The influence of horizontal mixing on the thermal structure of the equatorial Pacific Ocean is examined based on a sigma coordinate model. In general, the distributions of the temperature and currents simulated by the sigma coordinate model are very close to the climatology. However, the simulated thermocline along the equator is slightly diffusive so that there is a cold bias above the main thermocline, while there is a warm bias under the main thermocline. Both horizontal diffusivity and viscosity have important effects on the upper thermal structure in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, while their detailed dynamics are different. Horizontal diffusivity affects the thermal structure in the upper ocean mainly through regulating the vertical diffusivity, while the horizontal viscosity does mainly through regulating directly the circulate system. A large horizontal diffusivity or a small horizontal viscosity can be in favor of simulating a more realistically thermal structure in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The influence of horizontal mixing on the thermal structure of the equatorial Pacific Ocean is examined based on a sigma coordinate model. In general, the distributions of the temperature and currents simulated by the sigma coordinate model are very close to the climatology. thermocline along the equator is slightly diffusive so that there is a cold bias above the main thermocline, while there is a warm bias under the main thermocline. Their detailed dynamics are different. Horizontal diffusivity affects the thermal structure in the upper ocean mainly through regulating the vertical diffusivity, while the horizontal viscosity does mainly through regulating directly the circulate system. A large horizontal diffusivity or a small horizontal viscosity can be in favor of simulating a more realistically thermal structure in the equator ial Pacific Ocean.