Tropical Highlights – March 2014

 

 

 During March 2014, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were below-average across the eastern equatorial Pacific and above-average over the central equatorial Pacific (Fig. T18, Table T2). The latest monthly Niño indices were -0.2°C for the Niño 3.4 region and -0.8°C for the Niño 1+2 region (Table T2, Fig. T5).

However, a downwelling oceanic Kelvin wave has produced a significant sub-surface warming across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific during March and consistent with these conditions, the depth of the oceanic thermocline (measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm) were above-average across the eastern equatorial Pacific (Figs. T15, T16).

Also during March, the low-level easterly trade winds remained below-average across the equatorial Pacific (Table T1, Fig. T20). Meanwhile, tropical convection remained enhanced over the central equatorial Pacific and suppressed across Indonesia and western equatorial Pacific (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