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Entire Pacific is out of whack
May 27, 1999
New sea surface height measurements from the TOPEX/Poseidon
satellite show that the sea level and temperature of the entire
Pacific is "out of balance," including a large area of abnormally
cool water along the west coast of North America that scientists
say will influence regional weather patterns along the west coast
of the Americas this summer. Southern California's seasonal
"June gloom" weather, caused by a marine layer that traps smog
over the Los Angeles basin, may linger throughout the summer as a
result, according to oceanographer Dr. William Patzert of JPL.
"Our data certainly show that the unusual oceanic climatic
conditions that gave rise to El Niño and La Niña are not
returning to a normal state." he said. "Our planet's climate
system continues to exhibit rather wild behavior. These large
warm and cold, high and low sea levels are slow-developing and
long-lasting, and will certainly influence global climate and
weather for the coming summer and into next fall." The unusually
cool water (areas of lower sea level shown in blue and purple)
extends from the Gulf of Alaska along the North American coast,
sweeping south-westward from Baja California, where it merges
with the remnants of La Niña. The La Niña phenomenon's cool,
lower sea levels across the equator continue to weaken and break
into (purple) patches. The northwest Pacific continues to be
warmer than normal, though the variations from normal are not as
great as in recent months. Areas where the Pacific Ocean is
"normal" appear in green. The data represented in the image were
collected from May 12-22.
TOPEX/Poseidon's sea-surface height measurements have provided
scientists with a detailed view of the 1998-99 La Niña and the
1997-98 El Niño because the satellite's altimeter measures the
changing sea-surface height with unprecedented precision. In
this image, the purple areas are about 18 centimeters (7 inches)
below normal, creating a deficit in the heat supply to the
surface waters. The white areas show the sea surface is between
14 and 32 centimeters (6 to 13 inches) above normal; in the red
areas, it's about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above normal.
For more information, please visit the TOPEX/Poseidon project
web page at
http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/
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