Ocean temperatures in April soared to a record high, with the average global sea surface temperature reaching 21°C, just below the record 21.04°C in April 2024. Climate models predict a strong El Nino event, which may lead to harsher summers and weaker monsoons in India.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) data showed that a broad stretch of waters from the central equatorial Pacific to the western coast of the US and Mexico recorded their warmest-ever April. Global air temperatures last month were the third-highest ever in April, with significant regional contrasts across the Northern Hemisphere.
Large parts of the North Indian Ocean, including the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, have started recording warmer-than-average temperatures, according to C3S data. Temperatures over northwest India have largely been mild, interspersed with thunderstorm activity in May.
