Barcelona World Race 2014-2015 thermosalinograph data [Dataset]

The Southern Ocean remains one of the most data-deficient ocean basins despite its influence on global climate. Sailboats participating in the Barcelona World Race (2010/2011 and 2014/2015 editions) and the Vendée Globe Race (2020/2021 edition) are used here as opportunity boats to collect sea surface temperature and salinity data, crucial parameters for understanding the changes in Southern Ocean hydrography forced by climate variability in the last decade. We conducted an inter-annual analysis of temperature and salinity anomalies, compared with reanalysis and climatological data for the three race editions to assess changes and variability in the region. Results reveal a warming trend along with a general freshening in the Southern Ocean. The highest anomalies were observed in the Indian and Atlantic sectors, while the Pacific sector showed the lowest anomalies in absolute terms. Notably, our findings reveal correlations between observed anomalies and distinct climate events: lower anomalies in the Pacific sector and elevated anomalies in southeastern South America align with positive Southern Annular Mode events, whereas decreased temperatures coincide with La Niña occurrences. Overall, this study underscores the usefulness of non-research sailing vessels to monitor the evolution of the Antarctic region in response to climate variability