Mallorca study: Mediterranean heatwave days peak in 2024

Palma, Mallorca: The Mediterranean averages 1.23 °C above its long-term climate reference in 2024, while marine heatwave days reach their highest count in the past two decades. Researchers at the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies contribute those findings to a Copernicus ocean report published by the European Commission last week. Their study examines sea temperatures from 1982 to 2024 and marine heatwaves from 2002 to 2024.

Heatwaves last longer in the east

The eastern Mediterranean records more heatwave days than the western part of the sea. Its heatwaves also last longer and reach greater intensity. The researchers say the method used to identify a marine heatwave affects how these events are counted and described.

Satellite reveals smaller sea swirls

In a separate study, the Mallorca-based researchers use observations from the SWOT satellite to examine eddies — swirls of water — in the western Mediterranean. The observations reveal smaller features and, in some cases, more eddies than earlier data showed. They also give a clearer picture of larger, known eddies, some of which carry more energy than previous satellite measurements suggested.

Researcher Blanca Fernández-Álvarez says the heatwaves are not isolated events. They come amid sustained ocean warming that is changing conditions for marine ecosystems.

Topics: Sea & coast

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com