Sea-Surface Temperature Anomalies: El Niño
OceansPhysical EnvironmentA composite of sea-surface temperature anomalies during El Niño from November to March during the following years: 1958, 1966, 1973, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1996, and 1998. When sea-surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise well above normal, it is known as an El Niño event.
NOAASea-surface temperature anomalies during El Niño. The most intense warming (2 to 2.25 degrees Celsius, dark brown) occurs off the coast of South America. Cooler areas (negative 2.25 to negative 2 degrees Celsius, dark blue) are in the Arctic Ocean.
-0.25 to 0.25 | 0.75 to 1.0 | 1.0 to 1.25 | 1.25 to 1.5 | 1.5 to 1.75 | Class | Rank | Metric tons per year | Rural Ethnic European Settlements | Lightning Frequency | <0.1 flashes/km²/year | 0.1 flashes/km²/year | 0.2 flashes/km²/year | 0.4 flashes/km²/year | 0.6 flashes/km²/year | 0.8 flashes/km²/year | 1 flash/km²/year | 2 flashes/km²/year | 4 flashes/km²/year | 6 flashes/km²/year | 8 flashes/km²/year | 10 flashes/km²/year | 20 flashes/km²/year | 30 flashes/km²/year | Class | Rank | Percent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.311% | 1.20% | 0.159% | 0.444% | 2.10% | 4.571428571428571 | 24.4% | 16.4% | 8.63% | 6.27% | 9.50% | 4.67% | 3.58% | 14.1% | 25.7% | 10.1% | 11.3% | 14.8% | 42.6% | 30.6% | 47.1% | |||||||