Uncharted territory
Ocean temperatures have been hitting record highs in March and April. Data reveals that the average daily sea surface temperature has exceeded 21°C — around 70 degrees Fahrenheit — for the first time in recorded history.
Scientists have pointed to these record-breaking temperature recordings to raise the alarm about the state of global warming, explaining that the figures, and any further heating, are starting to put the planet into “uncharted territory”.
In hot water
While the daily data recorded in the last few weeks is a new concern, ocean warming has been closely monitored for some time.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has gathered data on temperature anomalies, when the ocean’s surface temperature differs from the average, for over 120 years, helping to highlight just how hot our waters are getting. Deviations from the average ocean temperature (taken from 1901-2000) have grown more extreme in the 21st century, with 9 of the 10 warmest average temperatures coming in the last decade.
Warmer oceans bring a whole host of environmental concerns and can cause sea levels to rise, lead to more regular and severe extreme weather events, and endanger sea life. A new study published just last week found that the ocean has gained almost as much heat in the last 15 years as it did in the preceding 45.
