On average 11.9 degrees
North Sea was warmer than ever before in 2023
The North Sea was warmer in 2023 than ever before since records began. This is a consequence of climate change and could have consequences for the ecosystem.
The average water temperature in 2023 was just under 11.9 degrees, according to measurements by the Biological Institute Helgoland of the Alfred Wegener Institute (Awi) in Bremerhaven. According to the institute, this was the highest temperature recorded since the "Helgoland Reede" long-term data series began in 1962.
March 2024 the warmest since 1962
Researchers have also recorded further high temperatures in the North Sea this year. January, February, March and April 2024 are each among the ten warmest months on average since 1962. "With an average water temperature of 6.9 degrees Celsius, March 2024 was even the warmest March since 1962," they say.
"The North Sea is warming so quickly because it is a shallow sea surrounded by land masses, like a large puddle," says Karen Wiltshire, Director of the Helgoland Biological Institute. "That's why the temperature trends for the mainland are absolutely consistent with those for the water temperature."
According to the institute, marine heatwaves probably not only affect the surface waters, but also the habitats on the seabed.
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