21.1°C: The surface temperature of the ocean, its highest ever

“It is clear that we are in a rapidly warming climate and we will see new records all the time – in the ocean but also on land.”

The world’s ocean surface has reached a temperature it has never been since the beginning of satellite records and is responsible for marine heat waves around the world, according to US government data, Quoted from The Guardian newspaper. This data indicates that the average surface temperature of the ocean has been 21.1°C since the beginning of April, surpassing the previous maximum of 21°C, a record set in 2016.

“The current trajectory suggests it will beat all estimates and crush all previous records,” says Matthew England, a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales.

This may point to a possible pattern towards the end of this year that could increase the risk of severe weather and overtake global heat records.

When faced with this data, scientists say this pattern may emerge after the oceans recorded nearly three years of another pattern, characterized by cooler temperatures and stronger winds.

The oceans absorb more than 90% of this additional heat generated by adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and deforestation. A study last year revealed that the amount of heat accumulating in the ocean is accelerating and penetrating deeper, acting as fuel for extreme weather.

Matthew England, one of the authors of that study, stated in an interview with The Guardian that “what we’re seeing now [com as temperaturas recordes da superfície do mar] It is the emergence of a warming signal that most clearly reveals the impact of our increasing interference in the climate system.”

This specialist also points out that more and more studies are showing how there are more and more marine heat waves that can be driven by local meteorological conditions. It is now becoming more intense as the oceans warm – and the trend is expected to worsen due to global warming.

This is more of a concern in warmer oceans, which provide more energy for storms, endanger ice sheets and raise global sea levels, due to the expansion of salt water as it warms. Marine heat waves can have devastating effects on marine wildlife and cause coral destruction on tropical reefs.

“It is clear that we are in a rapidly warming climate and we will see new records all the time. Many of our projections predict a period of warming. And if this happens, we will see new records not only in the ocean but also on land,” said Dietmar Dominguet, a climate scientist and modeler at Monash University. This data already indicates that we are seeing a record and there may be more later this year.