%0 Journal Article
%4 sid.inpe.br/iris@1905/2005/07.30.02.13
%2 sid.inpe.br/iris@1905/2005/07.30.02.13.25
%@issn 0899-8418
%F 10539
%T Rainfall extremes in some selected parts of Central and South America: ENSO and other relationships reexamined
%D 1999
%8 Mar.
%A Kane, Rajaram Purushottam,
%B International Journal of Climatology
%V 19
%N 4
%P 423-455
%K GEOFÍSICA ESPACIAL, northeast (Brazil)South AmericaTropical Atlantic Sector, sea surface temperature, rainfall, drought, El Nino, Southern Oscillation, ENSO, La Nina, indian monsoon rainfall, general-circulation model, El nino, snow cover, oscillation, precipitation.
%X Fl Ninos and anti-El Ninos (La Ninas) are known to be associated with rainfall extremes in several parts of the globe. However, not all El Ninos show good associations. Recently, a finer classification of Fl Nino events was attempted. It was noticed that Unambiguous ENSOW (El Nino-Southern Oscillation, Warm) events (years when El Nino existed, and the Tahiti minus Darwin pressure difference (T - D) minima and equatorial eastern Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) maxima occurred in the middle of the calendar year) were very well associated with droughts in India and southeast Australia (Tasmania). In addition, C (cold SST, La Nina) events showed reverse effects (excess rains) in these regions. In the present paper, rainfall in selected regions in Central and South America are examined. For the Southern Oscillation Core Region (low latitudes, 155 degrees W-167 degrees E) and for the Gulf-Mexico region, no finer classification was necessary. All El Ninos were associated with excess rains and all La Ninas with droughts. As in India and Tasmania, Unambiguous ENSOW years were associated with droughts in some parts of northeast Brazil (Ceara, Rio grande do Norte, Paraiba, Pernambuco) and excess rains in Chile and Peru. C events did not have good associations except in Chile and Peru, where droughts occurred. The effect of El Ninos showed some dependence on the month of commencement. In years when El Ninos showed no effect, considerable influence of other factors (e.g. Atlantic SST on northeast Brazil rainfall) was noticed. Thus, predictions based on El Nino alone are likely to be erroneous, a fact which should be noted by the mass media. Effects of the recent Fl Nino of 1997-1998 are discussed.
%3 1999_kane2.pdf