The purpose of this activity is for you to investigate what the current conditons are in the tropical pacific. You must determine if we are currently facing El Nino or La Nina conditions, or neither. Based on your determination, you must make a long term predicition for New York's weather for the next 4 months.


Before you start looking at the maps, you first need to understand the importance of an anomaly map.
What Is an Anomaly?

Your first step is to see what normal sea surface temperatures (SST) are like off the coast of America, and what normal anomalies are to be expected. (click on the picture to enlarge it)
Normal December SST and anomalies


Now you will compare normal conditions to those during and El Nino and La Nina event
El Nino SST and anomalies
La Nina SST and anomalies
El Nino-La Nina-Normal Conditions


Next you will see what the present SST and anomalies are
Present conditions

Based on your analysis of normal vs abormal conditions, you should now be able to make an inference as to what condition is currently affecting the tropical Pacific. You will now view the appropriate maps to make your longterm weather predictions for New York
Global Consequence of El Nino in the summer

Global Consequence of El Nino in the winter

QUESTIONS

1. Describe the current SST and anomalies.

2. Based on your answer above, what condition is currently affecting the tropical Pacific: El Nino, La Nina, or neither?

3. Based on your answer above, what is your long term weather prediction for New York?