Tropical
Highlights – June 2020
During June
2020, sea surface
temperatures (SSTs) were below-average in the east-central
and eastern equatorial Pacific (Fig. T18). The latest monthly Niño indices were -0.7°C for
the Niño 1+2 region, -0.4°C for the Niño 3.4 region and +0.2°C for the Niño 4 region (Fig. T5). The depth of the oceanic thermocline
(measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm) was below-average across much of
the equatorial Pacific (Figs. T15, T16). The
corresponding sub-surface temperatures were 1-5°C below-average across the eastern
and east-central equatorial Pacific (Fig.
T17).
Also during June, the lower-level wind
anomalies were easterly across much of the equatorial Pacific (Fig. T20).
The upper-level westerly winds were near-average across the central equatorial
Pacific (Fig. T21).
Meanwhile, tropical convection was suppressed across the western and central
equatorial Pacific, and was near average over Indonesia (Figs. T25, E3). Collectively, these oceanic and
atmospheric anomalies were consistent with ENSO-neutral 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