Temperature and salinity of Mediterranean deep water have been increasing, based on observations extending back to 1959. Over the 1940--1995 period, the corresponding changes in heat and water budgets across the sea surface have been estimated to be 1.74 Wm-2 for the greenhouse effect change, 0.5 ¿C and 0.4 ¿C for mean air and sea-surface temperature increases, respectively, and an increase of 0.1 m (or 11%) in the freshwater deficit, which is due partly to human activities and partly to climatic changes. ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union