The planet’s oceans have broken the all-time June temperature record, with average global sea surface temperatures reaching 69.5 degrees Fahrenheit on June 21, according to data from Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Implications for Global Weather
The record-breaking temperatures have been driven by the onset of El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by unusually warm waters along the equatorial tropical Pacific Ocean. This, combined with the human-driven climate crisis, is driving up temperatures and has huge implications for global weather patterns.
Hotter oceans keep the air warmer, fueling heat waves; energize storms making them fiercer; and increase evaporation, boosting the chances of extreme rainfall and flooding. Ocean heat can also lead to the mass bleaching of coral reefs, the death of other marine life, and increased sea level rise.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
