A little over half way into the month, the warming has become so pronounced that climate charts are entering new territory, particularly for sea-surface temperatures that have persisted and accelerated to the point where experts are struggling to explain how the change is happening.
Dr Joel Hirschi, the associate head of marine systems modelling at the UK's National Oceanography Centre, said: "The planet is warming at an accelerating rate. We are seeing rapid temperature increases in the ocean the climate's largest reservoir of heat.
"The amplitude by which previous sea surface temperature records were beaten in 2023 and now 2024 exceeds expectations, though understanding why this is, is the subject of ongoing research."
The Berkeley Earth scientist Dr Zeke Hausfather said the world was on track for the hottest February in human history, following a record January, December, November, October, September, August, July, June and May.
Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin February 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye The Guardian dergisinin February 17, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
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