Salinity and temperature time series were analysed for the open sea stations at the transect Split-Gargano, in the middle Adriatic, for the period 1961-1980. Thermohaline fluctuations were described in terms of the principal
component scores and, in addition, were compared to heat and water flux at the atmosphere-sea interface. Temperature and salinity vertical gradients in the surface layer are well related to surface fluxes during the whole year. In deeper layers this influence is visible only under the vertically homogenous conditions. Vertical fluxes of heat and salt, compared to the rate of change of the heat and salt content, point to the season with important advection effects. Vertical exchange prevails in the cold season, while horizontal exchange is considerable in the warm period
