El Niño intensifies from weak to moderate
El Niño conditions have strengthened in recent weeks, crossing the threshold from “weak” to “moderate”, according to data compiled by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. NOAA defines “moderate” El Niño conditions as existing when sea surface temperature (SST) departure from average in the equatorial Eastern Pacific (the area 5°N – 5°S, 120°W – 170°W, also called the “Niña 3.4 region”) warms above 1.0°C. According to the latest time-series plot of “Niña 3.4 region” SSTs (Figure 1), we crossed that threshold last week. Monthly average SSTs will have to remain above 1.0°C for five consecutive months in order for this to be considered a “moderate” El Niño event. The ongoing intensification of El Niño could have major impacts on this winter’s weather ………………. Read more on following link please.
Posted by: JeffMasters, 1:57 PM GMT on October 27, 2009 on Wunder Blog : Weather Underground http://bit.ly/4AeKC9
