ABSTRACT
Using the Global Ocean Assimilation Database (SODA2.2.4) to extract the monthly sea surface temperature (SST) and ocean current (OC) data during the climatic reference period (CRP) from 1981 to 2010, and to analyze the multi-year average monthly and monthly difference characteristics of the South China Sea (SCS) and the adjacent Northwest Pacific Ocean (NPO), then to study the regional climate zoning (area), the results show that: (1) The monthly average highest temperature in the study area occurs in the eastern part of the NPO near the equator (29.9°C); the lowest temperature occurs in the north coastal area of the SCS (22.5°C). The temperature difference is the smallest in the NPO and the largest on the north coast of the SCS. (2) The temperature difference in the study area increases from low latitude to high latitude; and the higher the latitude, the more obvious the change in temperature difference; it also shows the characteristics of increasing from east to west. (3) at the sea area near 18.75°N south of the Tropic of Cancer, the inter-monthly and monthly change of the SST shows the characteristics of temperate climate, which may be suggested that the boundary between the tropical and temperate (subtropical) zones in the study area is lower than the land latitude, 17.75°N maybe roughly regarded as the climate boundary between the tropical and temperate (subtropical) zones in this sea area.
