Ocean - atmosphere interactions are recognized as elements of major importance for generating climate variability. The region of the tropical Americas and in particular Mexico, are highly influenced by the temperature conditions of the surrounding oceans. For a long time the emphasis on studies on climate variability in Mexico focused on the effects of El Niño on rainfall. However, in recent years more attention has been paid to the role of the conditions in the Atlantic as a forcing factor that modulates low tropospheric moisture flows, from the Intra-American Seas to North America. Such flows are related to dominant circulations, such as the Caribbean low-level jet stream. Part of the challenge in explaining climate variations in Mexico at various time scales (intraseasonal to interdecadal) is in understand the interaction mechanisms between the ocean and the atmosphere, as well as the interaction between transients and mean atmospheric flow.
This work analyzes the role of ocean atmosphere interactions in Mexico's climate, especially in relation to the Intra - American Seas low frequency variations in sea surface temperature and their impact in rainfall in the Americas. It also analyzes the way in which the atmospheric circulations, such as the Caribbean low level jet, modulates the heat flows and the surface temperatures in this region. The implications for making seasonal climatic forecast or regional climate change scenarios for Mexico are discussed.