ECHOES OF THE LAST MIND

ORIGIN: https://www.yourweather.co.uk/news/

Could changes in the ocean’s salt levels affect ocean pressure and storm patterns? A new study involving Southampton University expertise has the answer.

The saltiness of the ocean could be causing more storms, new research suggests. Image: Adobe.

A new study from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has found the saltiness of the ocean could be affecting the climate by creating ripples in the atmosphere and impacting weather patterns.

Salinity under the spotlight

The study examined how a large freshwater anomaly (FWA) in the subpolar gyre in the North Atlantic affects sea surface temperature (SST) and atmospheric conditions on seasonal scales.

Recent studies suggest the FWA could have a significant impact on weather in the Atlantic–European region in the following months. It’s thought that when there is an influx of freshwater in the late summer, it leads to increased ocean surface layering and a shallower mixed layer.

This makes the SST more sensitive to cooling, resulting in a greater-than-normal SST decrease as the seasons change. This cooling effect is mostly confined to the subpolar gyre, increasing the temperature