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The 1982–83 climate anomaly in the equatorial Pacific

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Abstract

Disastrous climatic events, such as the Australian–Indonesian drought and the severe flooding in South America, which occurred in the equatorial Pacific in 1982/83 are part of a pattern which can be followed in unprecedented detail using satellite data. The evolution of wind, precipitation and surface temperature fields during this remarkable example of atmosphere–ocean interaction are described in this article. Models can relate the main features of the sea-surface temperature, sea level and surface current patterns to the winds, and relate wind to precipitation (atmospheric heating) patterns. The precipitation field shows a close relationship with surface temperature, but this is less well understood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Silver Street, Cambridge, CB3 9EW, UK

    A. E. Gill

  2. Climate Analysis Center, NMC/NWS/NOAA, Washington, DC, 20233, USA

    E. M. Rasmusson

Authors
  1. A. E. Gill
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  2. E. M. Rasmusson
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Gill, A., Rasmusson, E. The 1982–83 climate anomaly in the equatorial Pacific. Nature 306, 229–234 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/306229a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/306229a0

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