Ocean temperatures reached almost record values in Marchthe Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which provides regular and scientifically verified data on the state of the Earth’s climate, said on Friday. According to C3S, this situation is likely signals the return of the El Niño phenomenon, which can lead to an increase in extreme heat, AFP reported, TASR writes.
Average sea surface temperature was 20.97 degrees Celsius in March, the second highest on record for the month and the highest since 2024when global temperature records were broken during the last El Niño. According to the Copernicus service, this situation reflects “probable transition to El Niño conditions”.
The return of the El Niño phenomenon this year was predicted by several meteorological agencies. This is a natural climate cycle that warms the waters of the Pacific Ocean and can bring higher global temperatures and extreme weather. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in March that the opposite, cooling, La Niña cycle should transition into a neutral state and flip into El Niño later in the year.
The last El Niño in 2023–24 was one of the five strongest on record and contributed to the years being the second warmest on record. Scientists say La Niña and El Niño are natural cycles that cause short-term temperature fluctuations within a long-term human-made trendwhich increases global temperatures and worsens extreme weather.
Oceans absorb most of the excess heat caused by carbon emissions and therefore play a key role in regulating the global climate. Warmer seas can have harmful consequences for the planet – intensifying storms and precipitationcause the bleaching of coral reefs and contribute to sea level rise due to thermal expansion.
In a broader context, Copernicus said last month was the fourth warmest March on record, with global average temperatures were 1.48 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial standard. Temperatures above average in March were recorded by almost all of Europe,
but the most significant extremes were in the United States, where a long-term heat wave hit the west of the country. Above-average temperatures were also recorded in a large part of the Arctic and in some areas of Russia and Antarctica. At the same time, the lowest extent of Arctic sea ice in the history of measurements for the given period was recorded in March, which is another indicator of climate change.
“(Copernicus) data for March 2026 paint a worrying picture,” C3S director Carlo Buontempo said in a statement. “Each number is significant on its own – but together they paint a picture of a climate system under sustained and accelerating pressure.” Copernicus uses billions of satellite and meteorological measurements on land and at sea for its analyses, with data dating back to 1940.
