Figure 8. Based on the hydrographic measurements from the Ecosystem Cruise (7–19 May 2025), the NCC can be identified in the surface salinity map in the areas with minimum values (Figure 7, left panel; blue and yellow colors). The low-salinity areas in the Skagerrak extend relatively far south towards Denmark, indicating winds from the northeast and/or east. We also observed relatively low temperatures, between 7.5 and 9.0 °C, in the NCC off the west coast of Norway, likely linked to the prevailing wind regime and associated upwelling. In contrast, temperatures in the coastal areas of the Skagerrak, east of the southern tip of Norway, were above 11 °C (Figure 7, right panel).
