SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURE (SST)

La Niña has weakened for the third consecutive month, as reflected by increasing surface and subsurface ocean temperatures across the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Subsurface oceanic heat content anomalies became weakly positive in response to the continued eastward progression of a strong oceanic Kelvin wave, which has begun to shoal in the eastern Pacific. However, the basin wide extent of negative SST anomalies remained considerable throughout the month. La Niña impacts on the atmospheric circulation remained strong over the Pacific. Anomalous low-level easterly and upper-level westerly winds have persisted in this region. Collectively, these oceanic and atmospheric anomalies reflect a weakening La Niña, but with ongoing global impacts.

Graphics from NOAA's U.S. Climate Prediction Center