World’s oceans hit new record temperature
Sea surface temperatures reached the highest ever recorded in August, as a strong El Niño adds heat to anthropogenic warming and raises the risk of extreme weather including tropical storms and heatwaves
DAILY SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE FOR 60°N TO 60°S (Celsius)
March: Typical annual peak – new records expected in 2027
Aug 23: 21.1°C – hottest ever registered
2026
1979-2022
1991-2020 average
2023
2024
2025
Nov: El Niño expected end
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
19.6
19.8
20.0
20.2
20.4
20.6
20.8
21.0
SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE ANOMALY (Aug 23, Celsius)
0
0.2
0.5
1
2
3
-0.2
-0.5
-1
-2
-3
EL NIÑO SOUTHERN OSCILLATION (ENSO)
Two-to-seven-year cycle
El Niño: Warmer Pacific waters build up – on course to be strongest in 200 years
Alternates with La Niña – when Pacific is cooler – and neutral Southern Oscillation
Oceans absorb over 90% of excess heat in atmospher
Source and picture: Copernicus C3S/ECMWF
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