Seasonal Update
The latest update from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Centre shows that sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean remain slightly above average. The positive anomalies that prompt formation of El Niño conditions weakened during September, then strengthened in October, and have remained weakly positive in November. Coupled with the most recent update from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which notes that the previous weak El Niño conditions have dissipated over the past three months, the analysis suggested that conditions will remain neutral through the Northern Hemisphere spring of 2013. This makes it unlikely that there will be an El Niño-related impact on the upcoming February to June rainy season. Note: an El Niño normally leads to normal- to above-normal rains over the eastern Horn of Africa, whereas La Niña conditions, which originate in below-normal water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, generally result in below-normal rainfall. For more information, contact: FAO-Ethiopia@fao.org
