This post illustrates the recent drop in the SST anomalies of the U.S. coastal waters. We’ll represent this subset with the coordinates of 20N-50N, 130W-65W. I’ve used those coordinates in at least one earlier post about the SST Anomalies of U.S. “Coastal” Waters. Figure 1 is the December 2010 Reynolds OI.v2 SST anomaly map with those coordinates highlighted. The cooling appears to be an exaggerated response to the 2010/11 La Niña.
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Figure 1
Figure 2 is the Reynolds OI.v2-based time-series graph for this subset. After the two-month flattening in September and October 2010, at approximately -0.24 deg C, the SST anomalies dropped more than 0.65 deg C by January 2011. The January 2011 reading for the U.S. Coast Waters is the lowest on record for the satellite-based Reynolds Oi.v2 SST dataset.
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Figure 2
Note: This is not a post about global sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, nor is it a post about the SST anomalies of the individual ocean basins. For those refer to the January 2011 SST Anomaly Update.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 show the long-term SST anomalies for the U.S. Coastal Waters using the HADISST, ERSST.v3b, and HADSST2 datasets. They provide a different perspective on the magnitude of the recent drop. For the HADISST and ERSST.v3b datasets, one has to go back to the April 1971 to find similar SST anomalies, and back to July 1933 with HADSST2 data.
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Figure 3
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Figure 4
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Figure 5
The weekly data for this subset, Figure 6, show that the SST anomalies are rebounding. I’ll add this dataset to the monthly update for a few months to assure it rebounds fully.
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Figure 6
SOURCE
The map and all data presented in this post are available through the KNMI Climate Explorer:http://climexp.knmi.nl/selectfield_obs.cgi?someone@somewhere
Smokey, that picture reference is fantastic. Definitely getting filed away in the off-chance I ever need it to be a know-it-all.
Thank you for sharing.
Agreed but what might cause the response to be ‘exaggerated’ rather than ‘normal’?
The expellation of extraodinary amounts of gorebalish gaseous emissions. Exaggerates everything.
“Bob Tisdale says:
February 24, 2011 at 6:41 am
Stephen Wilde: Why don’t you and I agree that we will continue to disagree?”
I’m content with that.
I’m also happy to discuss things with you as long as you don’t just allege that nothing I say has any value because the data I use does not meet your exacting requirements.
The latest SST’s show warmer water beginning to upwell in the Eastern Pacific off of S. America.
Is this to be expected as the La Nina waxes and wanes over a multi-year period, or does this signal the end of La Nina is near?
Anthony: As always, thanks.
rbateman says: “The latest SST’s show warmer water beginning to upwell in the Eastern Pacific off of S. America.
“Is this to be expected as the La Nina waxes and wanes over a multi-year period, or does this signal the end of La Nina is near?”
The 2010/11 La Nina is ebbing.
http://bobtisdale.blogspot.com/2011/02/nino34-sst-anomalies-have-started-their.html
It’s tough to say whether or not the small “warm cell” near the Galapagos is a symptom/precursor of that.