ABSTRACT
The typhoon is one of the most destructive natural disasters for humanity, as well as severely impacting natural ecosystems. It is estimated that 10,000 people per year perish due to typhoons, while they cause an estimated US $13 billion of damage every year. A typhoon is developed and maintained by drawing energy from the underlying warm ocean surface. It can only form over waters of 26º C or higher and its intensity is very sensitive to sea surface temperature (SST) while recent studies have shown that SST can drop significantly in response to the passage of a typhoon. The sea surface cold wakes can exist in the ocean for days to weeks and have a continuing effect upon the atmosphere and ocean, and can even contribute to climate variability and change. In this chapter, the main aim is to document the universal features of the SST cooling and to offer a systematic analysis of the effect of upper ocean structure on sea surface cooling regionally and globally. Some cases are discussed in order to illustrate or emphasize points made.
