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Ternperetur€
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One of the features of tropical walers is that the zurface layer is warm and the annual
temperature variation is small. During the north monsoon, generally high surface temperature
of zB-tOoC prevail in the west coast of Sumatra and the Eastern Archipelago waters.
However, because of the inflow of water masses from higher latitudes, eolder water (26-27oC)
is found in the South China Sea. The surface temperatune distribution of other parts of the
South-East Asian waters ranges between these figures. Very different conditions occur during
the south monsoon. High surface temperature (29-f0oC) are found in the South China and
Iower temperatures (25-27oC) prevail in the Arafura Sea and the South coast of Java. In
other watersn temperetures fange between 27oc and 29oc (Figures 5 and 5).
The average annual range of sea surface temperatures in the equatorial region is less
than 2oCr but is slightly higher, JoC to 4oC, in the Banda Sea, the Arafura Sea, and fimor
Sea as well as in the waters south of Java. In the South China See the annual temperature
range increase northwards, owing to lhe increasing inflow of cold waLer through the Strait of
Formosa during the north monsoon. Over Lhe shallow parts of the Sunda and Sahul shelves the
temperature is uniform throughout the water column.
Figure 5 : Surface temperature of South-East Asian weters during December to May
(in oC)
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