- Introduction
- Marine climate
- Sea surface temperature
- Sea surface salinity
- Vertical structure
- Ocean currents
- Regional processes
- Tides
- Surface waves
- Conversion factors
- On-line references
- Authors
- Copyright
Marine climate of the central Pacific
Northeasterly trade winds dominate over the Hawaiian islands chain and further south, while westerlies are found further north. This circulation follows the North Pacific anticyclone, which shifts northward in summer, when trade winds intensify and reach on average 35 N, and southward in winter, when westerlies extend as far south as 28 N
SUMMER |
WINTER |
Plate 1. Average surface pressure in the Central Pacific for Summer (left, June to August) and Winter (right, December to February). Period: 1946-1993. Source: Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set, Environmental Research Laboratory, NOAA. Units: mbar.
SUMMER |
WINTER |
Plate 2. Average surface winds in the Central Pacific for Summer (left, June to
August) and Winter (right, December to February). Period:
1946-1993. Source: Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set,
Environmental Research Laboratory, NOAA.
Units: m/s (10 m/s = 22
mph).
The annual average trade wind speed is 6 m/s (13.5 mph) at 20 N. Evaporation exceeds precipitation between 15 N and 36 N (except near the islands); further south and north, precipitation exceeds evaporation. There is a net cooling of the ocean by the atmosphere over the entire region.
RAJOUTER HAWAIIAN ISLAND PLATE
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