Ocean Science
Ocean Science
OS
Articles | Volume 19, issue 3
Articles | Volume 19, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-629-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-19-629-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 19, issue 3
Research article
 | Highlight paper
 | 
12 May 2023
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 12 May 2023

Response of the sea surface temperature to heatwaves during the France 2022 meteorological summer

Thibault Guinaldo, Aurore Voldoire, Robin Waldman, Stéphane Saux Picart, and Hervé Roquet

Data sets

Operational SST OSI-SAF L3C OSI SAF https://osi-saf.eumetsat.int/products/osi-201-b

Model code and software

Surfex modelling platform code CNRM, Météo-France http://www.umr-cnrm.fr/surfex/spip.php?rubrique141

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Co-editor-in-chief
Summer 2022 was memorable and record-breaking in much of Europe - for example heatwaves in France. This paper discusses marine heatwaves in the Mediterranean and northeastern Atlantic Ocean and their importance for European climate. It investigates the causes of increased sea surface temperature during summer 2022 for the seas around France through assessing the different atmospheric fluxes determining the upper ocean heat budget. It highlights the need for continuous monitoring of the ocean surface in order to assess the impact of these marine heatwave events.
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Short summary
In the summer of 2022, France experienced a series of unprecedented heatwaves. This study is the first to examine the response of sea surface temperatures to these events, using spatial operational data and attributing the observed abnormally warm SSTs to atmospheric forcings. The findings of this study underscore the critical need for an efficient and sustainable operational system to monitor alterations that threaten the oceans in the context of climate change.
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