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1175. Record Sea Surface Temperatures and Ocean Heat Content Observed in 2024

1175. Record Sea Surface Temperatures and Ocean Heat Content Observed in 2024
Yesterday, we told you that 2024 was the hottest year since records began in 1850, and record-high sea surface temperatures were also observed.
According to a study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, in 2024, global sea surface temperature (SST) and ocean heat content (OHC) in the upper 2000 m reached unprecedented all-time highs. Despite the transition from El Niño to neutral conditions, ocean heating continued in response to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. The ocean heat content from 0 to 2000 m in 2024 exceeded that of 2023 by 16 ± 8 ZJ (1 zettajoule), with record heat content also observed in the Indian Ocean, tropical Atlantic, Mediterranean, North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Antarctic in 2024.
The oceans, which cover 70% of the Earth's surface, play a pivotal role in the Earth's climate. The ocean, which has a larger heat capacity than the atmosphere, stores surplus heat due to global warming and controls the progress of natural climate change through the exchange of heat with the atmosphere. Warming of the oceans, accompanied by an increase in water vapor in the atmosphere, can cause extreme changes in the weather, such as droughts and floods. For this reason, it is necessary to monitor and analyze changes not only in the sea surface but also in the amount of heat stored in the ocean as part of climate change countermeasures.
Reference
Cheng, L., Abraham, J., Trenberth, K.E. et al. Record High Temperatures in the Ocean in 2024. Adv. Atmos. Sci. (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00376-025-4541-3
Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki, Information Program