Marine heatwave bringing exotic – and dangerous sea life to our region

EXOTIC sea creatures could start being washed up on Welsh beaches as water temperatures soar, scientists believe.

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE

The UK and Ireland are in the grip of a marine heatwave, with some waters now 4C warmer than usual for the time of year.

Already a surge in sea and land temperatures has seen more people flocking to beaches, with warmer waters reducing the cooling effect of sea breezes.

However, Britain’s waters remain distinctly chilly for most swimmers.

The heatwave is most intense in the Celtic Sea and off the west coast of Ireland, where current sea surface temperatures are up to 4C warmer, according to the Met Office.

Around the UK coastline, the sea is 1.5C-2.5C warmer, with hotspots in Cardigan Bay and along the North Wales coast.

These temperatures are “what we would usually expect around mid-June,” said the national forecaster.

Classing the event as “extreme”, the Met Office said sea surface temperatures (SSTs) reached levels for April and May that were the highest since satellite monitoring began in 1982.

Not only is the heatwave significant due to its intensity, observers have been surprised by its longevity.

So far, it's lasted more than two months: usually, marine heatwaves in UK waters dissipate after two to four weeks.

Sea temperatures are finally expected to start dropping in the coming days as cooler weather settles over Britain.

Dr Segolene Berthou, scientific man ager for regional coupled modelling at the Met Office, said: “The heatwave is the result of several overlapping factors.