Tropical
Highlights - December 2014
During December
2014, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were above-average across the equatorial Pacific, although
the positive SST anomalies decreased over the central and eastern equatorial
Pacific (Fig. T18,
Table T2). The latest
monthly
Niņo indices were +0.8°C for the Niņo 3.4 region
and +0.1°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) was above-average over the eastern equatorial
Pacific (Figs. T15, T16),
and the corresponding sub-surface temperatures were 1-4°C above average in that
region (Fig. T17).
Also
during December, the low-level easterly trade winds remained near-average across
much of the equatorial Pacific (Table T1, Fig. T20). Meanwhile,
tropical convection remained enhanced over Indonesia and suppressed near the
Date Line (Figs. T25,
E3). Collectively, these oceanic
and atmospheric anomalies reflect a continuation of 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
www.nws.noaa.gov
