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Journal Article

Forecasting the El Niño type well before the spring predictability barrier

Authors
/persons/resource/Josef.Ludescher

Ludescher,  Josef
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

Bunde,  Armin
External Organizations;

/persons/resource/emdir

Schellnhuber,  Hans Joachim
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research;

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29183oa.pdf
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Citation

Ludescher, J., Bunde, A., Schellnhuber, H. J. (2023): Forecasting the El Niño type well before the spring predictability barrier. - npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 6, 196.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-023-00519-8


Cite as: https://publications.pik-potsdam.de/pubman/item/item_29183
Abstract
El Niño events represent anomalous episodic warmings, which can peak in the equatorial Central Pacific (CP events) or Eastern Pacific (EP events). The type of an El Niño (CP or EP) has a major influence on its impact and can even lead to either dry or wet conditions in the same areas on the globe. Here we show that the difference of the sea surface temperature anomalies between the equatorial western and central Pacific in December enables an early forecast of the type of an upcoming El Niño (p-value < 10−3). Combined with a previously introduced climate network-based approach that allows to forecast the onset of an El Niño event, both the onset and type of an upcoming El Niño can be efficiently forecasted. The lead time is about 1 year and should allow early mitigation measures. In December 2022, the combined approach forecasted the onset of an EP event in 2023.