[Coral-List] El Nino is Strengthening

[Mark Eakin]

NOAA ISSUES UNSCHEDULED EL NIÑO ADVISORY
Scientists at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center reported that El  
Niño conditions have developed in the tropical Pacific and are likely  
to continue into early 2007. Ocean temperatures increased remarkably  
in the equatorial Pacific during the last two weeks. "Currently, weak  
El Niño conditions exist, but there is a potential for this event to  
strengthen into a moderate event by winter," said Vernon Kousky,  
NOAA's lead El Niño forecaster. Also, the development of weak El Niño  
conditions helps explain why this Atlantic hurricane season has been  
less active than was previously expected. El Niño typically acts to  
suppress hurricane activity by increasing the vertical wind shear  
over the Caribbean Sea region. However, at this time the El Niño  
impacts on Atlantic hurricanes are small. "We are still in the peak  
months of the Atlantic hurricane season, and conditions remain  
generally conducive for hurricane formation," said Gerry Bell, NOAA's  
lead seasonal hurricane forecaster.

For more information see:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2699.htm
and
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/

y en espanol:
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ 
enso_advisory/translate.html

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------------------------
C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D.
Coordinator, NOAA Coral Reef Watch
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Center for Satellite Applications and Research
Satellite Oceanography & Climate Division
e-mail: mark.eakin at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

E/RA31, SSMC1, Room 5308
1335 East West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3226
301-713-2857 x109                   Fax: 301-713-3136