diff --git a/scripts/exregional_make_ics.sh b/scripts/exregional_make_ics.sh
index ec0fee623..951477c93 100755
--- a/scripts/exregional_make_ics.sh
+++ b/scripts/exregional_make_ics.sh
@@ -658,8 +658,10 @@ mv_vrfy gfs.bndy.nc ${ics_dir}/gfs_bndy.tile${TILE_RGNL}.000.nc
 #
 if [ "${USE_FVCOM}" = "TRUE" ]; then
 
+#Format for fvcom_time: YYYY-MM-DDTHH:00:00.000000
   fvcom_exec_fn="fvcom_to_FV3"
   fvcom_exec_fp="$EXECDIR/${fvcom_exec_fn}"
+  fvcom_time="${DATE_FIRST_CYCL:0:4}-${DATE_FIRST_CYCL:4:2}-${DATE_FIRST_CYCL:6:2}T${CYCL_HRS[0]}:00:00.000000"
   if [ ! -f "${fvcom_exec_fp}" ]; then
     print_err_msg_exit "\
 The executable (fvcom_exec_fp) for processing FVCOM data onto FV3-LAM
@@ -680,13 +682,15 @@ Please check the following user defined variables:
 
   cp_vrfy ${fvcom_data_fp} ${ics_dir}/fvcom.nc
   cd_vrfy ${ics_dir}
-  ${APRUN} ${fvcom_exec_fn} sfc_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc fvcom.nc || \
+  ${APRUN} ${fvcom_exec_fn} sfc_data.tile${TILE_RGNL}.halo${NH0}.nc fvcom.nc ${FVCOM_WCSTART} ${fvcom_time}|| \
   print_err_msg_exit "\
 Call to executable (fvcom_exe) to modify sfc fields for FV3-LAM failed:
   fvcom_exe = \"${fvcom_exe}\"
 The following variables were being used:
   FVCOM_DIR = \"${FVCOM_DIR}\"
   FVCOM_FILE = \"${FVCOM_FILE}\"
+  fvcom_time = \"${fvcom_time}\"
+  FVCOM_WCSTART = \"${FVCOM_WCSTART}\"
   ics_dir = \"${ics_dir}\"
   fvcom_exe_dir = \"${fvcom_exe_dir}\"
   fvcom_exe = \"${fvcom_exe}\""
diff --git a/ush/config_defaults.sh b/ush/config_defaults.sh
index 35c744039..1ce86b9b1 100644
--- a/ush/config_defaults.sh
+++ b/ush/config_defaults.sh
@@ -1723,6 +1723,12 @@ HALO_BLEND="10"
 # FV3-LAM grid. This flag will be used in make_ics to modify sfc_data.nc
 # after chgres_cube is run by running the routine process_FVCOM.exe
 #
+# FVCOM_WCSTART:
+# Define if this is a "warm" start or a "cold" start. Setting this to 
+# "warm" will read in sfc_data.nc generated in a RESTART directory.
+# Setting this to "cold" will read in the sfc_data.nc generated from 
+# chgres_cube in the make_ics portion of the workflow.
+#
 # FVCOM_DIR:
 # User defined directory where FVCOM data already interpolated to FV3-LAM
 # grid is located. File name in this path should be "fvcom.nc" to allow
@@ -1735,6 +1741,7 @@ HALO_BLEND="10"
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 USE_FVCOM="FALSE"
+FVCOM_WCSTART="cold"
 FVCOM_DIR="/user/defined/dir/to/fvcom/data"
 FVCOM_FILE="fvcom.nc"
 #
diff --git a/ush/setup.sh b/ush/setup.sh
index 96b1ef071..a166fafcc 100755
--- a/ush/setup.sh
+++ b/ush/setup.sh
@@ -450,10 +450,13 @@ fi
 #
 # Make sure that USE_FVCOM is set to a valid value and assign directory
 # and file names.
+# 
+# Make sure that FVCOM_WCSTART is set to lowercase "warm" or "cold"
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
 check_var_valid_value "USE_FVCOM" "valid_vals_USE_FVCOM"
+check_var_valid_value "FVCOM_WCSTART" "valid_vals_FVCOM_WCSTART"
 #
 # Set USE_FVCOM to either "TRUE" or "FALSE" so we don't have to consider
 # other valid values later on.
@@ -466,6 +469,7 @@ elif [ "$USE_FVCOM" = "FALSE" ] || \
      [ "$USE_FVCOM" = "NO" ]; then
   USE_FVCOM="FALSE"
 fi
+FVCOM_WCSTART=$(echo_lowercase $FVCOM_WCSTART)
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
diff --git a/ush/valid_param_vals.sh b/ush/valid_param_vals.sh
index f42093fa6..1b3acf00a 100644
--- a/ush/valid_param_vals.sh
+++ b/ush/valid_param_vals.sh
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ valid_vals_DO_SPP=("TRUE" "true" "YES" "yes" "FALSE" "false" "NO" "no")
 valid_vals_DO_SKEB=("TRUE" "true" "YES" "yes" "FALSE" "false" "NO" "no")
 valid_vals_USE_ZMTNBLCK=("TRUE" "true" "YES" "yes" "FALSE" "false" "NO" "no")
 valid_vals_USE_FVCOM=("TRUE" "true" "YES" "yes" "FALSE" "false" "NO" "no")
+valid_vals_FVCOM_WCSTART=("warm" "WARM" "cold" "COLD")
 valid_vals_COMPILER=("intel" "gnu")
 valid_vals_SUB_HOURLY_POST=("TRUE" "true" "YES" "yes" "FALSE" "false" "NO" "no")
 valid_vals_DT_SUBHOURLY_POST_MNTS=("1" "01" "2" "02" "3" "03" "4" "04" "5" "05" "6" "06" "10" "12" "15" "20" "30")