SSTs during an El Nino Year

 

  • During an El Nino year, the SSTs in the eastern pacific become warmer than normal
  • High surface pressure shifts from the eastern pacific to the western pacific
  • Low pressure shifts from the western Pacific to the eastern pacific.
  • This shift in surface pressure is called the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) ->
  • ENSO has a large impact on the precipitation distribution around the pacific basin