Skip Navigation Links www.nws.noaa.gov 
NOAA logo - Click to go to the NOAA home page National Weather Service   NWS logo - Click to go to the NWS home page
Climate Prediction Center
 

Climate Diagnostics Bulletin
Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Home Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Forecast Climate Diagnostics Bulletin - Extratropics

 

  Tropical Highlights

  Table of Atmospheric Indices  (Table 1)

  Table of Oceanic Indices  (Table 2)

  Time Series

  Time-Longitude Sections

  Mean & Anomaly Fields

  Appendix 1: Outside Contributions

Tropical Highlights

JANUARY 2019

The pattern of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies

Tropical Highlights - January 2019

 

 

Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) remained above-average across the equatorial Pacific during January 2019 (Fig. T18, Table T2). The latest monthly Niņo indices were +0.5°C for the Niņo 1+2 region, +0.5°C for the Niņo 3.4 region and +0.7°C for the Niņo 4 region (Table T2, Fig. T5). The depth of the oceanic thermocline (measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm) was above-average across the central and much of the eastern equatorial Pacific (Figs. T15, T16), and the corresponding sub-surface temperatures were 1-3°C above average (Fig. T17).

 

Also during January, the lower-level easterly winds were weaker-than-average (indicated by westerly anomalies) across the equatorial Pacific (Table T1, Fig. T20), while the upper-level westerly winds anomalies were above-average over the eastern equatorial Pacific (Fig. T21). Meanwhile, tropical convection was near-average over Indonesia and enhanced over the central equatorial Pacific (Figs. T25, E3). Collectively, these oceanic and atmospheric anomalies reflect a transition to weak El Niņo conditions.

 

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


NOAA/ National Weather Service
NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction
Climate Prediction Center
5830 University Research Court
College Park, Maryland 20740
Page Author: Climate Prediction Center Internet Team
Page Last Modified: February 2019
Disclaimer
Information Quality
Credits
Glossary
Privacy Policy
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
About Us
Career Opportunities