30+ Years of Ocean SSTs – January 1978 to July 2008

The following are graphs of SST anomalies from January 1978 to July 2008 for the:
North Atlantic
South Atlantic
North Pacific
South Pacific
Indian Ocean
Arctic Ocean
Southern Ocean

I found the following to be highlights:

- The absence of an immediate major reaction in the North Atlantic to the 97/98 El Nino.

- The flatness of the South Atlantic curve.

- The decline in North Pacific SST since 2005, though the PDO is said to have just recently "shifted".

- The relative flatness of the South Pacific curve before the 97/98 El Nino and then the rise and fall afterwards.

- The saw-toothed step changes in Indian Ocean SST after the 82/83, 86/87/88, and 97/98 El Ninos.

- The 1990 peak in Arctic SSTs (not 2007 or 2008).

- The continuous decline in Southern Ocean SSTs since the mid 80s.

I haven’t yet discovered what day of the month the SST data on NOMADS are updated, but obviously, it’s by the 16th. I will attempt to revise them monthly.

http://i36.tinypic.com/kb99he.jpg
North Atlantic (0 to 75N, 70W to 10E)

http://i34.tinypic.com/2jeydzn.jpg
South Atlantic (0 to 60S, 70W to 20E)

http://i36.tinypic.com/wi61zk.jpg
North Pacific (0 to 65N, 90 to 180W) & (0 to 65N, 100 to 180E)

http://i33.tinypic.com/20afitx.jpg
South Pacific (0 to 60S, 70 to 180W) & (0 to 60S, 145 to 180E)

http://i37.tinypic.com/2iaz7ep.jpg
Indian Ocean (30N to 60S, 20 to 145E)

http://i38.tinypic.com/2lwkmlf.jpg
Arctic Ocean (65 to 90N)

http://i33.tinypic.com/25yy8pg.jpg
Southern Ocean (60 to 90S)

SOURCE

Sea Surface Temperature Data is Smith and Reynolds Extended Reconstructed SST (ERSST.v2) available through the NOAA National Operational Model Archive & Distribution System (NOMADS).
http://nomads.ncdc.noaa.gov/#climatencdc