New Record Set for Sea Surface Temperatures in June

Darwin, 01 July : Sea surface temperatures reached a new record high in June this year, raising concerns over the possibility of another period of extreme heat during the summer. A report by the British newspaper The Guardian on Wednesday (July 1) revealed the information.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service said on Wednesday that the average sea surface temperature outside the polar regions reached its highest level on June 21. The temperature on that day surpassed the previous records set during the same period in 2023 and 2024.

The organisation warned that this new record temperature could have serious impacts on weather patterns, the global climate, and marine ecosystems. It may coincide with the early stages of an El Niño event, potentially leading to some of the most severe climate conditions in the coming decades.

Previously, the highest sea surface temperature record was set in June 2023. At the time, scientists described the trend as alarming, devastating, and unprecedented, as it exceeded all forecasts. They had warned of the possible effects of El Niño, including global heatwaves, floods, and more intense storms.

The current situation has surpassed even the 2023 record. Temperatures are rising at alarming rates across much of the world. Last month, the United Kingdom and several European countries experienced intense heatwaves amid new temperature records. Meanwhile, Antarctica faced an unusually warm winter compared with normal conditions.

The report noted that attention is often focused more on land temperatures, but oceans provide a clearer picture of how human-induced warming is disrupting the climate system. Sea surface temperatures are influenced by solar radiation, ocean currents, and the storage of heat in deep ocean layers.

Oceans absorb more than 90 percent of the excess heat generated on Earth, largely due to the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas. Last year, this imbalance reached a record 23 zettajoules, more than double the average of the previous two decades.

As a result, oceans are warming at an increasing rate. In 2020, the amount of heat being added to the oceans was equivalent to the energy of around five Hiroshima atomic bombs every second. Last year, that figure increased to the equivalent of about 11 Hiroshima bomb explosions per second.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that humanity is currently pushing the planet beyond its limits of resilience.

Scientists said it is still uncertain whether this rise in sea surface temperatures will be temporary or continue to increase. This is because annual peak temperatures are usually observed in July and August.

Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said the development could mark the beginning of a new phase. It may lead to completely new and unfamiliar conditions. With ocean temperatures remaining at such high levels and an El Niño event approaching, more temperature records could be broken in the coming months.

Source: The Guardian