Global representation of tropical cyclone-induced ocean thermal changes using Argo data – Part 2: Estimating air–sea heat fluxes and ocean heat content changes

Abstract. We use Argo temperature data to examine changes in ocean heat content (OHC) and air–sea heat fluxes induced by tropical cyclones (TC)s on a global scale. A footprint technique that analyzes the vertical structure of cross-track thermal responses along all storm tracks during the period 2004–2012 is utilized (see part I). We find that TCs are responsible for 1.87 PW (11.05 W m⁻² when averaging over the global ocean basin) of heat transfer annually from the global ocean to the atmosphere during storm passage (0–3 days) on a global scale. Of this total, 1.05 ± 0.20 PW (4.80 ± 0.85 W m⁻²) is caused by Tropical storms/Tropical depressions (TS/TD) and 0.82 ± 0.21 PW (6.25 ± 1.5 W m⁻²) is caused by hurricanes. Our findings indicate that ocean heat loss by TCs may be a substantial missing piece of the global ocean heat budget. Net changes in OHC after storm passage is estimated by analyzing the temperature anomalies during wake recovery following storm events (4–20 days after storm passage) relative to pre-storm conditions. Results indicate the global ocean experiences a 0.75 ± 0.25 PW (5.98 ± 2.1W m⁻²) net heat gain annually for hurricanes. In contrast, under TS/TD conditions, ocean experiences 0.41 ± 0.21 PW (1.90 ± 0.96 W m⁻²) net ocean heat loss, suggesting the overall oceanic thermal response is particularly sensitive to the intensity of the event. The net ocean heat uptake caused by all storms is 0.34 PW.