Sea Surface Temperature Variability

Abstract

Blended weekly multichannel sea surface temperature (MCSST) (1982–1984) and monthly Pathfinder SST (since 1985) data with spatial resolution of ∼18 and 9 km, respectively, were used to investigate seasonal and interannual variability of the Black Sea SST in the period 1982–2002. The 18-yearly (1985–2002) mean SST fields for the central months of four hydrological seasons (February, May, August, and November) based on the Pathfinder data were constructed. The years with the winter and summer SST anomalies were indicated as well as a long-term temperature trend. Minimums of the mean annual basin-averaged SST occurred in the years with the winter SST minimums. A sharp increase in the winter and mean annual SSTs was observed after 1993, the year of the temperature minimum. A linear regression of the mean annual basin-averaged SSTs gave a positive trend of about 0.06 °C year−1 in the period 1982–2002. However, a trend of the blended field and satellite winter (February–March) SSTs in a longer period (1957–2002) turned out to be small and negative (∼ − 0.008 °C year−1). Most of the marked winter and summer SST anomalies were likely related to the El Nino global events, although a value and a sign of an anomaly were not determined by intensity of El Nino. The winter SST anomalies were better related to the winter indices of the East Atlantic-West Russia (EAWR) atmospheric pattern or to various combinations of the winter EAWR and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) indices, which determine predominance of cold or warm air masses over the Black Sea basin, than to the NAO winter indices.