Ocean temperature hits record 70°F as powerful El Niño forms
Highest-ever ocean temperature measured as powerful El Niño forms
Scientists recorded the highest ocean temperature ever measured on Aug. 22, when the global average sea-surface temperature reached 70°F, according to Europe's Copernicus agency. The previous record was set in March 2024. The heat combines decades of human-driven warming with a powerful El Niño in the tropical Pacific, raising risks to marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and extreme weather.
El Niño is adding heat to the system, but it is doing so on top of decades of human-driven warming.