Ocean temperatures set a record for May
The news
Temperatures are already breaking records this year: Last month was the warmest May for the world’s oceans since records began in 1850, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The average ocean temperature in May was 1.53 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0.85 degrees Celsius, higher than normal for the month.
For the planet as a whole, May was the third warmest on record, the agency said in its monthly climate update on Thursday. North and South America had their warmest Mays on record.
In the United States, rising temperatures hit Washington state and northern Idaho particularly hard. Two Washington cities, Bellingham and Spokane, as well as smaller communities in the region, set records for their warmest Mays.
Why it matters: Heat can harm ocean life and fuel wildfires.
Warmer water tends to hold less oxygen, and large-scale fish kills may occur earlier in the year as the climate continues to warm. Last week, thousands of dead fish Washed up on Texas beaches due to unusually warm water and lack of oxygen in the Gulf of Mexico. On the other side of the ocean, higher temperatures are contributing to the death of coral reefs. The ocean also expands as it warms, raising sea levels even further on top of the added water from melting ice sheets.
Last month’s unusual heat contributed to Canada’s spate of wildfires. As smoke from wildfires spread, air quality in western Canada and the northern Great Plains in the United States deteriorated significantly. More recently, wildfire smoke reached cities in the Northeast and Midwest, sending air quality index values skyrocketing across much of the country.
Extreme heat can be dangerous to both humans and wildlife. In the coming days, parts of Florida, Louisiana and Texas are preparing for possible triple-digit temperatures, putting people at risk, especially if they work outside or don’t have air conditioning.
Background: Climate change is accompanied by El Niño.
“With climate change and global warming, it was an interesting start to the season,” Rocky Bilotta, a climatologist at NOAA, said while talking to reporters.
Last week, the agency declared that the global ocean and atmosphere had officially entered the climate pattern known as El Niño, which occurs naturally when the surface of the Pacific becomes warmer than normal. The phenomenon generally leads to higher temperatures worldwide, but Mr. Bilotta said El Niño will most likely affect temperatures later this year and next year.
It’s hard to pinpoint a single cause for the heat in May, he said, but as the climate generally warms, global temperatures and record highs can be expected, both in the ocean and on land.
What’s next: A year with extreme weather is likely.
Most of the United States can expect an unusually hot summer, with increased risks of drought and wildfires, according to NOAA. South Texas and much of New England are facing a particularly hot July. On warmer days, plants lose more water to the atmosphere and dry out, exacerbating the effects of drought and providing more fuel for wildfires.
Warmer temperatures can also lead to more evaporation from the ocean and other bodies of water. More water vapor in the atmosphere could then lead to heavier rainfall and snowfall and fuel tropical storms.
For next month, the northern Great Plains, Mid-Atlantic region and western Gulf Coast can expect more rain than usual, the agency predicted. Throughout the summer, the center of the country can expect more rain, while the Pacific Northwest, parts of the Southwest, the Great Lakes region and parts of the Mid-Atlantic should prepare for drought.
Longer term, El Niño conditions will almost certainly last through at least spring 2024 and could contribute to worse winter storms in the southern United States.