- Pacific sea surface temperatures reached a record daily reading of 3.05°C above average on 19 September, months ahead of the El Niño event's expected peak.
- Global oceans recorded 100 consecutive days of unprecedented heat between June and September, with sea surface temperatures reaching a peak of 21.1°C.
- Forecast models project the ongoing El Niño will peak at around 4.1°C later this year, exceeding the 2015-16 record by 1.3°C.
- Climate scientists highlighted that human-caused climate change is driving the extreme heat, with oceans absorbing over 90 per cent of excess greenhouse gas warming.
- The primary land-based impacts are expected to be felt in 2027 due to a multi-month lag, putting the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C threshold at risk.
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