Marine heatwaves in the Arabian Sea

Abstract. Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are prolonged warm sea condition events that can have a destructive impact on marine ecosystems. The documentation of MHWs and assessment their impacts is largely confined to few regional seas or global mean studies. north Indian Ocean received almost no attention in this regard despite the fact ocean basin, particularly Arabian Sea, has been warming at most rapid pace among other tropical basins recent decades. This study shows characteristics MHW for Sea during 1982–2019. Our analysis duration (frequency) exhibits rapidly increasing trend ?20 d per decade (1.5–2 decade) northern southeastern close west coast India, which multifold increase days from 80s. Notably, since beginning satellite record, years 2010 2016 exhibited maximum number heatwave when more than 75 % pre-monsoon summer monsoon season experience heatwaves. accelerated found be driven by rise surface temperature (SST) decade. Moreover, longer also associated with dominant climate modes. Among them, Basin Mode via decaying phase El Niño influential mode contributing 70 %–80 observed basin. Further April–June indicates heat flux weaker latent loss shallow mixed layer was primary cause event. Further, we note cyclonic storms often contribute waning such