Dear Dr. Hauri and co-authors,

The two referees are quite positive about the manuscript and I agree with that. I do have some comments, though, which I hope you will account for when submitting the final version of your manuscript. They are listed below.

Throughout the manuscript, the thing that is measured is called „parameter“. Please consider to use “variable” instead. A parameter should be something that is parameterized, right?

Sections 6 and 7 convey a very similar kind of message and for that reason they should be combined into one, i.e. in one section with the title “Concluding remarks” or “Concluding thoughts”. The contents can stay as is.

P2, L1 „annual average temperatures“ It is not clear from the text whether air temperature or sea temperature is meant. Please clarifiy.

P3, L42-43 “Oceanographers have long struggled with finding a way to measure upper water column stratification and heat content through the fall up to the time of freeze-up in ice-covered seas.” This sentence sounds as if not from a scientific work. Please delete or modify to say what the instrument is supposed to do.

P4, L17 I think fuller is not a correct word here, and anywhere else. Something is either full or not, but cannot become fuller. Please change wording.

P6, L11 “from physics to biology” I think you are not talking about these disciplines in a strict sense. This is more about physical and biological processes, right? Please modify accordingly.

P6, L15 “The data and improved mechanistic understanding of the shelf ecosystem are available …” Are these really available now? I think it is too early to speak of improved mechanistic understanding.

P6, L20-21 “Reduced sea ice may increase the potential of northward migration of subarctic species, including commercial fish species that will alter those foodwebs.” This contention needs a reference.

P6, L24 “are expected” instead of “can be expected”
P6, L26-27 “Ocean acidification, warming, freshening, and de-oxygenation are large-scale issues …” I do not fully agree. Those processes also play on smaller scales, and the variation in different oceanic regions is great.

P6, L29 “do not include such a large array of disciplines” It is not clear what “such” is referring to. I think it must be deleted.

References: Please apply the Ocean Science format for all references. Please check to make all references uniform in format and use of abbreviations etc.
P7, L18 Deep-Sea (hyphen)
P7, L25 Add volume and pages: volume 509, pages 479–482
P7, L42 Deep-Sea (hyphen)
P8, L10 (Figure 1) at this place?
P8, L17 Deep-Sea (hyphen)
P8, L26 There is no journal mentioned.
P8, L38 Deep-Sea (hyphen)
P9, L12-13 Correct reference is: McPhee, M. G., A. Proshutinsky, J. H. Morison, M. Steele, and M. B. Alkire (2009), Rapid change in freshwater content of the Arctic Ocean, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L10602, doi: 10.1029/2009GL037525.
P9, L30 Deep-Sea Res.
P9, L33 Deep-Sea (hyphen)
P10, L15 Deep-Sea (hyphen)

Caption Fig. 1, L9 delete: respectively
“The annual anomalies were computed by subtracting 0.114 °C.” I do not understand why this was done. Please explain.

Caption Fig.2, L6 Circulation patterns are indicated with “Current” in most cases. However, the orange arrows are called “Water”. Please explain or modify.

Thanks and best wishes
Mario Hoppema