Global ocean surface temperatures hit record highs last month — and scientists are warning that we’re well into “uncharted territory.”
Both the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the Copernicus Marine Service, both of which operate under a European Union Earth observation program, confirmed independently that global ocean temperatures had broken 2024 all-time records last month.
The terrifying development highlights “unprecedented level of warming,” a confluence of “our changing climate and the onset of an El Niño event,” a climate pattern characterized by warming ocean surface temperatures leading to extreme fluctuations, intense storms, and droughts.
Scientists warned of a “super” El Niño this year, making it a particularly extreme summer season for much of the globe.
“With ocean temperatures at these levels and El Niño on the horizon, we are likely to see more temperature records fall in the coming months,” Copernicus Climate Change Service director Carlo Buontempo in a statement, warning that we’re heading into “uncharted territory.”
June 2026 global ocean temperatures broke both 2023 and 2024 records, according to both Copernicus observation programs, with average temperatures reaching just shy of 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Beyond the devastating effects of an El Niño event, the rising temperatures serve as a warning sign that human-caused climate change is really starting to rear its ugly head. The Earth is rapidly losing its ability to dump heat thanks to a major surge in greenhouse gases we’re pumping into the atmosphere.
The ocean is taking the brunt of this activity, absorbing 90 percent of the excess heat generated by these emissions, making it a key battleground in our fight against climate change. But thanks to those same emissions, the health of the ocean is in decline, reducing its ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
The news comes amid a crushing heatwave that has caused temperatures to soar across North America this week. Hundreds of millions of people will be exposed to dangerous, stifling heat over the extended July 4 weekend, with officials warning people to limit time outdoors and stay hydrated.
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