Examples of Extreme Combinations of ENSO, PNA, and NAO Phases
Tables From (Hagemeyer, 2005)

ENSO, PNA and NAO Scenarios  
PNA (-) PNA (0) PNA (+)
El Nino NOV 1965 MAR 1958 FEB 1998 / FEB 1983 NAO (-)
NOV 1972    JAN 1973 MAR 1983 NAO (0)
DEC 1965 (weak) DEC 1982 JAN 1983 (weak) NAO (+)
Neutral MAR 1965 MAR 1962 / APR 97 FEB 1978 NAO (-)
MAR 2002 FEB 1961   /   FEB 1972 JAN 1981  /  APR 1984 NAO (0)
APR 2002 / JAN 1952 NOV1978 MAR 1986 NAO (+)
La Nina NOV1973   FEB 1968 NAO (-)
FEB 1974  /   JAN 1976   NAO (0)
FEB 1989 FEB 2000   NAO (+)
  PNA (-) PNA (0) PNA (+)  

Table 1. Matrix of 27 possible combinations of PNA, NAO, and ENSO phase. Months illustrative of extreme and neutral cases are given for each combination observed in the historical record. Combinations with no strong cases on the scale of months are shaded and left empty.


Theoretical Maxima/Actual Cases  
PNA (-) PNA (0) PNA (+)  
El Nino 14 9 16 17 17 18 NAO (-)
12   14 6 16 16 NAO (0)
10   12 8 13 6 NAO (+)
Neutral 6 7 8 9 10 8 NAO (-)
5 5 6 4 8 13 NAO (0)
2 1 4 5 6 9 NAO (+)
La Nina 2 5 4 6 5   NAO (-)
0   2 3 4   NAO (0)
0 1 0 4 1   NAO (+)
  PNA (-) PNA (0) PNA (+)  

Table 4. Comparison of forecasts of dry season storminess using Equation 1 for extreme combinations of seasonal ENSO, PNA, and NAO from the historical record (red numbers) versus actual observed scenarios (blue numbers).

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 Page last modified July 24, 2005
 by Bart Hagemeyer
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