February 5, 2009
NOAA unveils new El Niño, La Niña alert system
NOAA is unveiling a new El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Alert System today.
“The ENSO Alert System will succinctly inform industry, government agencies, academia and the public about the onset and status of La Niña and El Niño. This system will also help decision makers plan for the potential effects presented by these conditions.”
La Niña: cooler than normal sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean that impacts weather globally.
La Niño: the opposite of El Niña, or warmer than normal ocean temperatures.
These changes in ocean temperatures alter the tropical wind and rainfall patterns with far reaching implications.
Tropical Pacific Sea Surface Temperature
Weekly averaged sea surface temperatures for the past twelve weeks. (Credit: NOAA)
Tropical Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Animation
Weekly averaged sea surface temperatures anomalies for the past twelve weeks. (Credit: NOAA)
The new ENSO alert system includes La Niña and El Niño watches and advisories which the Climate Prediction Center will issue when specific conditions exist.
- * La Niña or El Niño Watch: conditions in the equatorial Pacific are favorable for the development of La Niña or El Niño conditions in the next three months.
- * La Niña or El Niño Advisory: La Niña or El Niño conditions have developed and are expected to continue.
As reported three days ago, NOAA has new El Niño, La Niña data. I don’t see the U.S.S. Ronald H. Brown being mentioned anywhere in the new data, but it is from the same area they were in.
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