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Science Do ya got your El Niño on?
Science Do ya got your El Niño on? | Do ya got your El Niño on? |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Thursday, 04 June 2009 | |
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Science DiscussionsThe National Climate Center, part of the Bureau of Meteorology, is issuing its latest ENSO, or El Niño-Southern Oscillation, report on Wednesday, June 3, 2009. The NCC, headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, is the service division of the Bureau of Meteorology. It is responsible for providing climate data services and climate monitoring services, along with the archiving of Australia’s climate records. The Australian website eFarming.com states in its article “An increased risk of El Niño in 2009” that patterns in the Pacific Ocean are forming that, if continued further into the year, could establish an El Nino by mid-winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Dr. David Jones, Head of Climate Analysis at the Bureau’s National Climate Centre, pointed out that: “This view is supported by several computer forecasts of El Niño, which have firmed in their predictions of an event in 2009.” [eFarming] The eFarming article continues to say, “The surface of the equatorial Pacific currently stands at around 0.5°C warmer than normal, while the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) dropped from +9 in April to −5 in May. During a typical El Niño event, central equatorial Pacific Ocean temperatures are at least 0.8°C warmer than normal for around four to six months during which time the SOI persists at values –7 or lower. The Pacific easterly Trade Winds were also suppressed in May.” You can look for updates for this potential El Nino condition at the Bureau’s website: www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso. Page two continues. |
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