The temperature of the planet’s oceans rose to new heights this week, setting a new record with no sign of cooling down.
The average global ocean surface temperature hit 20.96 degrees Celsius (69.7 Fahrenheit) at the end of July, according to modern data from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, beating the previous record of 20.95 degrees Celsius set in 2016. The Copernicus ocean data goes back to 1979.
Scientists say the world needs to brace for ocean temperatures to keep rising as the arrival of El Niño – the natural climate fluctuation that originates in the tropical Pacific Ocean, and has a warming impact – layers on top of human-caused global warming.
Kaitlin Naughten, an oceanographer at British Antarctic Survey, said the data from Copernicus painted an alarming picture for the health of the oceans.
“Other datasets may give slightly different values – for example, [the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] is reporting that last April was still very slightly warmer than now,” she told CNN.
But what’s clear, she said, is “that current sea surface temperatures are exceptionally and unseasonably warm” and bringing wide-ranging implications, “especially for complex ecosystems such as coral reefs.”
Gregory C. Johnson, an oceanographer at NOAA, said sea surface temperatures have soared this year. “What we’re seeing is a massive increase. It’s about 15 years worth of the long-term warming trend in a year,” he told CNN.
Staghorn coral showing signs of distress from the hot ocean temperatures in the Florida Keys, on July 24. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images)
The heat could increase even further. Surface temperatures tend to remain high from August through to September before starting to decline, said Johnson. “There’s still room to have warmer sea surface temperatures” this year.
Some marine heat waves this year have particularly shocked scientists for just how unprecedented they are, and the damage they are causing. Ocean heat can lead to the mass bleaching of coral reefs, as well as the death of other marine life and increased sea level rise.
In the Florida Keys, a marine heat wave has pushed ocean temperatures to record-breaking, “hot tub” levels, leaving multiple coral reefs now completely bleached or dead.
A “totally unprecedented” heat wave in the North Atlantic off the coasts of the UK and Ireland in June – defined as “extreme” by NOAA – saw temperatures up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 Fahrenheit) hotter than usual, sparking concerns about the impacts on marine life.
Samantha Burgess, the deputy director of Copernicus, said the heat in the North Atlantic was astonishing.
“We’ve never seen that kind of extreme marine heat wave for that time of year … to see them in the open ocean, to see them in spring – that’s very surprising,” she told CNN in an interview last week.
Warmer ocean water also has a climate impact. Oceans play a vital role as a buffer against the climate crisis by absorbing planet-heating pollution. Warmer water does this less effectively, meaning more carbon is left in the atmosphere, fueling global warming.
Some scientists are concerned that the ocean temperature records set this year could mark the start of an alarming trend for ocean heat.
“We are continuing to put greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” Johnson said. “And so, in the long term, sea surface temperatures are just going to continue to increase until we as a society decide to to cut our use of fossil fuels very substantially.”
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
Scotiabank users say they are having issues using their bank’s services following a scheduled maintenance period that ended days ago.
Within days, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the program across Canada.
A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
Amazon is targeting retail rivals Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop with a new deeply discounted storefront that sells a wide array of products for US$20 or less.
There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.
The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones' Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than US$1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax.
A California teenager has admitted to making hundreds of swatting calls — hoax emergency calls — over a two-year period, creating 'fear and chaos' when police responded to his false reports of bomb threats and mass shootings at schools, homes and houses of worship, federal prosecutors said.
The inability to send and receive letter mail won’t be the main pitfall of a service disruption. The biggest concern for rural communities will be parcel delivery. Small communities often rely on online deliveries for items they cannot find locally.
Two B.C. real estate agents have been fined a combined total of more than $200,000 for professional misconduct they committed during the sale of a waterfront property on the Sunshine Coast in 2017.
A confinement measure with an 800-metre radius is currently in effect in part of Longueuil after a Canadian National Railway (CN) train derailed and spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide on Thursday morning.
A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
RCMP are expected to share details about a nation-wide rollout of a body-worn camera project from Ottawa, the same devices that Calgary police officers have been using for years.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
South Africa's government says it won't help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.
Donald Trump has had few defenders in Congress as reliable as Matt Gaetz, who has thundered at one prosecutor after another for perceived bias against the president-elect and emphatically amplified the Republican's rallying cry that the criminal investigations into him are 'witch hunts.'
Armoured vehicles manufactured by the United Arab Emirates and equipped with French defense systems have been captured by the Sudanese army during the civil war in Sudan, Amnesty International says.
A California teenager has admitted to making hundreds of swatting calls — hoax emergency calls — over a two-year period, creating 'fear and chaos' when police responded to his false reports of bomb threats and mass shootings at schools, homes and houses of worship, federal prosecutors said.
