‘Super El Niño’ Intensifies as Oceans Record Highest-Ever Temperatures

The world’s oceans have recorded their highest-ever average temperatures, raising fresh concerns over the worsening impacts of climate change. Scientists have warned that the unprecedented warming, coupled with increasingly extreme climate patterns, could be developing into a “Super El Niño.”

According to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the average global surface sea temperature has reached a record 21.1°C (70°F). The extreme warmth has been recorded months earlier than the time of year when ocean temperatures typically reach their annual peak.

Climate experts have warned that a powerful El Niño weather pattern, intensified by climate change, could push global temperatures even higher. The phenomenon develops when unusually warm waters build up across the Pacific Ocean and can trigger extreme weather events worldwide, including severe heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and unusually intense storms and flooding. The record ocean warming could have serious consequences for South Asia, including Bangladesh. Scientists say El Niño can disrupt normal monsoon patterns, significantly increasing the risks of severe drought, heatwaves and sudden flooding caused by excessive rainfall.

Source: South China Morning Post (SCMP)