Some parts of the world’s ocean have warmed by .5 to 1.5 degrees celsius over the last century, with some areas seeing a warming trend twice as large as the global average.

As temperatures in the oceans warm, wind patterns can change as well. As wind patterns shift from warming, so do ocean currents.

“If this trend continues, it could have a potential impact on the occurrence of extreme climate events, such as winter storms, in these regions because the atmospheric circulation is affected by sea-surface temperatures,‘ said Dr Pin Chang from Texas A&M University.