Warming Oceans Consistent with Rising Sea Level & Global Energy Imbalance

Key Points:

• The ocean is quickly accumulating heat and is doing so at an increased rate at depth during the so-called “hiatus” – a period over the last 16 years during which average global surface temperatures have risen at a slower rate than previous years.
• This continued accumulation of heat is apparent in ocean temperature observations, as well as reanalysis and modeling experiments, and is now supported by up-to-date assessments of Earth's energy imbalance.
• Another key piece of evidence is rising global sea level.  The expansion of the oceans (as they warm) has contributed to 35–40% of sea level rise over the last two decades - providing independent corroboration of the increase in ocean temperatures.

Warming Oceans Consistent with Rising Sea Level & Global Energy Imbalance