'Beyond Extreme' North Atlantic Marine Heatwave

This map depicts the current heatwave conditions in the North Atlantic ocean. Scientists are alarmed not only by the fact that marine heatwaves are occurring so early in the season, but also because sea surface temperatures (SSTs) have risen 5 degrees Celsius above normal during June. This is the warmest they have been in more than 170 years for this time of the year. These temperatures are generally typical of August and September when oceanic waters are the warmest. Marine heatwaves are defined as a period of persistent anomalously warm ocean temperatures — which can have significant impacts on marine life as well as coastal communities and economies.

Marine heatwaves are categorised from 1-5. While NOAA has registered the event as category 4 (extreme), there are some hotspots which are hitting category 5 as well. The average sea surface temperatures hit 15 degrees Celsius around the UK-Ireland Coastal waters in June which has happened only once before- at the end of June 2009, according to Ben Noll, a meteorologist at the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research, New Zealand .

NOAA says that the heatwave conditions are likely to continue through August and there are 70-80% chances that they will also continue till the end of the year. Warming SSTs also deplete the oxygen that aquatic animals need to survive. While the temperatures are not lethal yet, continuing heatwave conditions might lead to critical marine species like oysters, kelp and algae dying. In early June, thousands of dead fish washed up along the Texas gulf coast because of warming waters which was described as a ‘low dissolved oxygen event’. In 2021, when a heat wave was ravaging Canada, high sea surface temperatures killed half a billion shellfish on the country’s west coast.

While scientists agree that the underlying reason is high greenhouse gas emissions there could be several other reasons as well. The El Nino’s arrival coincided with the warming SSTs in the Atlantic ocean but it cannot be confirmed as the sole reason for the event.
“It is the classic combination of the underpinning of human-caused climate change with a layer of natural variation within the climate system on top,” the UK Met Office said in a statement.

[John-uklp]

In the Netherlands we are experiencing one of the strongest storms ever as we speak... Probably not the last one this summer due to higher evaporation in the North Atlantic

[wlhgmk]

Just a wee question. Is this the warmest in 170 years because it was this warm or warmer 170 years ago or is it because the recording of sea temperature only got underway 170 years ago. It would be worth explaining this in any article that quotes a record since so many years ago.

[stephenrichards]

Now dispersed, because that's how it works. These are all transient weather phenomenon

[davidgreen]

" scientists are alarmed " meanwhile everyone else is " yeah okay but I have to get my kids to school/sport and go to work, it's a busy day "
The Earths ecological system is collapsing are we are to busy wanting the latest tech toy to pay attention.

[sixvee]

May the Anthropocene epoch make the Permian-Triassic extinction event seem like a minor footnote in the pages of Earths history. Here's to making scenario SSP5-8.5 of the IPCC assessment a reality.

[albin]

The so called "extreme heat" in the north atlantic is already gone, back to 0, 6c above average from 1, 2c just in a couple of weeks.

[NickHappyCamper]

Again core samples taken hundreds of years ago pre Industrial Age show even warmer scenarios than right now. In your own words, follow the science and see how warming and cooling trends of our planet is what it does. Normal.

[-LightningRod-]

are we the icy cold drink on the table in the Sunshine?
have we reached the Energy of phase transition?
are we now in The Grande Transition?

[ncmcdonnell]

I live in the middle of that supposed heatwave and I can’t say that I have noticed anything unusual happening.

[Mrmannycalvera]

Still waiting for the heatwave here in the UK, whatever happened to it.

[davewatson]

Its just cold and wet here in Wales, normal fo July

[thatsawesome]

Can be mean, severe storm and more flooding.

[sd]

As a natural sceptic I'm wary of such claims, but you can't deny fish and plankton are moving further north.

[maxtabmann]

How can one take a report serious that paints the ocean temperatures from yellow to charcoaled black. 10 Pinoccios for this report.

[glike]

"...170 year..." is misleading and maybe should be since recorded history because the last time the such temperatures occurred may have been 170000 years ago or millions....

[stefmethaudsw]

When we see this red map, we can imagine boiling water !

[AcmePotatoPackingPocatello]

The effect on fisheries, 30% of worldwide food source is extreme.
Got FISH N CHIPS ?
....no cod
....no halibut

[honorabledodger]

Oh my god guys! I went out today and looked up. There is a giant fire ball up there! Everybody run for your lives!

[robertmoye]

The first map does not focus on the North Atlantic ocean; that is the Pacific. Otherwise very good information. Replace the first map.

[xchopp]

"This map depicts the current heatwave conditions in the North Atlantic ocean." Let me stop you right there: that's the Pacific! The Atlantic is off to the East and not all of it can be seen clearly.