World's oceans hit highest temperature on record as El Niño grows
Summary
New data shows the world's oceans have reached their highest surface temperature ever recorded, mainly due to human-caused climate change and the growing El Niño weather event. Scientists warn this warming can lead to more extreme weather, rising sea levels, and damage to marine life.Key Facts
- The average ocean surface temperature outside polar regions reached 21.1°C (70°F) recently, beating previous records.
- This temperature is higher than normal for this time of year and comes before El Niño is expected to peak.
- El Niño is a natural event that brings warm water to the tropical Pacific and typically raises global temperatures.
- Scientists expect this El Niño to be the strongest in centuries, possibly raising ocean temperatures even more into 2027.
- Large areas of ocean near the UK and Europe have experienced marine heatwaves for much of the year.
- Human activities, especially burning fossil fuels, trap heat and cause long-term ocean warming.
- Warmer oceans contribute to stronger storms, heatwaves, rising sea levels, and harm to sea ecosystems like coral reefs.
- This ocean heat stress also threatens communities relying on healthy marine environments.
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