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

OCTOBER 2008

ENSO-neutral conditions continued during October 2008, as sea surface temperatures (SSTs) remained near-average over much of the equatorial Pacific Ocean . However, SSTs remained below average in the east-central Pacific and off the west coast of South America (Fig. T18).  The latest monthly SST index was -0.3°C in the Niño-3.4 region, and -0.1°C in the Niño-4 region (Table T2).

The oceanic thermocline along the equator, measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm, featured shallower-than-average depths in the east-central Pacific during October (Figs. T15, T16). Consistent with this pattern, subsurface temperatures in the region were 1-3^oC below average at thermocline depth (Fig. T17).

Enhanced low-level easterly winds and upper-level westerly winds were again present across the western equatorial Pacific (Figs. T20, T21). These conditions continued to be associated with suppressed convection over the central equatorial Pacific (Fig. T25).

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