Sruise Report, RV ATAIR, Cruise 0671013-1, Bremerhaven —- Skagen - Aberdeen, 19 Jul — 11 Aug 2022 | 29 
Figure 6.2 shows a respective ranking map, which demonstrates that the sea surface between 
the Dogger Bank and the English Channel, ie. the region of the South Bight, had the warmest 
summer conditions observed between 1997 and 2022. The Western and Eastern Frisian 
zoasts off the Netherlands and Germany also ranked very highly, with local summer surface 
zsonditions among the warmest to the third warmest. Conditions in the northern and eastern 
varts of the North Sea were mostly normal. 
Lst 
60°N 
57°N 
54°N 
3rd % 
S 
5th © 
m} 
n 
— 
N 
es 
8th DS 
3 
| 8th e 5 
zZ 
N 
% 
sth & 
5 
U“ 
3rd V 
51°N 
1st 
3 
AA 
A°F 
D’ 
Figure 6.2. Spatial distribution of the sea surface temperature (SST) ranking for the summer months of 
2022 (June, July and August), regionally indicating the n* coldest/warmest summer SST since 1997. 
Source: BSH. 
Figures 6.3 and 6.4 highlight the potential temperature obtained from CTD measurements dur- 
ing cruise 067/013-1 near the surface (5 dbar) and at the bottom. The respective temperatures 
are also compared to a long-term mean field comprised of CTD data from the summer months 
af the years 2000 to 2020 (NSSS surveys 2000 to 2020, excluding 2019). Based on the ship 
observations, temperatures above 18°C were recorded close to the mouth of the River Elbe 
and near 52°N at the entrance to the English Channel (see Figure 6.3, left). A band-like pattern 
af cooler temperatures (<16°C) stretched along the eastern British coast from the Shetland 
Islands to approximately 55°30'N. Additionally, a cool patch with temperatures below 15°C was 
observed in the region east of the mouth of the Humber Estuary off the British coast. 
The North Sea north of 56°N was typically cooler than 16°C, except in the Norwegian Trench 
off the south coast of Norway, where the warmer outflow from the Baltic Sea was encountered. 
The 16°C isotherm was oriented rather zonally along 56°N, dividing the North Sea into a 
warmer half in the south and cooler half in the north.