The German North Sea in 2024 was as warm as never recorded since the start of the data series in 1969, the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) announced on Wednesday.
Surface temperatures in the North Sea rose to as much as 1.5 degrees above the long-term average of 1997 to 2021. While the southern part of the North Sea was significantly warmer than usual, temperatures in the northern part were more average, sometimes even slightly below the long-term average.
The average temperature for the entire North Sea in the past year was 11.1 degrees, about 0.5 degrees above the long-term average, making 2024 the fourth warmest year since the start of the data series. Only 2014, 2022, and 2023 were warmer.
Eleven months of the year were warmer than the long-term average in the North Sea, with January being the only exception, being slightly cooler. May and June were particularly notable, with temperatures reaching as high as 1.5 degrees above the long-term average.
In the Baltic Sea, the second warmest year was recorded. “The average temperature for the entire Baltic Sea in the past year was 9.6 degrees” said Tim Kruschke, head of the Marine Climate Questions department at BSH, adding that this was more than one degree above the long-term average. “This is the second warmest year since the start of our data series, with only 2020 being warmer.”
Surface temperatures in the Baltic Sea were above the long-term average from February to December, with June being particularly notable, with more than three degrees above the average. May, September, and October were also significantly warmer than usual.
While the Swedish east coast had relatively low temperatures, the area towards the Baltic Sea had very high temperatures in some cases, with the annual average in the Finnish Gulf exceeding the long-term average by up to two degrees.