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HOME > Expert Assessments > Climate Diagnostics Bulletin > Tropical Highlights
 

Tropical Highlights - August 2006

 

The pattern of tropical sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies during August 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 0.8, 0.5 and 0.8, respectively)(Table T2). Meanwhile, the Tahiti – Darwin SOI is negative (latest value: -1.6), 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 August (Figs. T15, T16).  Consistent with these conditions, equatorial oceanic temperatures at thermocline depth were 1-2ēC above average throughout most of the Pacific (Fig. T17).

During August, 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 across eastern Indian Ocean and Indonesia , while enhanced convection (above-average rainfall amounts) was seen over the western equatorial Pacific and southern Pakistan/western India , where severe flooding occurred during August (Figs. T25, T26 and E3).

 


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