The ocean’s surface temperatures are lower than normal for this time of year, which is pretty unusual. Experts are confused about what’s going on in the Atlantic Ocean.
Over the last year, surface temperatures in the Atlantic had actually reached record highs, following a trend of rising temperatures around the world. But recently, things have changed.
In the past few months, ocean surface temperatures in the Atlantic have dropped quickly and unusually. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that since May, temperatures in the Atlantic have been one or two degrees Fahrenheit cooler than usual for this time of year.
Oceans are sensitive to different weather changes throughout the year. Normally, we would expect the Atlantic’s temperatures to increase during this time. This drop could be due to human-caused climate change and a complicated weather pattern called El Niño.
The Atlantic Ocean is now about one or two degrees Fahrenheit colder than it used to be. El Niño is when the ocean surface warms up, leading to higher-than-average ocean temperatures. Since March 2023, the Atlantic Ocean has been breaking heat records, largely because of a very strong El Niño in 2023 and 2024.
However, it seems like this El Niño might be changing into its opposite, called La Niña. La Niña brings unusually cold ocean temperatures, and this shift seems to be happening a little earlier than normal.
Both El Niño and La Niña are complicated weather patterns influenced by things like trade winds, solar heating, and rainfall, which makes it hard to predict what will happen. The sudden change in the Atlantic’s temperatures and the possible early arrival of La Niña have left experts confused.
These changes in the Atlantic Ocean could impact nearby continents. Frans Philip Tuchen, a postdoctoral student at the University of Miami, told New Scientist, “We’ve gone through the list of possible reasons, and nothing fits yet.”
These unusual changes are a worry for the environment. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) notes that shifts between El Niño and La Niña might change rainfall patterns in nearby areas.
Also, Atlantic Niños are known to make hurricanes more likely around the Cape Verde islands. Michael McPhaden from NOAA says that this might affect ocean cycles. It could create a “tug of war” where the Pacific Ocean tries to cool down while the Atlantic tries to warm it up.
Right now, experts are keeping an eye on the situation to see if the Atlantic Ocean is fully shifting to La Niña. If it does happen, it could change climate predictions for the nearby regions for the rest of the year.
