Static relationship between anomalies of SSTs and air-sea heat fluxes in the North Pacific

The static relationship between anomalies of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and air-sea heat fluxes in the North Pacific is investigated using the datasets of SSTs and heat fluxes through the sea surface computed from COADS for 40 years (1951 to 1990). In the low-latitude ocean, through a whole year, the downward heat fluxes (oceanic heat gain) negatively correlate with SST anomalies: when SST anomalies are negative (positive), then the ocean gains more (less) heat. On the contrary, in winter and spring in the mid-latitude ocean, the downward heat fluxes positively correlate with SST anomalies: when SST anomalies are positive (negative), then the ocean gains more (less) heat. The static relationship between SST anomalies and the upward heat fluxes (oceanic heat loss) is also examined. It is found that the situation is almost completely opposite with those between SST anomalies and the downward heat fluxes.