The temperature records regularly mentioned in recent years mainly concern dry land.
But the seas and oceans are also experiencing a rise in temperature.
Since Tuesday, the world's seas and oceans have reached a double record, according to data from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the American Oceanic and Atmospheric Observation Agency.
Not only has their average temperature never been higher.
But it has also been a year since, every day, their average heat has been higher than the highest level ever measured before.
This dynamic graph displays the 2023 curve in red and the 2024 curve in brown. In black is the average temperature over the period 1982-2011.
As crazy as it may sound, Global sea surface temperatures have now been at all-time record warm levels for an entire year.
This is perhaps one of the most absurd and alarming graphs I have ever plotted.
pic.twitter.com/5JzjT6IuR7
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) March 12, 2024
On Tuesday, the temperature of salt water across the entire Earth was 21.2°C.
This is 0.2°C warmer than March 12, 2023. This map established by the University of the American State of Maine shows the state of affairs with logically the areas close to the equator, which are the most hot.
/University of Maine
The current year is currently in line with 2023. Every day is hotter than ever for the waters, but also even hotter than the daily records established since March 12, 2023.
For the past year, the deviation from the average has been around 0.8°C daily.
At first glance this may seem weak.
But this is a remarkable variation.
As this table from the University of Maine shows, over the entire period studied, variations from the average are normally a few tenths of a degree.
Nearly one degree of deviation is a level that puts the statistics to the test.
Visually, the curves for 2023 (in orange) and 2024 (in black) are also at a distance from all the others.
Climatereanalyzer
The consequences of this warming of sea water and oceans are significant, as Météo France has already recalled in spring 2023. The first is that it limits their capacity to absorb CO2.
The hotter they are, the less they absorb, which further contributes to climate change.
Currently they store 25% of the world total.
Additionally, a higher temperature promotes evaporation.
More evaporation means more humidity in the air and therefore more abundant precipitation and an increased risk of meteorological disasters such as even more severe floods or even more rainy hurricanes.
Finally, underwater life is also suffering the consequences of rising temperatures.