Changes in sea surface heights during the onset of an El Niño
| El Niño brings dynamic height of the sea surface relative to normal. Waters built up in the eastern tropical Pacific as the 1997-1998 El Niño began. In March 1997 there were no indications of an El Niño, however, by April 1997 the dynamic height of the ocean surface began to increase in the eastern tropical Pacific along with a warming of the waters. This increase continued into January 1998 when the intensity of the El Niño began to decrease. |
Credit: NOAA
For more info: http://podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/el_nino/