El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

Science Background

• What happens during an "El Niño/La Niña" cycle? Example: A 3-D animation of the tropical Pacific ocean during a simulated ENSO cycle.
• Annual Cycle: what is normal for the atmosphere and ocean?

Current Conditions

• What is the current state of El Niño/La Niña?
  • Latest SST Animation.
  • Most recent ENSO index time-series plot.
  • Latest Tropical Pacific SST time-longitude crossection.
• Current climate maps.
• Current projection of SST onto ENSO optimal structure.

Climate Associations

• Climate: What have been historical climate relationships to ENSO? Compare the climate of El Niño and La Niña.
• Individual weather systems as affected by ENSO.
• Differences between recent El Niño and La Niña events.

Historical ENSO

• What years are ENSO years?
  
• Long-term ENSO time-series.
• SST Animations during past events.

Current CDC Research Topics

• Influence of ENSO on medium range forecasts.
• MEI (Multivariate ENSO Index).
• Linearity of the ENSO Signal.
• ENSO SST predictions from Linear Inverse Modeling.
• CDC ENSO publications.
• CDC research topics.

Forecasts

• Forecasts and advisories, including CDC's linear inverse modeling and CCA ENSO forecast.

Other Information

• FAQ
• Educational resources for teachers and the interested public.
• Other ENSO Web Pages.
• glossary of terms.