The ocean is hot. Too hot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Humanity\u2019s addiction to fossil fuels has driven up global temperatures and much of this heat has ended up in the ocean. Since early 2023, this warming has accelerated, outpacing what researchers predicted based on climate models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 What is happening with ocean warming?<\/a><\/strong> For the past 18 months, global ocean temperatures have been rising at a rate that scientists say is deeply alarming. Researchers have predicted significant ocean warming as part of human-induced climate change, but they did not foresee the spike in ocean heat that began in early 2023. And they cannot fully explain it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In March 2023, sea surface temperatures in the north of the Atlantic Ocean suddenly shot up<\/a>, bringing a marine heatwave<\/a> to much of the region. That April, global sea-surface temperatures set a record. The same thing happened again in May. By June, temperatures across the North Atlantic were 1-3C above the seasonal average. In Antarctica, sea ice had reached its lowest extent on record, at 17%<\/a> below average and significantly lower than the previous June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before long, every ocean basin on Earth was experiencing accelerated warming, with global average sea-surface temperatures reaching a new daily high of over 21C in February and March 2024. The spike in global ocean warming continued until August 2024. As of October, record sea surface temperatures were still widespread<\/a>, affecting the Caribbean and parts of the Indian, Pacific and Southern oceans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 How does this compare historically?<\/a><\/strong>
\u2022 Is El Ni\u00f1o to blame?<\/a><\/strong>
\u2022 If not El Ni\u00f1o, what is behind the current temperature spike?<\/a><\/strong>
\u2022 Why is so much heat ending up in the ocean?<\/a><\/strong>
\u2022 How much energy are we talking about?<\/a><\/strong>
\u2022 What does all of this mean for the ocean and for people?<\/a><\/strong>
\u2022 How does this warming impact ocean currents?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is happening with ocean warming?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n