'''DEFINITION''' Meridional Heat Transport is computed by integrating the heat fluxes along the zonal direction and from top to bottom of the ocean. They are given over 3 basins (Global Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Indian+Pacific Ocean) and for all the grid points in the meridional grid of each basin. The mean value over a reference period (1993-2014) and over the last full year are provided for the ensemble product and the individual reanalysis, as well as the standard deviation for the ensemble product over the reference period (1993-2014). The values are given in PetaWatt (PW). '''CONTEXT''' The ocean transports heat and mass by vertical overturning and horizontal circulation, and is one of the fundamental dynamic components of the Earth’s energy budget (IPCC, 2013). There are spatial asymmetries in the energy budget resulting from the Earth’s orientation to the sun and the meridional variation in absorbed radiation which support a transfer of energy from the tropics towards the poles. However, there are spatial variations in the loss of heat by the ocean through sensible and latent heat fluxes, as well as differences in ocean basin geometry and current systems. These complexities support a pattern of oceanic heat transport that is not strictly from lower to high latitudes. Moreover, it is not stationary and we are only beginning to unravel its variability. '''CMEMS KEY FINDINGS''' After an anusual 2016 year (Bricaud 2016), with a higher global meridional heat transport in the tropical band explained by, the increase of northward heat transport at 5-10 ° N in the Pacific Ocean during the El Niño event, 2017 northward heat transport is lower than the 1993-2014 reference value in the tropical band, for both Atlantic and Indian + Pacific Oceans. At the higher latitudes, 2017 northward heat transport is closed to 1993-2014 values. Note: The key findings will be updated annually in November, in line with OMI evolutions. '''DOI (product):''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00246

'''DEFINITION''' The OMI_EXTREME_SL_NORTHWESTSHELF_slev_mean_and_anomaly_obs indicator is based on the computation of the 99th and the 1st percentiles from in situ data (observations). It is computed for the variable sea level measured by tide gauges along the coast. The use of percentiles instead of annual maximum and minimum values, makes this extremes study less affected by individual data measurement errors. The annual percentiles referred to annual mean sea level are temporally averaged and their spatial evolution is displayed in the dataset omi_extreme_sl_northwestshelf_slev_mean_and_anomaly_obs, jointly with the anomaly in the target year. This study of extreme variability was first applied to sea level variable (Pérez Gómez et al 2016) and then extended to other essential variables, sea surface temperature and significant wave height (Pérez Gómez et al 2018). '''CONTEXT''' Sea level (SLEV) is one of the Essential Ocean Variables most affected by climate change. Global mean sea level rise has accelerated since the 1990’s (Abram et al., 2019, Legeais et al., 2020), due to the increase of ocean temperature and mass volume caused by land ice melting (WCRP, 2018). Basin scale oceanographic and meteorological features lead to regional variations of this trend that combined with changes in the frequency and intensity of storms could also rise extreme sea levels up to one metre by the end of the century (Vousdoukas et al., 2020, Tebaldi et al., 2021). This will significantly increase coastal vulnerability to storms, with important consequences on the extent of flooding events, coastal erosion and damage to infrastructures caused by waves (Boumis et al., 2023). The increase in extreme sea levels over recent decades is, therefore, primarily due to the rise in mean sea level. Note, however, that the methodology used to compute this OMI removes the annual 50th percentile, thereby discarding the mean sea level trend to isolate changes in storminess. The North West Shelf area presents positive sea level trends with higher trend estimates in the German Bight and around Denmark, and lower trends around the southern part of Great Britain (Dettmering et al., 2021). '''COPERNICUS MARINE SERVICE KEY FINDINGS''' The completeness index criteria is fulfilled by 33 stations in 2023, one less than in 2022 (32). The mean 99th percentiles present a large spatial variability related to the tidal pattern, with largest values found in East England and at the entrance of the English channel, and lowest values along the Danish and Swedish coasts, ranging from the 3.08 m above mean sea level in Immingan (East England) to 0.45 m above mean sea level in Tregde (Norway). The standard deviation of annual 99th percentiles ranges between 2-3 cm in the western part of the region (e.g.: 2 cm in Harwich, 3 cm in Dunkerke) and 7-8 cm in the eastern part and the Kattegat (e.g. 8 cm in Stenungsund, Sweden). The 99th percentile anomalies for 2023 show overall slightly negative values except in the Kattegat (Eastern part), with maximum significant values of +11 cm in Hornbaek (Denmark), and +10 cm in Ringhals (Sweden). '''DOI (product):''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00272

'''DEFINITION''' The OMI_EXTREME_WAVE_NORTHWESTSHELF_swh_mean_and_anomaly_obs indicator is based on the computation of the 99th and the 1st percentiles from in situ data (observations). It is computed for the variable significant wave height (swh) measured by in situ buoys. The use of percentiles instead of annual maximum and minimum values, makes this extremes study less affected by individual data measurement errors. The percentiles are temporally averaged, and the spatial evolution is displayed, jointly with the anomaly in the target year. This study of extreme variability was first applied to sea level variable (Pérez Gómez et al 2016) and then extended to other essential variables, sea surface temperature and significant wave height (Pérez Gómez et al 2018). '''CONTEXT''' Projections on Climate Change foresee a future with a greater frequency of extreme sea states (Stott, 2016; Mitchell, 2006). The damages caused by severe wave storms can be considerable not only in infrastructure and buildings but also in the natural habitat, crops and ecosystems affected by erosion and flooding aggravated by the extreme wave heights. In addition, wave storms strongly hamper the maritime activities, especially in harbours. These extreme phenomena drive complex hydrodynamic processes, whose understanding is paramount for proper infrastructure management, design and maintenance (Goda, 2010). In recent years, there have been several studies searching possible trends in wave conditions focusing on both mean and extreme values of significant wave height using a multi-source approach with model reanalysis information with high variability in the time coverage, satellite altimeter records covering the last 30 years and in situ buoy measured data since the 1980s decade but with sparse information and gaps in the time series (e.g. Dodet et al., 2020; Timmermans et al., 2020; Young & Ribal, 2019). These studies highlight a remarkable interannual, seasonal and spatial variability of wave conditions and suggest that the possible observed trends are not clearly associated with anthropogenic forcing (Hochet et al. 2021, 2023). In the North Atlantic, the mean wave height shows some weak trends not very statistically significant. Young & Ribal (2019) found a mostly positive weak trend in the European Coasts while Timmermans et al. (2020) showed a weak negative trend in high latitudes, including the North Sea and even more intense in the Norwegian Sea. For extreme values, some authors have found a clearer positive trend in high percentiles (90th-99th) (Young et al., 2011; Young & Ribal, 2019). '''COPERNICUS MARINE SERVICE KEY FINDINGS''' The mean 99th percentiles showed in the area present a wide range from 2.5 meters in the English Channel with 0.3m of standard deviation (std), 3-5m in the southern and central North Sea with 0.3-0.6m of std, 4 meters in the Skagerrak Strait with 0.6m of std, 6-7m in the northern North Sea with 0.4-0.5m of std to 8 meters in the NorthWest of the British Isles with 0.8-1.0m of std. Results for this year show either low positive or negative anomalies between -0.3m and +0.4m, inside the margin of the standard deviation, in the English Channel, the Skagerrak Strait and the southern and central North Sea except in the station 6200046 with a positive anomaly of 0.8m and a slight negative anomaly (-0.1/-0.5m) inside the margin of the std in the NorthWest of the British Isles and the northern North Sea. '''DOI (product):''' https://doi.org/10.48670/moi-00270