Volume 11, Issue 30, July - December, 2025

Two Decades of Sea Surface Temperature Trends in the Bay of Bengal (2004–2024) from Multi- Satellite Observations (NOAA, NASA, Copernicus)

Arnab Guha Neogi^1♦

¹Department of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

^♦Corresponding author
Arnab Guha Neogi, Department of Oceanography, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT

The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) plays a major role in monsoon dynamics, oceanatmosphere interactions, and cyclone activity in the Bay of Bengal, which is one of the most climate-sensitive regions of the Indian Ocean. This study shows two decades (2004-2024) of SST variability and long-term trends in the Bay of Bengal using multi-satellite datasets from NOAA (OISST v2.1), NASA (MODIS-Aqua), and Copernicus (CMEMS), calibrating them with in-situ observations from NOAA moored buoys and ARGO profiling floats. The results indicate a clean basin-wide warming over the study period, with the highest increases observed during the premonsoon and monsoon seasons. Seasonal variability is noticeable, with SSTs ranging from ~25–26 °C in winter to more than 30 0C in April-May. To enhance confidence in observed patterns, validation with in-situ data confirmed strong agreement with satellite products. The rising SSTs are correlated with increasing monsoon variability, which provides favorable conditions for the strong formation of tropical cyclones. These findings underscore the importance of SST in framing regional climate and emphasize the need for monitoring of the Bay of Bengal to build climate resilience.

Keywords: Sea Surface Temperature (SST), Bay of Bengal; Remote Sensing, Climate Variability, Monsoon, Cyclone Intensification

Climate Change, 2025, 11(30), e12cc3137

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v11i30.e12cc3137

Published: 05 November 2025