In semi-enclosed seas, circulation plays a key role in the formation of thermal fronts by regulating the distribution of waters with distinct properties. Using 20 years of satellite and ocean reanalysis temperature data, this study examines the seasonal distribution of thermal fronts in the Upper and Northern Gulf of California and their relationship with regional circulation. Thermal fronts were detected from the surface to 300 m depth using temperature gradients, and their intensity and Front Probability Index were used to generate seasonal and monthly climatologies. Results reveal a strong seasonal variability dominated by the seasonal reversible eddy, cyclonic in summer and anticyclonic in winter, that drives the formation and intensity of thermal fronts. On the surface of the Northern Gulf, maximum probability occurred in June in the northeast, associated with a strong northerly coastal current, and in August in the southwest, due to cyclonic eddy circulation. These fronts extended to 100 m depth with maximum intensity at 50 m, corresponding with the eddy core depth. In the Upper Gulf, the highest probabilities were detected at the surface in spring and fall, influenced by circulation changes characteristic of these transitional periods. These findings demonstrate that circulation is a driver in the formation of thermal fronts. Their persistence, despite variations in intensity and position, contributes to the productivity of this semi-enclosed sea, as is also the case in other semi-enclosed seas.
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