Shocker! The oceans are getting warmer.
And things aren’t slowing down. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average temperature of the global ocean’s surface has hit a new record high of 21.1 degrees Celsius (69.98 degrees Fahrenheit) — that’s .1 degrees Celsius (32.18 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the previous record set in 2016.
“Global Sea Surface Temperatures Hit Warmest Ever Observed,” wrote Mark Sponsler, a surf forecaster behind Storm Surf. “The previous record was achieved in 2016, the last El Nino. And that one reached Super El Nino status. A harbinger of what’s to come? And what does it mean if we have back-to-back Super El Ninos? Consider previous Super El Ninos were in ’82-83, ’97-98, 2016 and now maybe 2023. Is the frequency increasing? Keep this in mind as we watch the evolution of our current warm event.”
Of course, global warming and climate change are the primary culprit and concern here. And the numbers don’t lie – they’re showing the changing of the earth’s temperature in real-time. And according to the data, it’s getting warmer and warmer.
Photo: NOAA
“The current trajectory looks like it’s headed off the charts, smashing previous records,” Professor Matthew England, a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales, told The Guardian.
Over the past three years, the Pacific has seen a La Niña event. And that has suppressed the temperatures. But it appears that La Niña is over; time for El Niño.
“The recent ‘triple dip’ La Niña has come to an end,” Dr Mike McPhaden, a senior research scientist at NOAA, told The Guardian. “This prolonged period of cold was tamping down global mean surface temperatures despite the rise of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
“Now that it’s over, we are likely seeing the climate change signal coming through loud and clear.”
So, what does this mean for waves? We’ll just have to wait and see.
***
Don’t miss another headline from SURFER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of surfing. We’re always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging surf-related videos to feature on our channels.
Whether you’re a professional surfer or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on SURFER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality surf videos.