P aper 3 



^lifiust - Except for a small patch off northern Californiax the 

 entire ENP north of 35N was anomalously cold/' up to -3.5C in 

 spots near 4 5''Jr 175W. SST*s increased during the month* but at 

 below normal rates. A bana of slightly (0C-1C) warmer than 

 normal water persisted across the ETP from 25N to 35N except near 

 baja California where upwelling increased due to northwesterly 

 winds. 



Sea level pressures were near normal in pattern but with a 

 slightly stronger gradient* resulting in above normal westerly 

 w i nds north of 40N. 



The equatorial band of warm SST anomalies reached +4.5C and 

 extended south along the coast to below Pisco* Peru. The 

 subtropical high pressure center was displaced* and the southeast 

 trades were interrupted by passinrj storms. Toward the end of the 

 month the normal high pressure pattern became reestablished. 



Six tropical depressions formed in the area from ION to 15N and 

 10CW to 120W where SST's were above 29C. Two of these developed 

 into hurricanes which moved through the fishing grounds south of 

 the R ev i 1 1 agi gedo Islands. Southwest of the storms' paths winds 

 and seas were unusually lioht where the southeast trade winds 

 were interrupted* and tuna fishing was exceptionally good. The 

 heavy cloud cover associated with the storms created small areas 

 of negative SST anomaly. 



Segtember - Sea surface temperatures in the ENP decreased 

 seasonally by 0.5C to 1.7C over most of the Gulf of Alaska and 

 down the west coast to southern California. Small increases 

 occurred over a large area between baja California and Hawaii. 

 The anomalously cold area spread southward to 33N* but a patch of 

 + 1C anomaly appeared at 23N'* 125W. Sea level pressures were up 

 to 8 mb below normal with a stronc Aleutian low pressure system 

 and strong westerly winds. 



In the ETP the area of warm anomaly increased greatly* centered 

 on about bS and extending from offshore of Ecuador and Peru to 

 150W. Although the low level atmospheric circulation returned to 

 normal early in the month and the southeast trade winds became 

 reestablished* a succession of low pressure centers moved across 

 the southeast Pacific at lower latitudes than usual later in the 

 month and again disrupted the normal wind flow along the coast 

 from the equator to 15S- There was only a very small area of 

 upwelling immediately offshore of Guayaquil and some south of 

 Pisco. 



Four tropical storms formed over the waters warmer than 29C south 

 of Nexico ana moved northwestward* one doing considerable damage 

 in southern California. 



40 



