Climate data 2024: North Sea warmer than ever

Last year, the North Sea reached its highest temperatures since regular measurements began. The Baltic Sea has also continued to warm. The latest data from the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) shows that the average water temperatures in the North Sea and Baltic Sea last year were significantly higher than the long-term average.

The BSH has been determining average temperature values and anomalies since 1968 and has been compiling weekly analyses since 1995. The compiled data shows that the North Sea reached an average of 12.1 degrees, the highest value ever measured. The surface temperature rose by up to 1.5 degrees above the long-term average in the reference period from 1997 to 2021.