Numerical weather prediction models often use fixed sea surface temperatures as a lower boundary condition, as they are readily available and easy to implement. Nevertheless, it is likely that a measure of the heat content of the upper layers of the ocean is a more physically relevant variable for atmospheric systems, particularly tropical cyclones, which rely on the ocean as a source of heat and moisture.

Recently, experimental estimates of ocean heat content became available for many tropical cyclone formation regions. This information is employed in experimental simulations using the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's TC-LAPS tropical cyclone numerical model. Preliminary comparisons are given of simulations using fixed sea surface temperatures and simulations using ocean heat content, with the aim of deciding whether ocean heat content could be usefully included in the operational TC-LAPS forecast system.