The current El Niño is expected to reach its peak between November and January.
- "The ocean is not supposed to do this," said Boris Worm, a biology professor at Dalhousie University. University of North Carolina marine ecologist John Bruno noted that hot water kills coral, though some species are adapting to the heat.
- Former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco warned this warming destabilizes weather patterns and threatens food security. Worm cautioned that fisheries, such as the Peruvian anchovy industry, face collapse as the food web unravels.
- Describing the ocean as the planet's thermostat, former NOAA chief Rick Spinrad stated, "as long as we depend on a healthy ocean for our safety, prosperity and wellbeing, these record-breaking sea surface temperatures portend even greater challenges for us all.
98 Articles
98 Articles
World’s Oceans Hit Record August Heat As El Niño Strengthens
The world's oceans have reached their highest recorded August temperature, adding to growing evidence of accelerating global warming. On August 22, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service recorded a global average ocean surface temperature of 21.1°C, narrowly exceeding the previous daily record of 21.09°C set in March 2024.Scientists say a developing El Niño in the Pacific is adding heat to oceans already warmed by decades of huma…
The water temperature on the surface of the world's oceans reached an average temperature of 21.1°C on Saturday, an absolute daily record, under the influence of climate change and the development of the El Nino phenomenon, the European observer Copernicus announced on Monday, reports AFP, according to Agerpres.
The temperature of the world's oceans has reached a new historical record, reaching 21.1°C on August 22, according to data from the European Union's climate service, Copernicus. The figure is particularly alarming because of the time of year. Global ocean surface temperatures usually peak in March and April, while in August they are expected to decline, reports Telegrafi. The new record easily surpasses the previous one of 21.09°C, recorded in M…
The Ocean Hasn't Been This Hot in 125,000 Years, Alarmed Researcher Suggests
Just as scientists predicted, this year’s “super” El Niño, a natural global weather pattern, is shattering all kinds of records as it combines with human-caused climate change. July already proved to be the hottest month on record in the US, with the country experiencing average temperatures exceeding those during the July 1936 Dust Bowl, an environmental and agricultural disaster. Ocean surface temperatures are also steadily creeping up, hittin…
The Toronto Star
Earth is simmering in its hottest water temps on record, and that’s bad for fish and us
The world's oceans simmered to their hottest temperatures on record over the weekend and are likely to warm even further in the next few months, putting stress on life in the water and on land too, the European climate service…
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