Pacific ENSO Update

1st Quarter, 2009 Vol. 15 No. 1

SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE (SST)

From September 2008 – January 2009, negative sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies strengthened and became more widespread in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific as La Niña conditions redeveloped. During the last 4-weeks, SSTs were at least 0.5°C below- average throughout the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, and more than 1°C below-average between 170°W and 110°W. According to the U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC), the latest weekly SST departures are -0.8ºC in Niño 4, -1.1ºC in Niño 3.4, - 0.9ºC in Niño 3, and -0.6ºC in Niño1+2. Positive SST anomalies covered much of the North Atlantic and west-central South Pacific Oceans, while negative anomalies were evident in a region extending from the west coast of North America to the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea.

 

Graphic from NOAA's U.S. Climate Prediction Center