As Earth’s climate warms, cyclone intensity and rain may increase. Cyclones, like hurricanes, gain strength from warm ocean waters. Understanding how oceans react to strong winds is vital. We highlight ocean responses to pre-storm salinity. Changes in salinity affect oceans during storms: salinity rises, temperature falls, and density increases. We suggest that mixing of near-surface with deeper water may impact heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere during and after a weather event.