Synopsis:
El Niño conditions have
developed and are likely to continue into early 2007.
By early September equatorial
SST anomalies greater than +0.5ºC were observed in most of the
equatorial Pacific, with anomalies exceeding +1.0ºC
in the central Pacific between 165ºE and 170ºW (Fig. 1). The
latest SST departures in the Niño regions are all greater than +0.5 (Fig.
2). Beginning in February the
basin-wide upper ocean heat content increased, and since early April positive
anomalies have been observed (Fig. 3). Since early July
weaker-than-average low-level equatorial easterly winds have been observed
across most of the equatorial Pacific. In August the
Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) was negative for the fourth consecutive month. Collectively,
these oceanic and atmospheric anomalies are consistent with developing warm
episode (El Niño) conditions in the
tropical Pacific.
Over the past several months most of the statistical and coupled model
forecasts have trended towards warmer conditions in the tropical Pacific
through the Northern Hemisphere winter. The latest NCEP coupled
forecast system (CFS) predictions indicate El Niño conditions for the
remainder of 2006 and into the NH spring 2007 (Fig. 4). More than half
of the other statistical and coupled model predictions are also favoring El
Niño conditions during the same period. The recent conditions (weaker-than-average easterly winds over the central
equatorial Pacific) and warming trends in observed oceanic conditions support
these predictions.
Some impacts from the developing El Niño
are already evident in the pattern of tropical precipitation. During the last
30 days drier-than-average conditions have been observed across all of Indonesia, Malaysia
and most of the Philippines, which are usually the first areas to experience ENSO-related impacts. This
dryness can be expected to continue, on average, for the remainder of 2006.
Typical El Niño effects are likely to develop over
North America during the upcoming winter season. Those include warmer-than-average
temperatures over western and central Canada, and over the western and northern United States. Wetter-than-average conditions
are likely over portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida, while drier-than-average conditions can be expected in the
Ohio Valley, the Pacific Northwest, and most of the U.S.-affiliated islands in the north tropical
Pacific.
This discussion is a consolidated effort of NOAA and its funded institutions.
Oceanic and atmospheric conditions
are updated weekly on the Climate
Prediction Center website
(El Niño/La Niña
Current Conditions and Expert Discussions). Forecasts for the evolution of El Niño/La Niña are updated monthly in the
Forecast Forum section of CPC's Climate
Diagnostics Bulletin. The next ENSO Diagnostics Discussion is scheduled for
5 October
2006. To receive
an e-mail notification when the monthly ENSO Diagnostic Discussions are released, please send an e-mail
message: ncep.list.enso-update@noaa.gov.
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