Coastal temperature and salinity in the northern Gulf of Alaska, 1970–1983

Analysis of the time series of the temperature and salinity in the northern Gulf of Alaska from December 1970 to September 1983 shows annual signals in water properties with warm, low‐salinity surface water in summer and cold, high‐salinity surface water in late winter. The mean surface temperature and salinity were 11.5°C and 27.33‰ in summer and 4.3°C and 31.16‰ in winter. Over the nearly 13‐year observational period the surface temperature range was from 2° to 14%C and the surface salinity range was 26 to 31.5‰. Abnormal warming throughout the water column was evident in 1976–1977 and 1983. These thermal features appear to be caused by advection, rather than local effects. The salinity anomalies in the upper 50 m are primarily correlated with freshwater discharge and secondarily with wind stress.