Record-breaking Mediterranean temperatures

Climate change affects global ecosystems like dominoes - one change entails another. A perfect example is the current events in the Mediterranean, which are affecting the weather even in Poland.

In July 2025, the temperature of the Mediterranean is reaching record highs. In some places it is as high as 30 degrees Celsius - well above the norm.

Current Mediterranean temperature - data for July 2025

The beginning of July 2025 brought a drastic increase in the temperature of the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. In some areas, particularly in the southern and western parts of the sea, water temperatures reached almost 30 degrees Celsius.

Source: Mediterranean Marine Heatwave brings water temperatures at record levels

Already at the end of June, the average water temperature reached 26.4 °C - by comparison, the norm for this period is around 23 degrees. The greatest deviations from the norm were recorded in the western Mediterranean where water temperatures were up to 6 °C higher than normal. Particularly high temperatures were also recorded in the Tyrrhenian Sea, which lies off the coast of Italy, where water temperatures reached as high as 29 degrees.

This phenomenon is due to the strong heatwave that has been occurring in southern Europe for several weeks. Forecasts point to further high air temperatures, which means that the sea waters could get even hotter.

High temperatures and droughts also increase the risk of fires, as we are already seeing in Greece, Spain and Italy. Fires destroy local habitats, threaten human settlements and affect air quality in the region.

Consequences for the environment and biodiversity

Such rapid warming of the seas has serious environmental consequences. Scientists are warning that the marine ecosystem could be destroyed. High temperatures could lead to the mass extinction of marine organisms - mussels, sea grasses and many fish species. Such drastic changes could completely transform the Mediterranean.

Impact on the weather in Poland - the Genoese low

The phenomena from the Mediterranean are reaching far beyond its borders. One of the effects is the formation of the so-called Genoese low, a low pressure system which forms in the Mediterranean. It is this low pressure system that has brought intense rainfall, thunderstorms and localised flooding to Poland.