These figures observed by TRMM indicate the variation of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and rainfall distribution related to an El Nino warm episode from January to November 2002 in every two months.

This image presents monthly mean SST anomalies estimated by VIRS. After the beginning of 2002, SSTs above those of normal years over the western tropical Pacific slowly shifted eastward. In November, an SST 2 to 3°C higher than normal is found over the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, and El Nino reached its mature stage.