What do the sea temperature charts show?
The sea temperature charts show sea surface temperature anomalies for both the Australian region and the entire world. That is, it shows how far above or below average the sea surface temperatures are at any location. Areas of above average sea surface temperatures generally favour increased evaporation and hence higher rainfall, if a trigger is in place. Areas of below average sea surface temperatures are generally associated with lower than normal rainfall. Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies – Global The Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly (SSTA) map shows the difference between observed SSTs and long-term average SSTs for that time of year. The data displayed is the weekly average, centred on the date shown in the heading. Positive SSTAs (towards the red end of the spectrum) are usually correlated with increased regions of convection (conducive to cloudiness and rainfall), while negative SSTAs (at the blue end of the spectrum) are usually associated with reduced convection and clearer sk
