A patch of the North Atlantic Ocean known as the cold blob has cooled by nearly 0.9°C over the past century, even as global average temperatures rose by about 1°C. Scientists attribute this to a weakening Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which normally carries warm water northward. The slowdown means less heat reaches the North Atlantic, creating the cold anomaly. If AMOC continues to weaken, the consequences could include disrupted monsoons in South Asia, more severe winter extremes in northwestern Europe, and reduced ocean capacity to absorb carbon dioxide. These changes would amplify existing climate challenges and affect regions far beyond the North Atlantic. The article draws on temperature records dating back to 1880.
