Tropical Highlights - August 2005

 

     The pattern of global tropical sea surface temperature (SST) during August 2005 featured near-average SSTs everywhere, except positive anomalies in the tropical North Atlantic. The warmth in the tropical North Atlantic has been a persistent feature during the last several months (Fig. T18, Table T2). The overall patterns of convection, SST, low-level winds and upper-level winds were near average over the central and eastern tropical Pacific during August (Figs. T18, T20, T21 and T25), which is consistent with ENSO-neutral conditions.

     The oceanic thermocline, measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm, featured near-average depth across the equatorial Pacific during August (Figs. T15, T16). Consistent with these conditions, oceanic temperatures at thermocline depth were near average throughout most of the equatorial Pacific (Fig. T17). The Tahiti - Darwin SOI (latest value -0.8, Table T1, Fig. T1) was negative, primarily in response to higher-than-average pressure over Darwin.

     Excessive precipitation was observed over the western tropical Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico/North Atlantic (Fig. T26, Fig. E3). The latter is consistent with the very active Atlantic hurricane season.