Latitude-conditioned gradients

Technically the thermocline is the depth zone over which the vertical temperature gradient reaches maximal values. This depth zone varies with season, latitude and longitude, and local environmental conditions. The top of the thermocline is defined by... 

The special case of zonal asymmetries should also be mentioned. The vector wind is generally aligned along latitude circles in summer, but in winter the influence of planetary waves can cause the vector wind to flow across latitude lines (see Figure 3.13). Under these zonally asymmetric conditions, the local wind speed in the meridional direction is much greater than the mean meridional wind. Indeed, winds of zonal speeds (tens of meters per second) can flow across latitude lines, and any species exhibiting a latitude gradient will be affected. 

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