Suppression of marine heatwave activity by tropical cyclone–induced upper ocean cooling

Iam-Fei Pun; I-I Lin; Chun-Chieh Wu

doi:10.1126/sciadv.adw8070

journal article Nov 14, 2025

Suppression of marine heatwave activity by tropical cyclone–induced upper ocean cooling

Iam-Fei Pun

I-I Lin

Chun-Chieh Wu

Science Advances Vol. 11 No. 46 · American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

View at Publisher Save 10.1126/sciadv.adw8070

Abstract

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) have drawn substantial scientific attention due to their profound biological and economic impacts, especially in the context of climate change. This study highlights the crucial role of tropical cyclones (TCs) in disrupting MHWs by altering ocean temperatures. As demonstrated by Tropical Cyclone Bavi, intense sea surface temperature (SST) cooling, reaching up to 7°C, immediately terminated a mature MHW and suppressed subsequent MHW development for up to 8 months. More generally, on the basis of post-TC MHW cases (reoccurring within 1 month) during 2014 to 2023, we found that MHW disruption duration is proportional to the magnitude of TC-induced SST cooling, ~5 to 7 days per degree of cooling. At a broader scale, a 20-year (2004 to 2023) analysis revealed 99% significant inverse relationships between seasonal MHW and TC activity. These findings suggest that TCs can act as natural regulators, effectively mitigating heat stress from MHWs and potentially serving as a lifeline for marine ecosystems.

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References

Details

Published: Nov 14, 2025
Vol/Issue: 11(46)

Authors

I

Iam-Fei Pun

Graduate Institute of Hydrological and Oceanic Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.

I

I-I Lin

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

C

Chun-Chieh Wu

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Cite This Article

Iam-Fei Pun, I-I Lin, Chun-Chieh Wu (2025). Suppression of marine heatwave activity by tropical cyclone–induced upper ocean cooling. Science Advances, 11(46). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adw8070

Suppression of marine heatwave activity by tropical cyclone–induced upper ocean cooling

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