Water Characteristics

• Surface water temperatures, which vary with latitude, current

systems, and season and reflect the latitudinal distribution of solar
energy, range from below −2 °C (28 °F) to over 30 °C (86 °F).
Maximum temperatures occur north of the equator, and minimum
values are found in the polar regions.
• In the middle latitudes, the area of maximum temperature variations,
values may vary by 7–8 °C (13–14 °F).
• Because of The Coriolis effect circulates North Atlantic water in a
clockwise direction, whereas South Atlantic water circulates counter-
clockwise.
• In latitudes above 40o North some east-west oscillation, known as
the North Atlantic oscillation, occurs.
• North Atlantic Oscillation is a weather phenomenon in the North 
Atlantic Ocean of fluctuations in the difference of 
atmospheric pressure at sea level (SLP) between the Icelandic Low
 and the Azores High.
• The Salinity of North Atlantic Ocean is around 33 to 37 parts per
thousand (3.3–3.7%) making the Atlantic is the saltiest major ocean.
Evaporation, precipitation, river inflow and sea ice melting influence
surface salinity values.
Water Masses
North Atlantic Ocean consists of three layer of water ocean there
are : Upper, Intermediate and Deep layer.
1. Upper layer :
• Western North Atlantic Central Water (WNACW) has temperature around 7.0
– 20.0 oC and salinity around 35.0-36.7 ppt.
• Eastern North Atlantic Central Water (ENACW) has temperature around 8.0 –
18.0 oC and salinity around 35.2-36.7 ppt.
2. Intermediate layer:
• Western Atlantic Subarctic Intermediate Water (WASIW) has temperature
around 3.0 – 9.0 oC and salinity around 34.0-35.1 ppt.
• Eastern Atlantic Subarctic Intermediate Water(EASIW) has temperature
around 3.0-9.0 oC and salinity around 34.4-35.3 ppt.
3. Deep and abyssal water:
• North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) its temperature around 1.5-4.0 oC and
salinity around 34.8-35.0 ppt.