Last year, according to the Balearic Coastal Prediction and Observation System (SOCIB), there were over 150 days so far when the temperature of the surface of the Balearic Sea can be classified as having been “extreme”.
SOCIB uses data going back to 1982. These data come from satellite observations and from real-time monitoring. 2022 was a record year, abnormally warm, and the past winter was the second warmest since the records began in 1982. Meteorological spring 2023 - April to June - was the warmest for the Balearic Sea for forty years. July was the warmest July ever recorded. There was a regional average of 27C, an anomaly of 2.6 degrees above normal.
Various scientific studies have highlighted the devastating consequences of marine heat waves. These impact marine species and habitats, both on the surface and in deep waters. Damage includes coral bleaching, the deterioration of ocean meadows, invasions of harmful algae, massive mortalities of organisms, and changes in behaviour and the distribution of marine species.
In turn, these have negative consequences for elements of the blue economy, such as fishing and tourism.Warmer than normal seawater can also fuel and intensify extreme weather phenomena, such as autumn storms with their torrential rains.
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Swam in the Bay of Pollença yesterday, near Barcares. Warm? It was like a bath. I thought that I’d encounter some cooler patches further out, but no, it stayed warm throughout. It wasn’t very pleasant to swim in and certainly lacked any refreshing effects to counter the heat on land, so Godknows what it’s like for the marine life!