28 February 2007
ENSO and Sea Surface Temperatures
SOI near zero
Equatorial SST anomalies are near zero
The equatorial Pacific is in a neutral state. Equatorial SST anomalies are near zero, but continue slightly positive in the far west.
The monthly and seasonal SOI values are near zero. The NINO3 SST anomaly for March was about +0.2°C and NINO4 about +0.3°C (January to March are +0.3°C and +0.6°C, respectively). A Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) event induced westerly wind anomalies in the western Pacific from mid-March but the trade winds are otherwise near normal. The next few months are critical for monitoring the ENSO situation. Most global climate models indicate neutral conditions into mid-2004, with generally positive SST anomalies.