NATO and the European Union are ramping up efforts to persuade China to help get North Korea to stop sending troops and other support to Russia to back its war on Ukraine.
King Charles III will mark his 76th birthday on Thursday by opening two food distribution hubs, as part of his Coronation Food Project that he launched a year ago in the hopes of bridging the gap between food poverty and food waste.
Within days, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the program across Canada.
With the cost of living playing a central role in provincial elections across Canada and in the U.S. presidential race, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is set to unveil a pre-campaign policy plank for the next federal election to differentiate his party from the governing Liberals.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to slap an across-the-board tariff of at least 10 per cent on all imports including from Canada is unlikely to apply to Canadian oil, energy experts are predicting.
There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.
New Brunswick’s Department of Health says the number of confirmed measles cases in the province has grown to 37.
More than 800 million adults have diabetes worldwide – almost twice as many as previous estimates have suggested – and more than half of those aged over 30 who have the condition are not receiving treatment, according to a new study.
Zookeepers in Scotland have blamed pyrotechnics from annual Bonfire Night celebrations for the death of a baby red panda named Roxie.
It’s more than 100 feet long, at least 300 years old and visible from space. The world’s largest coral has just been discovered in the southwest Pacific Ocean, scientists announced Wednesday.
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
Taylor Swift has millions of fans worldwide, but Brampton, Ont.'s Jasmeet Sidhu has gotten closer to the musical icon than most.
A group of hotel service workers in Toronto is set to hold a rally today outside the Fairmont Royal York to demand salary increases as hotel costs in the city skyrocket during Taylor Swift’s concerts.
Amid a potential postal worker strike, here’s a look at how many letters and parcels the corporation delivers and how those numbers have changed in the internet age.
Amazon is targeting retail rivals Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop with a new deeply discounted storefront that sells a wide array of products for US$20 or less.
European Union regulators issued their first antitrust fine to Facebook parent Meta on Thursday with a penalty of nearly 800 million euros for what they call 'abusive practices' involving its Marketplace online classified ads business.
A sculpture bought for just £5 (US$6) and used as a doorstop could sell for more than £2.5 million (US$3.2 million) after a Scottish court gave the green light for its sale.
In case you can't get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there's now an official song featuring the internet's favourite baby animal — released in four languages for her global fans.
My Little Pony finally made it to the winner's circle.
A heavy police presence but few visiting fans are expected when France hosts Israel in Nations League soccer on Thursday, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with an Israeli club team's visit.
On Friday, Mike Tyson will don his gloves once again for a professional bout against 27-year-old YouTuber Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, more than 7,000 days since his last professional outing.
Mississauga city council has voted to keep its residential street sports ban in place, meaning hockey and basketball on the road will remain out of bounds.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
When a Tesla crashed on Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto last month, the first people on scene knew there were occupants inside but couldn't immediately get them out.
Almost four out of five Canadian drivers switch to winter tires when the weather calls for them, according to a new survey.
Some Calgary residents caught what appeared to be a meteor streaking across the sky early on Wednesday morning.
Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up 'Phil’s Unique Birdhouses' and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States.
A New Brunswick fashion designer recently won the top prize at a national event for a dress she made using an unconventional material.
Dr. Ronald Weiss, who performed nearly 60,000 vasectomies on Ottawa men, establishing him as the "Wayne Gretzky" of the procedure, has died.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
The public is being invited to share messages in memory of late B.C. premier John Horgan this week.
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
A teenager remains in hospital in critical condition after being hit by a car over the weekend, Mounties in Richmond say.
Two unhoused individuals who were living in tents near the Rogers Centre have been given spaces in a Toronto shelter hotel ahead of six sold-out Taylor Swift concerts that are expected to result in an influx of visitors to the downtown core.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
Taylor Swift is in Toronto to perform her first of six sold-out shows at the Rogers Centre tonight.
The City of Calgary is crediting a new tool with helping crews complete a record number of pothole repairs this year.
Drivers are being asked to avoid the scene of a serious crash near Drumheller, Alta.
A Calgary company that appealed its convictions and associated fine for its role in the death of one of its workers has been denied by the court.
Seventeen people are facing charges following an 18-month investigation into the illegal drug trade operating in the Ottawa area.
Ontario is investing up to $21.8 million for wastewater treatment infrastructure in Kemptville, Ont. to support a future jail site in the eastern Ontario community.
An 18-year-old Toronto man is facing charges after allegedly making hundreds of threats towards a medical clinic operating in the Ottawa suburb of Orléans.
A confinement measure with an 800-metre radius is currently in effect in part of Longueuil after a Canadian National Railway (CN) train derailed and spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide on Thursday morning.
