Here, the sinking air masses of the Hadley or Walker circulation and the sea breeze ensure that the subsidence inversion lies particularly deep.

As a result of the low-lying inversion and cool water temperature, moisture content increases within the marine boundary layer and, with saturation, clouds form over a wide area of the eastern tropical oceans.

[5][2] Further west, away from the coast, the subsidence weakens, the sea surface temperature rises and the clouds in the boundary layer become more cumulus-like, but often remain covered by stratocumulus at first.

[5] Previously, it was expected that these clouds would decrease due to global warming and thus strengthen the latter, meaning that this development represents a positive feedback loop.

However, a study published in 2022 based on empirical data concludes that the trade wind clouds are less sensitive to climate change than previously assumed.