World Oceans Hit Record 21.1C Surface Temperature as El Niño Adds to Human-Driven Warming
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 24
World Oceans Hit Record 21.1C Surface Temperature as El Niño Adds to Human-Driven Warming
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 24
Summary
21.1C was the average sea-surface temperature on Saturday, the highest in records dating to 1979 and unusually set in August rather than the usual March-April peak.
More than 90% of heat trapped by fossil-fuel emissions is absorbed by oceans, and scientists said a fast-developing El Niño is now piling extra warmth onto decades of human-driven heating.
Hotter seas raise flood risks through thermal expansion, intensify storms by feeding the atmosphere more energy and moisture, and drive marine heatwaves that damage sea life and coastal livelihoods.
Copernicus said global marine heatwave days have more than tripled since the early 1990s, while scientists warned warmer oceans may also absorb CO2 less efficiently, weakening a key climate buffer.