Abstract: Atmospheric surface sensible and latent heat fluxes are important environmental variables in the coupled ocean–ice–atmosphere system. This study quantifies the interannual variations of summer sensible and latent heat fluxes in the Ross Sea of the Southern Ocean and presents a preliminary discussion of the possible factors influencing the interannual variations of sensible and latent heat fluxes. Based on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Fifth-generation Reanalysis (ERA5) data, the interannual variations of sensible and latent heat fluxes during the summer months of 1993–2022 in the Ross Sea were studied. The absolute values of the January climatological sensible and latent heat fluxes on the shelf are higher than those in the deep basin. Results from the empirical orthogonal function analysis of sensible heat and latent heat flux anomalies show that the first three modes explain more than 75% of the total variance. For the first modes, there are roughly consistent regional spatial patterns as well as considerable interannual variations in the time coefficients; dominant periods are approximately 2.9 and 4.4 years. Spatial averages of sensible heat and latent heat fluxes on the shelf indicate high correlation between the interannual variations of sensible and latent heat fluxes. Finally, sensible heat flux shows relatively high correlation with wind speed and air–sea temperature difference, latent heat flux shows relatively high correlation with wind speed and air–sea specific humidity difference, while these correlations show clear spatial variations. Study results provide a reference for the study of ocean–ice–atmosphere interactions in the Ross Sea.

Key words: sensible and latent heat flux, ERA5, Ross Sea, Southern Ocean