(MENAFN) A recent study indicates that the frequency of extreme surface heat days in the world's oceans has increased threefold over the last 80 years, primarily driven by global warming. In the 1940s, the average annual occurrence of extreme heat days on the global sea surface was about 15. This figure has now escalated to nearly 50 days each year, as reported in a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The research highlights that global warming is now responsible for almost half of all marine heatwaves—periods when sea surface temperatures rise significantly above normal for prolonged durations. Conducted by scientists from the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Reading, International Space Science Institute, and the University of the Balearic Islands, the study emphasizes that increasing global temperatures are not only intensifying these extreme ocean heat events but also extending their duration.

"Marine heatwaves can devastate underwater ecosystems. Extended periods of unusually warm water can kill coral reefs, destroy kelp forests, and harm seagrass meadows," stated Xiangbo Feng, a co-author of the study at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading.

The repercussions of these marine heatwaves extend beyond the oceans. The researchers caution that the rising frequency of these heat events could destabilize the atmosphere, potentially resulting in more frequent and severe tropical storms in certain areas.

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