According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), ocean temperatures hit a record high in February, with the average global sea surface temperature reaching 21.06 degrees Celsius (69.91 degrees Fahrenheit).
This surpassed the previous record of 20.98 degrees Celsius (69.77 degrees Fahrenheit) set in August 2023 in a dataset dating back to 1979.
The increase in marine temperature comes during what was also the hottest February on record, marking the ninth consecutive month of such a milestone for that respective month.
Marine scientists have warned that a fourth global mass coral bleaching event is likely occurring in the Southern Hemisphere due to the warming waters, which could potentially be the worst in history.
Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel the algae living in their tissues, leaving behind a pale skeleton.
This makes them vulnerable to starvation and disease, often resulting in their death.
The collapse of fragile reef ecosystems can leave coastlines unprotected from erosion and storms, while fisheries may also suffer.
An El Nino climate pattern, fueled by warmer than average surface waters in the Eastern Pacific, along with human-induced climate change, is contributing to the rise in temperatures.
Climate scientist Richard Allan from the University of Reading pointed out that sea surface temperatures are at record levels even in regions far from the El Nino action, such as the tropical Atlantic and Indian Ocean.
This indicates the significant impact of increasing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
Although the global sea surface temperature record does not include the polar oceans, the situation is also concerning there.
Antarctic sea ice reached its third lowest extent on record in February, at 28% below average.
While El Nino is weakening in the equatorial Pacific, C3S reported that air temperatures over the oceans remain unusually high.
Source: SaltWire
