Sea surface temperature (SST)
anomalies continued to increase across the equatorial
during June 2009(Fig. T18).
The latest monthly SST index was +0.6°C in the Niņo-3.4 region, and +0.7°C
in the Niņo-1+2 region (Table T2,
The oceanic thermocline along
the equator, measured by the depth of the 20°C
isotherm, remained deeper than average across the equatorial
during June (Figs. T15, T16).
Consistent with these conditions, temperatures were 1o-3oC
above average at thermocline depth across the equatorial Pacific (Fig. T17).
during June, the low-level equatorial easterly winds (Fig. T20, Table
T1) were weaker than average across the central
and eastern equatorial
, and convection became
increasingly suppressed over
This coupling of the oceanic and atmospheric anomalies indicates the development
of El Niņo.
the latest status of the ENSO cycle see the ENSO Diagnostic Discussion at: