LONDON: Ocean temperatures hit a record high in February, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Agency (C3S) said on Thursday, with the global average sea surface temperature at 21.06 degrees Celsius (69.91 degrees Fahrenheit). February's average sea surface temperature exceeded the previous record of 20.98 degrees Celsius (69.77 degrees Celsius) set in August 2023 in a dataset dating back to 1979.
The concerning ocean record was achieved during what was also the hottest February on record, making it the ninth consecutive month to record such a milestone in each month.
Marine scientists warned this week that rising ocean temperatures are likely causing the fourth major global coral bleaching event in the Southern Hemisphere, potentially making it the worst in Earth's history.
When corals undergo heat stress, they bleach, expelling the colorful beneficial algae that live within their tissues, leaving behind pale skeletons. This makes them more susceptible to starvation and disease, and many die. This leaves coastlines unprotected from erosion and storms, making fishing difficult and potentially leading to the collapse of fragile coral reef ecosystems.
El Niño weather patterns resulting from warmer-than-normal surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean and human-induced climate change are fueling the extra heat. Richard Allan, a climate scientist at the University of Reading, said: “What's even more surprising is that sea surface temperatures are at record levels in areas far from the epicenter of El Nino, such as the tropical Atlantic and Indian Oceans.” said.
This shows that increasing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere are having a strong impact, he said. Global average sea surface temperature records do not include the polar oceans, but the situation is worsening there too.
Antarctic sea ice reached its annual minimum extent in February, 28% below average and the third lowest on record. According to C3S, the El Niño phenomenon is currently weakening near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, but temperatures at sea remain at abnormally high levels.
