A High-Resolution Global Sea Surface Temperature Climatology

Abstract In response to the development of a new higher-resolution sea surface temperature (SST) analysis at the National Meteorological Center (NMC), a new monthly 1° global sea surface temperature climatology was constructed from two intermediate climatologies: the 2° SST climatology presently used at NMC and a 1° SST climatology derived from the new analysis. The 2° SST climatology used a 30-yr 1950–1979 base period between roughly 40°S and 60°N based on in situ (ship and buoy) SST data supplemented by four years (1982–1985) of satellite SST retrievals. The 1° SST climatology was based on monthly analyses using in situ SST data, satellite SST retrievals, and sea-ice coverage data over a 12-yr period (1982–1993). The final climatology was combined from these two products so that a 1° resolution was maintained and the base period was adjusted to the 1950–1979 period wherever possible (approximately between 40°S and 60°N). Compared to the 2° climatology, the 1° climatology resolves equatorial upwelling an...