The president of the union representing workers at the CISSS de Laval (FSSS–CSN) said she was “insulted and dumbfounded” by the news that about 565 positions won’t be filled, with no timeline as to when it will start hiring again.
The Caisse de dépôt is now aiming for fall 2025 for the launch of the Deux-Montagnes and Anse-à-l'Orme branches of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM), while new cost overruns are expected and voluntary interruptions will take place in the coming months.
Canada's top court has declined to hear the appeal of one of two men found guilty in the fatal shooting of two Métis hunters in eastern Alberta.
A woman was seriously hurt after a shooting southwest of Drayton Valley Saturday night.
West Edmonton Mall is gearing up for the holidays with plenty of festive programming, including, of course, Santa.
New Brunswick’s Department of Health says the number of confirmed measles cases in the province has grown to 37.
The director of a democracy watchdog says that if Nova Scotia's electoral officer had more power to levy fines, it would discourage situations such as campaign managers giving Tim Hortons gift cards to voters.
Nova Scotia's Liberal party is promising to improve cellphone coverage and invest in major highways if the party is elected to govern on Nov. 26.
A Thursday morning crash on Chief Peguis Trail sent two people to hospital.
Chad Posthumus, a centre for the Winnipeg Sea Bears, is in critical condition after undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm, the team announced Thursday.
A Winnipeg man is facing charges after a youth reported being sexually assaulted by a juvenile counsellor while incarcerated.
Chad Bachynski will be Regina's next mayor, after defeating incumbent Sandra Masters, who was vying for a second term.
Regina's projected new city council will consist of eight new members with more than a handful of outgoing councillors not seeking re-election and two incumbents being defeated Wednesday night.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 saw a wave of civic elections across southern Saskatchewan with victories and upsets all over. Here are the preliminary results for some of the smaller urban centres.
Some people from Guelph are looking for a new place to stay after the City of Guelph tried to clear a downtown encampment.
Waterloo Regional Police are looking for a missing 13-year-old teen from the Chandler Drive area in Kitchener.
Waterloo Regional Police are investigating a robbery at a Kitchener store earlier this month.
Cynthia Block is the 29th mayor of Saskatoon, and the first woman elected to the position in the city's history.
Saskatoon voters made their mark on Wednesday, casting ballots in the city's civic election and making history by electing the city's first female mayor. The election also brought fresh faces to the city council.
After 12 years under Greg Dionne, the City of Prince Albert has a new mayor.
South Africa's government says it won't help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
Announcements by police about drug busts may seem routine, but a recent court case in Sudbury shows just how much careful investigation and attention to detail is required.
Firefighters said they ended up with some muddy clothes and water-logged rubber boots, but they’re pleased the story had a happy ending and the dog was rescued without injury.
Just before midnight on Wednesday, firefighters from the Saugeen Reserve Fire Department were called to a blaze at a home near Highway 13 and Edison Circle, near Sauble Beach.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and according to Dynacare Canada, a great time to have the discussion with a healthcare professional about prevention and management of diabetes.
Nick Vassilodimitrakis appeared in a Barrie courtroom Thursday morning by video from a detention centre in London, Ont. where he pleaded guilty to stabbing veteran Barrie police officer Jim Peters.
Police arrested a 17-year-old accused of impaired driving after a single-vehicle collision in Wasaga Beach.
Officers patrolling in Orillia pulled over a vehicle and allegedly found a machete-style knife under the driver’s seat.
A Windsor resident is asking for the public’s help to capture two injured foxes roaming in the east end of the city.
Windsor police are asking for help locating a missing 64-year-old man.
Anyone heading downtown Windsor over the next four days might notice it looks a little different.
A woman from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been handed a $35,000 penalty after admitting she "carried on" as a mortgage broker in the preparation of 10 mortgage applications, despite lacking the necessary registration.
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
A proposed class-action lawsuit against the Canadian government says Indigenous people removed from their communities and placed in group homes beginning in the 1950s suffered physical, sexual and psychological abuse that "was commonplace, condoned and, arguably, encouraged."
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
Drivers are being asked to avoid the scene of a serious crash near Drumheller, Alta.
Lethbridge police say a number of arrests have been made following an investigation on Thursday morning.
Lethbridge police have charged two people in connection with a weekend carjacking that saw a stolen vehicle driven dangerously throughout the city.
A victim who tried to intervene as two people stole items from a Sault business Tuesday was threatened with a machete.
A northern Ontario couple has been charged in the death of their three-month-old baby girl who was found in September 2022 with no vital signs.
An experienced winter hiker and their dog were rescued over the weekend by helicopter in northeastern Ontario after being reported missing from Killarney Provincial Park, police say.
Police in Newfoundland say a man was electrocuted Saturday by a downed power wire about 10 kilometres north of St. John's, N.L.
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
