Tropical
Highlights - March 2016
Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) remained above-average across the central and eastern equatorial
Pacific during March 2016, although the magnitude of the anomalies has
decreased (Fig. T18,
Table T2). The latest monthly
Niņo indices were +1.6°C for the Niņo 3
region, +1.7°C
for the Niņo 3.4 region, and +0.9°C for the Niņo 1+2 region (Table
T2, Fig. T5). The depth of the oceanic thermocline
(measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm) remained above-average over the far
eastern equatorial Pacific (Figs. T15, T16), and
the corresponding sub-surface temperatures were 1-3°C above average (Fig. T17).
Meanwhile, negative subsurface temperature anomalies extended eastward across the
central and east-central equatorial Pacific during the month, which
significantly reduced the equatorial oceanic heat content in those regions.
Also
during March, the low-level westerly wind anomalies were slightly above-average
across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific while upper-level easterly
wind anomalies remained strong in the central equatorial Pacific (Table T1, Figs. T20, T21). Meanwhile,
enhanced convection persisted across the central and east-central equatorial
Pacific and suppressed convection was observed over Indonesia and western
equatorial Pacific (Figs. T25, E3).
Collectively, these oceanic and atmospheric anomalies reflect the continuation
of El Niņo.
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
www.nws.noaa.gov
