BRUSSELS, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The daily global average sea surface temperature (SST) reached 21.1 degrees Celsius on Aug. 22, surpassing the previous record of 21.09 degrees Celsius set in March 2024, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said Monday.
The C3S said that this new record is particularly notable as global ocean temperatures are typically highest in March and April, following the austral summer. The previous August record was 20.98 degrees Celsius, set in 2023.
C3S said global SSTs remain at historically high levels in 2026, with several months recording record or near-record temperatures.
"A strong El Nino is now developing in the tropical Pacific, adding further warmth to an ocean that has already been warming over many decades as a result of human-driven climate change," C3S said.
The World Meteorological Organization expected El Nino to strengthen in the coming months, while C3S seasonal forecasts suggest the event could reach levels not seen for several decades.
Samantha Burgess, Strategic lead for climate at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), said the record was "another clear signal of an ocean under growing stress."
"As ocean temperatures continue to rise, the risks to marine ecosystems and coastal communities also increase," Burgess said, noting that the number of marine heatwave days globally has more than tripled since the early 1990s.
C3S said long-term ocean warming contributes to sea-level rise through thermal expansion and increases the likelihood and intensity of marine heatwaves, putting pressure on ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass meadows, as well as fisheries and aquaculture. ■