Mediterranean Sea warming to 'unprecedented' levels amid global heat wave

Daniel J. Graeber
Fri, 18 August 2023 

The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain on the European continent from Morocco on the African continent. A global heat wave is pushing temperatures in the Mediterranean to new highs. Photo courtesy of NASA

Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The waters of the Mediterranean Sea have spiked to a record-setting 84 degrees on Friday, a disturbing and growing trend that may be attributed to a changing climate, Jordan's government said.

Referencing various global outlets, such as the World Wide Fund for Nature, Jordan's official news agency, Petra, said water temperatures on Friday were "unprecedented."

"Climate change has led to higher air temperatures in the Mediterranean, which raises water surface temperatures and evaporation," the report read.


Petra also noted that water from the Atlantic isn't getting into the Mediterranean as much as in the past, river flows are on the decline and the sea's waters are becoming hotter and saltier as a result.

The rapid warming of the Mediterranean Sea has caused ocean temperatures in the region to soar to unprecedented levels over the past year. The world's waters can absorb heat and distribute it through natural currents, though planetary heating over the past 20 years had led to warmer seas.

The base of Pigeon Rock, a famous landmark just off Beirut's shoreline. A global heat wave has led to increased water temperatures globally, with record-setting levels report from Florida to the Mediterranean Sea. File photo by Norbert Schiller/UPI

Marine scientists have tracked several record-breaking heat waves in the region since summer 2022 as the Mediterranean has warmed faster than the global average since satellite records began more than 40 years ago.

The Mediterranean is no longer unique. The water temperature of the South Florida coast soared to more than 100 degrees over several days during July's global heat wave.

Meteorologists closely tracking marine heat since early July called temperatures in the region unprecedented, saying the oceans have never been this hot in recorded history.

July was the hottest month on record. The Goddard Institute for Space Studies at the U.S. space agency NASA said this July was 0.43 degrees warmer than any July on record.

"The science is clear -- this isn't normal," said Gavin Schmidt, the director at GISS. "Alarming warming around the world is driven primarily by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. And that rise in average temperature is fueling dangerous extreme heat that people are experiencing here at home and worldwide."