Scientists are on the alert! Ocean temperatures break records

The temperature on the ocean surface has reached record levels. Temperatures began to climb in mid-March, reaching peaks in April. Since then temperatures have started to drop as they naturally do in the spring. However, currently measured temperatures are at historic levels for this time of year.

Ocean temperatures hit record

Gregory C. Johnson, an oceanographer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who calculates the ocean surface temperature using a network of ships, buoys and buoys, said the data is remarkable. Matthew England, professor of ocean and climate dynamics, said the record is not radical, about two-tenths higher than the previous record, but the energy required is huge given how much heat is needed to heat the huge body of water.

According to the data obtained, it is stated that at the beginning of 2023, rapid warming is seen in the oceans and the temperatures have increased to 21.1 degrees. However, scientists have not yet been able to determine what is behind this rapid increase. The point of agreement is that they suddenly rose from their temperature. Some scientists worry that these new records could mark the beginning of an alarming trend. But the general consensus is that if the oceans warm, coral disappears, marine life goes into crisis, sea level rises and the planet gets warmer.

Is the problem “El Niño”?

One of the reasons for the temperature increase is said to be El Niño, a global ocean-atmosphere event that occurs naturally in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This climate phenomenon is associated with global warming. The world has just emerged from the three-year impact of La Niña, the colder counterpart of El Niño, which masks the effects of global warming.

Scientist Johnson explains: “It’s a bit like leaving the freezer door open for a while and helping the planet cool.” But even with this freezer on, background temperatures continued to rise. Now the freezer is off and everything is warmer than before.

On the other hand, what worries scientists is that temperatures are rising rapidly, although El Niño has not reached its strongest stage. Some think this indicates that climate change may be progressing in ways that climate models do not predict.

The oceans absorb about 90 percent of the excess heat the world produces and about 25 percent of the carbon pollution. Therefore, the warming of the oceans causes a multiplier effect on global warming. Whatever the reasons behind the increase in ocean temperature, the effects are potentially catastrophic if temperatures continue to go off the charts.