A strange 'cold blob' in the Atlantic Ocean that is cooling as the rest of the world heats up is caused by shifting ocean currents and low-level clouds, a study found. The blob — or 'warming hole' — was first spotted in 2015 and has been connected to a weakening of the so-called Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). However, analysis by researchers from Germany has revealed that the causes of the cooling blob are slightly more complicated — with many different factors at play. These clouds serve to reflect more incoming radiation from the Sun, helping to cool down the Earth's surface in the warming hole even more. The full findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Source: Daily Mail July 03, 2020 11:03 UTC