Tropical Highlights
AUGUST 2008
Forecast Forum
ENSO-neutral conditions continued
during August 2008, as sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central equatorial
Pacific
Ocean
remained
near-average (Fig.
T18). The
latest monthly SST index was +0.2°C in the Niño-3.4 region, and -0.3°C in the
Niño-4 region (Table T2).
The
positive sub-surface temperature anomalies at thermocline depth have weakened
across the equatorial Pacific during August (Fig. T17).
However,
the atmospheric circulation continued to reflect some aspects of La Niña, with
enhanced
low-level easterly winds and upper-level westerly winds over the western and central tropical Pacific
(Figs.
T20, T21, Table T1). Also, convection remained suppressed
throughout the central equatorial Pacific and enhanced over the western equatorial
Pacific (Figs.
T25, E3).
For
the latest status of the ENSO cycle see the ENSO Diagnostic Discussion at:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/index.html
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