Ocean Temperatures Near Record Highs

Ocean temperatures reached near-record highs in March, with the European Union — Copernicus Climate Change Service reporting an average sea surface temperature of 20.97°C, the second-highest for the month. This indicates a likely transition toward El Niño–Southern Oscillation conditions, a natural climate cycle that warms Pacific waters and can lead to higher global temperatures and extreme weather. The World Meteorological Organization also predicted this shift from a cooling El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycle to neutral conditions, then to El Niño–Southern Oscillation later this year. The previous El Niño–Southern Oscillation in 2023-2024 was one of the strongest on record, contributing to those years being among the hottest. Scientists emphasize that these natural cycles exacerbate human-driven climate change, which is causing long-term global temperature increases and worsening extreme weather. Hotter oceans have damaging effects, including stronger storms, coral bleaching, and sea-level rise. Carlo Buontempo, director of European Union — Copernicus Climate Change Service, described the data as a 'sobering story' of a climate system under accelerating pressure. Regions like the United States, Russia, and the Arctic experienced above-average temperatures and record low sea ice cover in March.