How Ocean Temperature can Effect Climate

Energy from the sun evaporates large quantities of water from the oceans. This water vapor is then transported by winds to other regions where it condenses into clouds and precipitation.

Precipitation runoff from land surfaces eventually returns to the oceans. This cycle is called the hydrologic cycle. Of the total water vapor content of the atmosphere, 85 percent evaporated from the oceans.

Water has a high capacity for storing energy. It requires a relatively large amount of heat energy to bring about a small temperature change in water. Thus water has a high specific heat. The same can be said about the reverse - water cools slowly as well. The percentage of radiation reflected from a surface is called the albedo. Water surfaces reflect only a small amount of solar energy. An object that reflects very little sunlight absorbs a great deal. Water has a low albedo but high absorption. Because of these unique properties and because oceans cover about 70 percent of the earth, water has a strong modifying effect on weather and climate.