Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>In 2012, the subpolar North Atlantic experienced an unprecedented influx of freshwater, resulting in significantly reduced salinity levels. This event, known as the Great Salinity Anomaly (GSA), was widespread and propagated to the mid-latitudes of the North Atlantic. In this study, we provide statistical evidence of the GSA impact on the Mediterranean sea surface and thermohaline structure. Our findings indicate that the GSA remained active in the North Atlantic until mid-2023 and affected the Mediterranean until 2024. This was primarily due to a decrease in salinity of Atlantic water in the southwestern Mediterranean (SWMED), resulting in an increase in halosteric sea level. Additionally, we show that, overall, thermosteric effects, primarily driven by global warming, have a greater influence on changes in sea surface height (SSH) at the basin scale in the Mediterranean, with the exception of the SWMED where both thermosteric and halosteric effects contribute equally to the SSH increase.</p>