A record-breaking marine heatwave has hit the seas around much of Britain’s west coast and Ireland, leading to temperatures more normally seen in the middle of June.
Sea surface temperatures are up to 4C warmer than usual for this time of year, reaching about 17C off the Irish coast, according to Zoe Jacobs at the National Oceanography Centre, which is tracking the heatwave.
Experts met in Exeter on Thursday to discuss marine heatwaves, which until recently climate scientists had described as an issue confined to the Mediterranean.
Britain is not a global hotspot for marine heatwaves but saw two significant instances in 2022 and 2023. The present episode is even warmer.
Temperatures around the British coastline are between 1.5C and 2.5C warmer than average
