Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

An anomaly refers to something that deviates from what is ordinary, expected, or normal. In the context of weather, an anomaly is a departure from average conditions, such as unusual temperatures or precipitation patterns. These anomalies can be influenced by various factors, including ocean currents and phenomena like the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). For instance, ocean surface temperature anomalies can lead to atmospheric temperature anomalies in different locations and seasons. While short-term weather forecasts focus on daily details, long-range forecasts often predict these anomalies, indicating trends like warmer or colder than normal periods for a month or season.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.