Global sea surface temperature hits record high amid El Niño and long-term warming

The average global sea surface temperature hit a record 21.1 degrees Celsius on Saturday, surpassing the previous high of 21.09 degrees recorded in March 2024. The Copernicus Climate Change Service, part of the EU's space program, reported the new record on Monday.

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the record is another clear sign that the ocean is under increasing stress.

Copernicus, which has been collecting data on sea surface temperature since 1979, noted the record occurred within a context of "continued long-term warming of the world's oceans." This trend is amplified by an extreme El Niño phenomenon in the tropical Pacific.

Samantha Burgess, head of climate strategy at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, stated the record is "another clear sign that the ocean is under increasing stress." She explained that El Niño contributes heat to the system, but it adds to decades of human-caused warming.

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El Niño is bringing heat to the system, but it does so on top of decades of human-caused warming.

Burgess also warned of the risks posed by rising ocean temperatures to marine ecosystems and coastal communities. "The number of global marine heatwave days has more than tripled since the early 1990s, putting increasing pressure on marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them," she said. Copernicus's seasonal prediction system indicates El Niño could reach unprecedented levels, with the World Meteorological Organization also forecasting its intensification in the coming months.

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The number of global marine heatwave days has more than tripled since the early 1990s, putting increasing pressure on marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.