Dear Dr Aguiar,

Both referees have now seen your revised manuscript. Referee #1 is satisfied with your changes and only has two minor remarks:

1. Since it could take thousands of years to reach equilibrium conditions, even after twelve years adjustment could be in progress. I don’t think “a one year spin-up procedure” would lead to equilibrium conditions. The weakening of vertical stratification that induces polynya could be a part of adjustment. There is nothing the authors can do concerning the adjustment, but I don’t think ignoring it is not a proper interpretation.
- Please consider adding this idea to your manuscript

2. Lines 9-12 I am not sure what the authors are trying to convey. Are you trying to say that even in data assimilated products the error is not fixed?
- I think he means pag. 1

Reviewer #2 (C. Heuze) has some more comments. Please consider hem carefully. Especially her suggestion to add vertical bars or some other marker to time series plots in order to make the events you discuss better visible might increase readability of the paper. Her report is attached.

I am looking forward to receiving a revised manuscript that I can accept for final publication.

With kind regards,
Andreas Sterl

Dear Dr Aguiar,

Congratulations! After your numerous changes and clarifications you paper is accepted.

Reading through your changes I spotted two minor language errors:

p 8, l 16/17: increase sharply in 10% during : in -> by
p 8, l 24: declines in total 5.5% -> declines in total by 5.5%

I think that it is sufficient if you correct them at a suitable moment in the copy-editing process.

With kind regards,
Andreas Sterl

Dear Dr Aguiar,

It was noted by the copy editor that you you made some changes to the manuscript during the proof-reading process that might go beyond purely grammatical or lay-out adjustment. I had a look at these changes, and to my judgement they are "harmless" in the sense that they do not alter the contents or the conclusions of the paper.

However, in order to keep the editorial process transparent, it is necessary to formally re-submit the paper including the changes for formal approval. Note that all versions, along with review reports and my decisions, will be made public, so that everyone can control the process.

With kind regards,
Andreas Sterl

Dear Dr Aguiar,
Thank you very much for the revised manuscript. The changes improve the paper without changing its conclusions.
Looking forward to see your paper published,
Andreas Sterl