A numerical ocean general circulation model is used to investigate the early stages in the adjustment to equilibrium of an ocean initially at rest with imposed uniform meridional potential temperature gradients, which yield density gradients representative of those observed in the North Atlantic. The main feature of the adjustment during the early stages (the first year) is the formation and decay of a “subtropical” (warm core) and a “subpolar” (cold core) density gyre. The gyres are formed by the irreversible winding-up of the initially zonal isotherms by first baroclinic mode, coastally-trapped, dissipative Kelvin waves. This phase and the north–south asymmetry arising from the variation in viscous–diffusive Kelvin wave properties with latitude were discussed in Part I of this series. Within a month β-effects become significant, especially in the evolution of the southern gyre, which develops a distinct east–west asymmetry through western intensification and long planetary wave propagation of b... Abstract A numerical ocean general circulation model is used to investigate the early stages in the adjustment to equilibrium of an ocean initially at rest with imposed uniform meridional potential temperature gradients, which yield density gradients representative of those observed in the North Atlantic. The main feature of the adjustment during the early stages (the first year) is the formation and decay of a “subtropical” (warm core) and a “subpolar” (cold core) density gyre. The gyres are formed by the irreversible winding-up of the initially zonal isotherms by first baroclinic mode, coastally-trapped, dissipative Kelvin waves. This phase and the north–south asymmetry arising from the variation in viscous–diffusive Kelvin wave properties with latitude were discussed in Part I of this series. Within a month β-effects become significant, especially in the evolution of the southern gyre, which develops a distinct east–west asymmetry through western intensification and long planetary wave propagation of b...