AMSR-E Anomalous Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Data Used to predict 2003 Hurricane Season

  • Released Monday, June 23rd, 2003
  • Updated Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 at 1:57PM
  • ID: 2760

Researchers and forecasters often study sea surface temperatures to predict the upcoming year's tropical cyclone activity. This sequence tracks warmer-than-normal waters and colder-than-normal waters in the Pacific Ocean. In 2003, experts have predicted a 'normal to below normal' number of tropical cylones. Researchers say the Pacific may transition to the colder-than-normal La Niña phase. Fewer than normal hurricanes generally form when El Niño is present. 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. Blue indicates the colder-than-normal anomalous water. Red shows warmer-than-normal anomalous water.

Video slate image reads "AMSR-E Anomalous Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Data Used to Predict 2003 Hurricane Season".

Video slate image reads "AMSR-E Anomalous Pacific Sea Surface Temperature Data Used to Predict 2003 Hurricane Season".

For More Information

See http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2003/0529hurricane03.html

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Series

This visualization can be found in the following series:

Datasets used in this visualization

Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details, nor the data sets themselves on our site.