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Why is the eastern Mediterranean Sea warmer than the western Mediterranean Sea?

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Map of the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding regions, showing physical features such as sea basins and depths, major coastal cities, country boundaries, and islands. The map includes a small locator inset highlighting the Mediterranean area within Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.
Mediterranean Sea

The higher surface temperature of the eastern Mediterranean Sea compared to the western basin is primarily due to differences in latitude. The western basin is centered around the 40° N parallel, whereas the eastern basin is located further south, near the 34° N parallel.1