The numerical criteria and characteristics of El Nino and La Nina

By using the sea surface temperature (SST) index of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean provided by Climate Analysis Center of U.S.A., the numerical criteria of El Nino and La Nina events and their quantitative characteristics were calculated.Results show that the El Nino event was characterized with strong intensity, shorter life cycle and significant mature phase; however, the La Nina event has longer live cycle, weak intensity, insignificant mature phase.Through teleconnection analysis, it is found that the intensity index of SST over the Equatorial Pacific Ocean leads the intensity index of subtropical high by six months or so.During the El Nino years, the tropical cyclone over the northwestern Pacific is fewer than normal but stronger, and its genesis area shifts southeastward apparently; while in the La Nina years the number of tropical cyclones are larger.