The radar altimeter has made possible increased understanding of both the dynamics and thermodynamics of western boundary currents by providing a synoptic view of the current systems and their interannual variations. Progress on the dynamics includes an understanding of the importance of the variations in jet path and strength, and their relationship to changes in kinetic energy and the recirculation gyres. Analyses of the upper ocean heat budget reveal the large role played by both advection and heat storage in the western boundary current regions and the surprising phase coherence between Atlantic and Pacific. The interannual variations in advection by the boundary currents influence both air-sea fluxes and the volume of subtropical mode water.
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