+ Visit NASA.gov + Advanced Search   + About the Server   + Animation List   + How to Use the Server Previous Animation Next Animation AMSR_E Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Data Used to Forecast 2003 Hurricane Season Researchers and forecasters often study sea surface temperatures for an activity predictions for 2003 in part to changing conditions in the Pacific Ocean, such as the demise of El Nino. This sequence traces the evolution of the warmer-than-normal waters associated with the weak El Nino that developed in the late fall of 2002. By January, the warm conditions began to dissipate. Fewer than normal hurricanes generally form when El Nino is present. Researchers say the Pacific may transition to the colder-than-normal La Nina phase. Areas in red represent warmer than normal and areas in blue represent cooler than normal.    This animation show a year in the life of global ocean temperatures, June 2, 2002 to May 11, 2003. Green indicates the coolest water, yellow the warmest. Duration: 11.0 seconds Available formats:   640x480 (30 fps) MPEG-1   6 MB   320x240 (30 fps) MPEG-1   1 MB   160x80       PNG           23 KB   320x240     JPEG         14 KB   160x80       PNG           23 KB   320x240     JPEG         14 KB   80x40         PNG           6 KB   720x480 (29.97 fps) MPEG-2   9 MB   720x480 (29.97 fps) DV           44 MB How to play our movies    None Available formats:   720 x 528         JPEG 141 KB   320 x 234         PNG 370 KB Animation Number: 2753 Animator: Lori Perkins (Lead) Studio: SVS Completed: 2003-05-20 Scientist: David Adamec (NASA/GSFC) Instrument: Aqua/AMSR-E Data Collected: 06/02/2003 - 05/11/2003 Series: El Niño and La Niña Video: SVS2003-0006 * Goddard TV Tape: G2003-036 Keywords: DLESE >> Atmospheric science DLESE >> Climatology SVS >> El Nino SVS >> Hurricane DLESE >> Natural hazards DLESE >> Physical oceanography SVS >> Hurricane Forecasting More Information on this topic available at: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2003/0529hurricane03.html     Please give credit for this item to NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio *Please note: the SVS does not fulfill requests for copies of the tapes in our library. On some of our animation pages, there is a direct link to a video distribution service from which tapes, handled by the Public Affairs Office (PAO)/Goddard TV, including some of our animations may be ordered. General information on this service can be found here. Back to Top + Privacy Policy and Important Notices + Reproduction Guidelines NASA Official: SVS Contact: Curator: