World's ocean temperature the warmest ever recorded

[Chris]

By SETH BORENSTEIN (AP) – 34 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — The world's oceans this summer are the warmest on record.

The National Climatic Data Center, the government agency that keeps weather records, says the average global ocean temperature in July was 62.6 degrees. That's the hottest since record-keeping began in 1880. The previous record was set in 1998.

Meteorologists blame a combination of a natural El Nino weather pattern on top of worsening manmade global warming. The warmer water could add to the melting of sea ice and possibly strengthen some hurricanes.

The result has meant lots of swimming at beaches in Maine with pleasant 72-degree water. Ocean temperatures reached 88 degrees as far north as Ocean City, Md., this week.

The Gulf of Mexico, where warm water fuels hurricanes, has temperatures dancing around 90. Most of the water in the Northern Hemisphere has been considerably warmer than normal. The Mediterranean is about three degrees warmer than normal. Higher temperatures rule in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

It's most noticeable near the Arctic, where water temperatures are as much as 10 degrees above average.

Breaking heat records in water is more ominous as a sign of global warming than breaking temperature marks on land. That's because water takes longer to heat up and doesn't cool off as easily, said climate scientist Andrew Weaver of the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

The Associated Press: In hot water: World's ocean temps warmest recorded

 

[Jay Canuck]

I am going to buy that pair of water-wings and learn to swim!

 

[xsited1]

World's ocean temperature the warmest ever recorded

This is what happened just before the Cylons attacked.

 

[Oddball]

And this is the same jackass who continually asks why seaborne polar ice is melting??

Priceless!!

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

The effect of global warming has already taken its toll, with years of drought, climate changes, and above all its effects on the availability of water. Bewaterwise.com
has some interesting information on how much our water reserve levels in Southern California have dropped over the past three years. Therefore its important we do all we can to save every drop of water. Visit bewatewise and you will find a water conservation page

I have some money invested in a few desalinization providers, you guys should look into it in Cali

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Yawn.

 

[Smartt33]

By SETH BORENSTEIN (AP) – 34 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — The world's oceans this summer are the warmest on record.

The National Climatic Data Center, the government agency that keeps weather records, says the average global ocean temperature in July was 62.6 degrees. That's the hottest since record-keeping began in 1880. The previous record was set in 1998.

Meteorologists blame a combination of a natural El Nino weather pattern on top of worsening manmade global warming. The warmer water could add to the melting of sea ice and possibly strengthen some hurricanes.

The result has meant lots of swimming at beaches in Maine with pleasant 72-degree water. Ocean temperatures reached 88 degrees as far north as Ocean City, Md., this week.

The Gulf of Mexico, where warm water fuels hurricanes, has temperatures dancing around 90. Most of the water in the Northern Hemisphere has been considerably warmer than normal. The Mediterranean is about three degrees warmer than normal. Higher temperatures rule in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

It's most noticeable near the Arctic, where water temperatures are as much as 10 degrees above average.

Breaking heat records in water is more ominous as a sign of global warming than breaking temperature marks on land. That's because water takes longer to heat up and doesn't cool off as easily, said climate scientist Andrew Weaver of the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

The Associated Press: In hot water: World's ocean temps warmest recorded

I haven't done the research, though I may start. However, I have a few questions. Is it possible that the ocean temperatures may actually be contributing to the warming of the globe? From the beginning of the records, just how quickly has the water temp been going up? Has it gone up and down? Is there an identifialbel time when it has been rising faster than average?

I think these are valid questions.

 

[Old Rocks]

By SETH BORENSTEIN (AP) – 34 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — The world's oceans this summer are the warmest on record.

The National Climatic Data Center, the government agency that keeps weather records, says the average global ocean temperature in July was 62.6 degrees. That's the hottest since record-keeping began in 1880. The previous record was set in 1998.

Meteorologists blame a combination of a natural El Nino weather pattern on top of worsening manmade global warming. The warmer water could add to the melting of sea ice and possibly strengthen some hurricanes.

The result has meant lots of swimming at beaches in Maine with pleasant 72-degree water. Ocean temperatures reached 88 degrees as far north as Ocean City, Md., this week.

The Gulf of Mexico, where warm water fuels hurricanes, has temperatures dancing around 90. Most of the water in the Northern Hemisphere has been considerably warmer than normal. The Mediterranean is about three degrees warmer than normal. Higher temperatures rule in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

It's most noticeable near the Arctic, where water temperatures are as much as 10 degrees above average.

Breaking heat records in water is more ominous as a sign of global warming than breaking temperature marks on land. That's because water takes longer to heat up and doesn't cool off as easily, said climate scientist Andrew Weaver of the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

The Associated Press: In hot water: World's ocean temps warmest recorded

I haven't done the research, though I may start. However, I have a few questions. Is it possible that the ocean temperatures may actually be contributing to the warming of the globe? From the beginning of the records, just how quickly has the water temp been going up? Has it gone up and down? Is there an identifialbel time when it has been rising faster than average?

I think these are valid questions.

Absolutely valid questions. Here is a NOAA site with links that you can follow for research on those questions.

NOAA Paleoclimatology Global Warming - The Data

A short answer is that the ocean temperature is far more revelant than atmospheric temperature in the long run. The ocean holds far more heat by volume than does the atmosphere. In terms of energy, a one degree rise in ocean temperature represents the energy content of a several degree rise in atmosphere.

The ocean varies in temperature at the surface in several cycles, the best known of which is the La Nina, El Nino cycle. The important thing here is that the temperature of each of these cycles has been rising. Not only are the El Ninos warmer, but also the La Ninas as well.


As the surface of the Earth is 3/4 water, the interaction of the ocean and the atmosphere means that nothing can happen to one without it happening to the other. By adding GHGs to the atmosphere, we have created a warming atmosphere, which also warms the ocean. The sunlight we receive, the Total Solar Irridiance, has remained essentially the same for the last 50 years, with an insignificant decline. That, of course, is within the normal solar cycles. What the GHGs do is retain the heat that is normally reflected back to space by ground, water, and ice. So you get a warmer atmosphere with the same TSI. Which, of course, warms the ocean.

 

[JohnStOnge]

Smart, I think that things are not nearly as straightforward as OldRocks suggests. Check out these two articles on solar irradiation, for example:

NASA - Top Story - NASA STUDY FINDS INCREASING SOLAR TREND THAT CAN CHANGE CLIMATE - March 20, 2003

Trends in solar spectral irradiance variability in the visible and infrared

Many people believe that it's all "figured out" and that there is enough of an understanding of cause and effect relationships to speak in confident terms such as OldRocks wrote in. But it's not the case. Even the IPCC concedes that the kinds of controlled experiments that would be necessarily to unequivocally infer the existence of cause and effect relationships with respect to climate change cannot be conducted.

When you see people say this is happening and that is happening as though such things have been firmly established as fact, what you are really seeing is educated opinion.

Of course I'm not talking about the stuff on a given volume of water at a given temperature holding more heat energy than the same volume of air at a given temperature. That can be experimentally demonstrated. I also think that the bias associated with an estimate of the mean temperature of a volume of water under circumstances where you don't have a legitimate probability sample on which to base the estimate is likely to be smaller than the bias associated with an estimate of the mean temperature of a volume of air under those circumstances. That's important because the estimates of both mean air and water temperatures you see reported do not involve legitimate probability samples.

 

[Old Rocks]

Your first site is a bit out of date, like six years. Here are the present figures;

Current Projects

Your second site is a good one. I may purchase this article, the price is reasonable, and it looks quite interesting. Thank You.

 

[JohnStOnge]

Your first site is a bit out of date, like six years. Here are the present figures;

Current Projects

Your second site is a good one. I may purchase this article, the price is reasonable, and it looks quite interesting. Thank You.

I realized the article was from 2003 when I posted it. That does not matter for my purposes. It was talking about trends in solar irradiance during the period 1978 - 2003. The site you link appears to indicate a decreasing trend during that period. The author of the 2003 article said there was an increasing underlying trend that, if continued, would (he thinks) result in increased "global warming." On the surface, at least, the two things seem to conflict. He did say that he didn't think the trend he was talking about had a major impact on climate change that's been observed. But the point is that the solar irradiance thing is not as straightforward as I think you suggested.

 

[Chris]

The effect of global warming has already taken its toll, with years of drought, climate changes, and above all its effects on the availability of water. Bewaterwise.com
has some interesting information on how much our water reserve levels in Southern California have dropped over the past three years. Therefore its important we do all we can to save every drop of water. Visit bewatewise and you will find a water conservation page

The melting of the glaciers worldwide is going to effect the water supply no doubt.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

The effect of global warming has already taken its toll, with years of drought, climate changes, and above all its effects on the availability of water. Bewaterwise.com
has some interesting information on how much our water reserve levels in Southern California have dropped over the past three years. Therefore its important we do all we can to save every drop of water. Visit bewatewise and you will find a water conservation page

The melting of the glaciers worldwide is going to effect the water supply no doubt.

Um, if the glaciers melt won't that mean MORE fresh water in the system?

 

[rdean]

You have to forgive the Republicans. Less than 6% of scientists ARE Republican so it is difficult for them to understand the "hard stuff".

For instance, when they hear "global warming", automatically, many say, "Oh, what's wrong with it becoming warmer in Alaska"? It's difficult for them to understand that even though the temperature rises in one spot, it may actually grow colder in another due to shifting weather patterns.

They don't understand that it's the average temperature that is rising. For people that only understand black and white, this will make no sense at all.

Republicans are like new born babies, they must be protected and taken care of, or they might hurt themselves or others. Look at what Bush did when given new toys.

 

[Chris]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_kODETmro8&feature=PlayList&p=47028373EB6ECBA6&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=68]YouTube - George Bush & Will Ferrel On Global Warming[/ame]

 

[KittenKoder]

Yet ... the land temperatures are the lowest ... funny how that balances out.

 

[code1211]

The effect of global warming has already taken its toll, with years of drought, climate changes, and above all its effects on the availability of water. Bewaterwise.com
has some interesting information on how much our water reserve levels in Southern California have dropped over the past three years. Therefore its important we do all we can to save every drop of water. Visit bewatewise and you will find a water conservation page

Just a quick note to those who live in the desert areas of Southern California. You are living in a desert area.

And now, back to our regular programming.

 

[KittenKoder]

Washington is still below average this time of year.

 

[Smartt33]

By SETH BORENSTEIN (AP) – 34 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — The world's oceans this summer are the warmest on record.

The National Climatic Data Center, the government agency that keeps weather records, says the average global ocean temperature in July was 62.6 degrees. That's the hottest since record-keeping began in 1880. The previous record was set in 1998.

Meteorologists blame a combination of a natural El Nino weather pattern on top of worsening manmade global warming. The warmer water could add to the melting of sea ice and possibly strengthen some hurricanes.

The result has meant lots of swimming at beaches in Maine with pleasant 72-degree water. Ocean temperatures reached 88 degrees as far north as Ocean City, Md., this week.

The Gulf of Mexico, where warm water fuels hurricanes, has temperatures dancing around 90. Most of the water in the Northern Hemisphere has been considerably warmer than normal. The Mediterranean is about three degrees warmer than normal. Higher temperatures rule in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

It's most noticeable near the Arctic, where water temperatures are as much as 10 degrees above average.

Breaking heat records in water is more ominous as a sign of global warming than breaking temperature marks on land. That's because water takes longer to heat up and doesn't cool off as easily, said climate scientist Andrew Weaver of the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

The Associated Press: In hot water: World's ocean temps warmest recorded

I haven't done the research, though I may start. However, I have a few questions. Is it possible that the ocean temperatures may actually be contributing to the warming of the globe? From the beginning of the records, just how quickly has the water temp been going up? Has it gone up and down? Is there an identifialbel time when it has been rising faster than average?

I think these are valid questions.

Absolutely valid questions. Here is a NOAA site with links that you can follow for research on those questions.

NOAA Paleoclimatology Global Warming - The Data

A short answer is that the ocean temperature is far more revelant than atmospheric temperature in the long run. The ocean holds far more heat by volume than does the atmosphere. In terms of energy, a one degree rise in ocean temperature represents the energy content of a several degree rise in atmosphere.

The ocean varies in temperature at the surface in several cycles, the best known of which is the La Nina, El Nino cycle. The important thing here is that the temperature of each of these cycles has been rising. Not only are the El Ninos warmer, but also the La Ninas as well.


As the surface of the Earth is 3/4 water, the interaction of the ocean and the atmosphere means that nothing can happen to one without it happening to the other. By adding GHGs to the atmosphere, we have created a warming atmosphere, which also warms the ocean. The sunlight we receive, the Total Solar Irridiance, has remained essentially the same for the last 50 years, with an insignificant decline. That, of course, is within the normal solar cycles. What the GHGs do is retain the heat that is normally reflected back to space by ground, water, and ice. So you get a warmer atmosphere with the same TSI. Which, of course, warms the ocean.

Thanks for the info. It was helpful.

 

[Bern80]

By SETH BORENSTEIN (AP) – 34 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — The world's oceans this summer are the warmest on record.

The National Climatic Data Center, the government agency that keeps weather records, says the average global ocean temperature in July was 62.6 degrees. That's the hottest since record-keeping began in 1880. The previous record was set in 1998.

Meteorologists blame a combination of a natural El Nino weather pattern on top of worsening manmade global warming. The warmer water could add to the melting of sea ice and possibly strengthen some hurricanes.

The result has meant lots of swimming at beaches in Maine with pleasant 72-degree water. Ocean temperatures reached 88 degrees as far north as Ocean City, Md., this week.

The Gulf of Mexico, where warm water fuels hurricanes, has temperatures dancing around 90. Most of the water in the Northern Hemisphere has been considerably warmer than normal. The Mediterranean is about three degrees warmer than normal. Higher temperatures rule in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

It's most noticeable near the Arctic, where water temperatures are as much as 10 degrees above average.

Breaking heat records in water is more ominous as a sign of global warming than breaking temperature marks on land. That's because water takes longer to heat up and doesn't cool off as easily, said climate scientist Andrew Weaver of the University of Victoria in British Columbia.

The Associated Press: In hot water: World's ocean temps warmest recorded

One has to keep in mind this isn't really saying much. Yes it's nice a dramatic to say stuff like 'THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED" if you're a true believer. But the fact that 'ever recorded' only goes back to 1880 coupled with Chris's notion that this actual means something show what little concept he has for his place in time on earth.

The perspective one views events from has a major impact on how significantly they view said event. A lot of people view these events - ice caps melting, warmer water, earth warming - from the perspective of human history. A perspective from which 'ever measured' seems like an awfully long time. From the perspective of how long humans could have contributed to it, we are talking in an even shorter time. From the perspective of earth history this event viewed on a time line would be imperceptible. Quite possibly so imperceptible that quantifying its relevance one way or another would be nearly impossible.