We just had the hottest February ever recorded, according to new data from the European Union’s climate change monitoring system, per CBS News. It broke the previous record from 2016, according to The Washington Post.
The Associated Press reports that February 2024 had an average temperature of 56.37 degrees Fahrenheit, just an eighth of a degree higher than the previous record of 2016.
The ocean was also very hot
Ocean waters often absorb 90% of Earth’s heat, per CBS News. Data showed that the ocean temperatures were also at record-breaking heats of 69.96 degrees Fahrenheit, according to The Washington Post.
The cause for most of this heat is human-caused climate change, according to AP, which includes burning coal, oil and natural gas that then release carbon dioxide and methane. But some heat is also created by El Niño.
The Washington Post explains that El Niño occurs when the surface of the Pacific Ocean naturally warms up, which then helps create warmer weather globally.
Climate scientist Jennifer Francis told AP, “Given the strong El Nino since mid-2023, it’s not surprising to see above-normal global temperatures, as El Ninos pump heat from the ocean into the atmosphere, driving up air temperatures. But the amount by which records have been smashed is alarming.”
Scientists have noticed the consequences of warming ocean waters. CBS News reports that warm oceans can cause sea ice to melt, a natural reflective barrier to the sun’s rays, and if sea ice continues to disappear, sea levels and temperatures will rise more. The rising ocean temperatures are also impacting fisheries, ecosystems and ocean patterns, per AP.
Will cooler temperatures come?
El Niño could soon be replaced by La Niña, which occurs when the Pacific Ocean cools down and can help cool down the globe, according to The Washington Post. But for long-term effects, different measures must be taken.
Natalie Mahowald, a climate scientist from Cornell University, told AP, “To avoid even higher temperatures, we need to act quickly to reduce CO2 emissions.”
If nothing changes, there will be severe threats to certain parts of the globe. Per CBS News, those at higher risks of being impacted by warming temperatures include those that live on coasts and islands.
Francis told AP that “on a 1-to-10 scale of how bad the situation is, she gives what’s happening now ‘a 10, but soon we’ll need a new scale because what’s a 10 today will be a five in the future unless society can stop the buildup of heat-trapping gases.’”