Tropical
Highlights - September 2019
During
September 2019, sea surface temperatures (SSTs) were below-average in
the eastern equatorial Pacific and above-average in
the western equatorial Pacific (Fig. T18, Table T2). The latest
monthly
Niņo indices were -0.8°C for the Niņo 1+2
region, -0.02°C
for the Niņo 3.4 region and +0.6°C for the Niņo 4 region (Table T2,
Fig. T5). The depth
of the oceanic thermocline (measured by the depth of the 20°C isotherm) was above-average
in the western equatorial Pacific and below-average in the eastern equatorial
Pacific (Figs. T15, T16).
The corresponding sub-surface
temperatures were 0-2°C above average in the western equatorial Pacific, and 1-3°C
below average in the eastern equatorial Pacific (Fig. T17).
Also during September, the
lower-level easterly winds were weaker-than-average (indicated by westerly
anomalies) across the equatorial Pacific (Table
T1, Fig. T20). The
upper-level wind anomalies were easterly over much of the equatorial Pacific (Table T1, Fig. T21). Meanwhile,
tropical convection was suppressed over Indonesia as well as across the tropical
Pacific (Figs. T25,
E3). Collectively, these oceanic
and atmospheric anomalies reflected 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
www.nws.noaa.gov
