Spatial and temporal variability of sea surface temperature and warming trends in the Yellow Sea

•We analyze the dominant sea surface temperature (SST) variability in the Yellow Sea.•We present the spatial pattern of regional warming response to global warming.•We address the role of shallow bathymetry on remarkable coastal SST warming.•Warming trend of sea water in the Yellow Sea decreased monotonically with depth.•Winter SST variability is explained by Arctic Oscillation though air-sea interaction.

The spatial and temporal variability of sea surface temperatures (SST) in the Yellow Sea was investigated using satellite data and in-situ measurements over 29 years from 1981 to 2009. We found that the first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode of SST variability, which accounts for 47.59% of the total SST variance, exhibited a warming signal during the study period. We examined the relationships between the dominant EOF mode, long-term trends of SST changes and in-situ temperatures, and bathymetry. As a result, the shallow regions demonstrated more significant increasing rates than the deep area in the Yellow Sea. Vertical stratification of the water column revealed long-term changes, which led to differential surface warming. The warming rates decayed monotonically with depth. The spatial features of long-term SST warming trends were most remarkable near the Yangtze River, due to the effect of river discharge. Abrupt changes in the time-varying amplitude of the first EOF mode in winter could be explained by Arctic Oscillation.