Archive · 5 Jun 2025
Unprecedented Marine Heatwave Hits Global Oceans in 2024
Imagine the ocean got a really bad sunburn!
In 2024, the seas around Australia, New Zealand, and nearby islands got much hotter than usual.
This is called a marine heatwave, and it harmed coral reefs and threatened a glacier.
The water was nearly a half-degree Celsius warmer than normal, and sea levels are rising faster than the rest of the world.
The heat also caused lots of strong storms, and the only tropical glacier in the region might disappear very soon if the heat continues.
It’s a big problem for the environment.
Unprecedented marine heatwaves affected over 10% of the global ocean surface in 2024.
Average 2024 temperatures in the region were nearly half a degree Celsius higher than the 1991-2020 mean.
Marine heatwave conditions were particularly severe in areas near and south of the equator.
The region's sole tropical glacier shrank by up to 50% and could disappear by 2026.
An unprecedented number of cyclones occurred in the Philippines.
- Who
- The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) reported the event.
- What
- Unprecedented marine heatwaves affected the Southwest Pacific.
- When
- 2024.
- Where
- Southwest Pacific, including Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
- Why
- The report attributes the events to climate change.
- Region Affected
- Southwest Pacific
- Temperature Increase
- Nearly 0.5°C above 1991-2020 mean
- Ocean Area Affected
- 40 million square kilometers
- Glacier Shrinkage
- Up to 50%
- Glacier location
- Indonesia