London: Ocean surface temperatures have reached an unprecedented high for the month of June, triggering concerns about a potential surge in extreme heat events this summer.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, temperatures outside polar regions on June 21 exceeded the extraordinary highs recorded in the same period of 2023 and 2024, as reported by the Copernicus Climate Change Service.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service cautioned that this new peak in ocean temperatures could have significant impacts on weather patterns, global climate, and marine ecosystems. These effects are expected to coincide with the early phases of an El Ni±o event, which is anticipated to be the strongest in decades.
The previous ocean temperature record for June, set in 2023, had already raised alarm among scientists, who described the trends as 'worrying', 'terrifying', and 'bonkers'. This earlier record foreshadowed an El Ni±o and a period of severe global heatwaves, floods, and storms. Now, with the 2023 record surpassed, the world is experiencing another alarming rise in temperatures, with Europe and Antarctica witnessing unprecedented heat conditions.
While land temperatures often receive more attention, ocean temperatures provide a more comprehensive view of the climate imbalance caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels. Oceans absorb over 90% of the excess energy in the Earth's system, and last year, this energy imbalance reached a record 23 zettajoules, more than double the average of the previous two decades.
The rate of ocean warming is accelerating, with the heat added to the oceans in 2020 being equivalent to about five Hiroshima bombs per second, rising to 11 Hiroshima bombs per second last year. UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres has emphasized that 'Earth is being pushed beyond its limits'.
Although scientists are unsure whether this spike in ocean surface temperatures will be temporary or worsen, annual temperature peaks are typically observed in July and August. Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, warned that this could signal the start of a new phase of climate change, leading to more temperature records in the upcoming months.