Change in Equatorial Pacific Temperature Anomaly from Previous Month

This figure is a longitude-depth section of the difference of oceanic potential temperature monthly anomalies from one month to the next along the equatorial Pacific thermocline.

This longitude-depth section extends from 121°E to 79°W, and from the ocean surface to a depth of 500 meters. The GODAS potential temperature monthly anomalies are calculated with respect to the 1991-2020 climatology, and are averaged from 5°S to 5°N. The month-to-month differences in the monthly anomalies are calculated as the anomaly from the later month minus the anomaly from the previous month. Contours begin at +/- 0.5°C and are drawn at an interval of 0.5°C. Yellow to red colors represent an increase in potential temperature anomalies from one month to the next, and shades of blue represent negative month-to-month changes in the anomalies. The thick black line indicates the climatological position of the 20°C isotherm, often used as an indicator of the location of the thermocline.

Dataset Documentation

Change in Equatorial Pacific Temperature Anomaly from Previous Month

Data

NCEP Global Ocean Data Assimilation System (GODAS) monthly potential temperature on a 1.0° lon x 1/3° lat grid with vertical grid points at 5, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105, 115, 125, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 195, 205, 215, 225, 238, 262, 303, 366, and 459 meters below the surface

Data Source

National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) (GODAS)

Analysis

Longitude-depth section of the month-to-month difference in GODAS monthly potential temperature anomalies across the equatorial Pacific Ocean, calculated with respect to the 1991-2020 monthly climatology, from the surface to a depth of 500 meters, and spanning the Pacific from 121°E to 79°W

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