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HOME > Expert Assessments > Climate Diagnostics Bulletin > Tropical Highlights
 

Tropical Highlights - September 2006

 

The pattern of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies during September 2006 featured warmer than average temperature across the central and eastern Pacific (Fig. T18).  Accordingly, the SST anomalies in the Niņo 4, Niņo 3.4  and Niņo 1+2  regions remained positive (latest values of 0.9, 0.7 and 0.9, respectively) (Table T2). Meanwhile, for the fifth month in a row, the Tahiti – Darwin SOI is negative (latest value: -0.7), primarily in response to higher than average pressure over Darwin (Table T1, Figs. T1, T19).

The oceanic thermocline, measured by the depth of the 20ēC isotherm along the equator, featured above average depth across the equatorial Pacific during September (Figs. T15, T16).  Consistent with these conditions, equatorial oceanic temperatures at thermocline depth were 2-3ēC above average throughout most of the Pacific (Fig. T17).

During September 2006, low-level westerly (easterly) anomalies (more than 3.0 m s-1) were observed over the western equatorial Pacific (eastern Indian Ocean ) (Fig. T20).  Suppressed convection (below-average rainfall amounts) was observed over Central America and across eastern Indian Ocean and Indonesia , while enhanced convection (above-average rainfall amounts) was seen over the western equatorial Pacific and western Indian Ocean (Figs. T25, T26 and E3).

 


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