A POSSIBLE ENSO SIGNAL IN THE ROSS SEA

An examination of the observational record in the Ross Sea over the pe riod 1982-1994 indicates that there is a statistically significant rel ationship between the Ross Sea sea surface temperature (SST) and the E NSO signal in the tropical Pacific. During this period the Ross Sea SS Ts lag the ENSO signal by 2-4 months with the highest correlation coef ficient occurring with a lag of 3 months. Observations of the sea ice concentration during 1982-1994 also indicate a relation between the se a ice concentration in the Ross Sea and the ENSO cycle, with reduced s ea ice concentrations in El Nino years.