In the Balearics, the sea surface temperature has increased by 0.4ºC per decade since 1982, while in the Mediterranean, 2024 saw a record increase in the annual average temperature of the Mediterranean, exceeding the historical average recorded since 1982 by 1.55ºC. The Balearic Observation System has recorded extreme changes in the Mediterranean over the past year, including unprecedented temperatures, prolonged marine heatwaves and an increase in sea level and salinity.
Last year was the warmest in the eastern basin (22.3 ºC) and the third warmest in the western basin (20.0 ºC). In addition, the winter of the same year was the warmest ever recorded in the western basin (15.6 ºC). In the eastern basin, both winter (17.7 ºC) and spring (21.4 ºC) and summer (27.9 ºC) reached record seasonal temperatures. According to ITCS Socib, these extreme temperatures were associated with records of 205 days of marine heatwaves in the western basin and 288 days in the eastern basin.
Socib oceanographer Mélanie Juza has emphasised the fundamental role of Socib’s web applications, which, based on satellite data and in situ observations, provide ‘key’ information on ocean variability.
“These tools allow us to detect extreme events and analyse long-term trends,” she said, “while also allowing us to observe a record in the salinity of the surface of the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a continuous rise in sea level, with an average increase of 3.3 centimetres per decade since 1993.”
According to the director of ICTS Socib, Joaquín Tintoré, these tools are essential for understanding the impact of climate change in the Mediterranean and its implications for ecosystems and coastal communities. The ICTS Socib has referred to marine heatwaves - prolonged periods of extreme ocean temperatures - which in 2024 showed significant variations in intensity and duration in different regions.
Marine heatwaves impact key species such as Posidonia oceanica in the islands, which is fundamental for biodiversity and coastal protection. They also contribute to coral bleaching and have an impact on sectors such as fishing and tourism.
According to the Balearic Coastal Observation and Forecasting System, the record temperatures, salinity and sea levels recorded in the Mediterranean in 2024 have significant implications for biodiversity, the functioning of ecosystems and the services they provide to human communities.
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