On Saturday (Aug. 22), the daily global average sea surface temperature (SST) was hotter than at any time since records began in 1979, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Human activities are driving global warming through the widespread and continued burning of fossil fuels, along with other activities that emit carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat by absorbing radiation.
Researchers have warned that we're on the cusp of a likely historic super El Niño, with the potential to bring about a humanitarian crisis and possibly push an already-stressed climate ecosystem across a critical threshold.
The latest SST is particularly eye-catching because it's unusual to have a record daily high so late in the year. The hottest daily temperatures are typically recorded in March and April, after the Southern Hemisphere's summer, Copernicus representatives wrote in the statement.
A warming ocean means increased sea level rise and a higher risk of marine heat waves, according to Copernicus. Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities around the world. Meanwhile, the warmer waters harm coral reefs and other key marine ecosystems, which, in turn, affects food webs and the people who depend on these systems. Ocean warming also influences our weather systems and fuels global warming, which causes more ocean warming.
Super El Niño
Last week, the U.K.'s Met Office announced that this year's El Niño will be the largest in living memory and likely the biggest since the 19th century.
RELATED STORIES"We should be clear that this is an unprecedented event," Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the Met Office, said in an Aug. 21 statement. "I have never seen an El Niño signal this intense in our forecasts."
In the U.S., El Niño often brings warmer winters to Northern states, while Southern states are more likely to experience stormier weather. However, every El Niño is unique.
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