Tropical Highlights

  Table of Atmospheric Indices  (Table 1)

  Table of Oceanic Indices  (Table 2)

  Time Series

  Time-Longitude Sections

  Mean & Anomaly Fields

  Appendix 1: Outside Contributions

Tropical Highlights

JULY 2008

ENSO-neutral conditions continued during July 2008, as sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central equatorial Pacific Ocean remained near-average (Fig. T18).  The latest monthly SST index was +0.1°C in the Niño-3.4 region, and -0.3°C in the Niño-4 region (Table T2). Across the equatorial Pacific, a deeper than average thermocline (Fig. T16) and above average temperatures (+1°C to +3°C) at thermocline depth also reflected the ENSO neutral conditions (Fig. T17).

However, the atmospheric circulation continued to reflect some aspects of La Niña, with enhanced low-level easterly winds and upper-level westerly winds over the western and central tropical Pacific (Figs. T20, T21, Table T1). Also, convection remained suppressed throughout the central equatorial Pacific and enhanced over the eastern equatorial Pacific. The latter is related to very active tropical cyclone activities in this region during July (Figs. T25, E3).

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