An Improved Real-Time Global Sea Surface Temperature Analysis

Abstract The monthly global sea surface temperature (SST) analysis of Reynolds using real-time in situ and satellite SST data has now been improved by using sea ice data to simulate SSTs in ice-covered regions. The simulated SSTs now become the external boundary condition for the analysis solution. This technique eliminates any high-latitude satellite biases and extends the analysis to the ice edge. The analysis with the ice data has been computed for the period January 1982 to present.