This study examines the influence of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) on the distribution and evolution of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) using HYCOM model output spanning 1994–2023. The intensity of the YSWC is quantified by the volume transport below 50 m across 34°N (122°E–125°E), while the thermal state of the YSCWM is represented by the mean temperature below 50 m. Correlation analysis between monthly volume transport and the thermal state of the YSCWM indicates that the May transport holds the strongest predictive link, exhibiting a markedly higher correlation with subsequent summer temperatures than any other month.,Based on this result, we perform a composite analysis of temperature fields according to the May volume transport. In years characterized by large May transport, temperatures are elevated across most of the lower Yellow Sea, except for the region north of the Shandong Peninsula, relative to years with small transport. Under high May transport conditions, YSCWM characteristics disappear in the western area south of the Shandong Peninsula after August. Our results demonstrate that warming associated with enhanced May transport persists until October and accelerates the seasonal decay of the YSCWM during summer. Together, these findings highlight the critical role of the spring YSWC, particularly its intensity in May, in governing the seasonal evolution of the YSCWM.