Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Hurricanes, heatwaves and rising seas: The impacts of record ocean heat
On top of higher air temperatures, there is more moisture in the air
and increased sea surface temperatures on the planet. The world temperature had already been 1.5C warmer than the preindustrial level for a full year until last
February. Also, global ocean surface temperatures have been hotter than ever for
over a year. Since oceans absorb heat from the air and release it slowly,
substantial heat is being stored in the oceans. The rise in the air and ocean
temperatures has been caused mainly by rising greenhouse gas emissions, of
course. Also, there was a major El Niño event last year, which raised surface
water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. The world has been witnessing these temperature
rises in recent years and is going to experience more extreme weather
conditions that are sparked by warmer temperatures and more moisture in the
air. Rains will pour heavily, hurricanes and typhoons will develop rapidly, and
temperatures and humidity will rise steeply. Since substantial heat is being
stored in oceans, the upcoming La Niña phase won’t be so much help for extreme
weather conditions this year and beyond.
Read the article and learn about the impact of warming oceans.
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