HULL, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A report from AccuWeather says global oceans have reached their highest average surface temperature on record.
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the average sea surface temperature for oceans outside Arctic and Antarctic circles reached as high as 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or 21.1 C in Aug., and meteorologists credit a massive El Nino for the heat increase.
Those temperatures just barely broke the previous record set back in Mar. 2024, and some South Shore folks said they feel the difference.
“I’m just not a big swimmer, but I feel like water is really warm this summer. I had my feet in the water and it felt warm,” said one Hull resident.
The findings are a bit unusual. AccuWeather meteorologists said the warmest global water temperatures usually hit their peak in Mar., Apr., and sometimes Aug., but they added that it’s unlikely the record holds throughout Sept.
However, some Hull folks said they have their own way of gauging the water temperature.
“The oceans been about the same to my feeling, but I’m an old person, so my sensory input is probably a little dulled,” said one Hull resident. “The real litmus test is if my wife goes in the water. When she goes in the water you know it’s warm, and she’s been in a few times.”
WBZ NewsRadio's Chris Fama (@CFamaWBZ) has more.