anomaly
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
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.
- climateCirculation, currents, and ocean-atmosphere interaction
Anomalies in the position of the Gulf Stream–Labrador Current boundary, which produce a greater or lesser extent of warm water near the Grand Banks, so affect the energy supply to the atmosphere and the development and steering of weather systems from that region that they…
Read MoreAnomalies in the position of the Gulf Stream–Labrador Current boundary, which produce a greater or lesser extent of warm water near the Grand Banks, so affect the energy supply to the atmosphere and the development and steering of weather systems from that region that they…
Read More
weather forecastingTechniquesSuch departures are called anomalies. A forecast might state that “spring temperatures in Minneapolis have a 65 percent probability of being above normal.” It would likely be based on a forecast anomaly map, which shows temperature anomaly patterns. The maps do not attempt to predict the weather for a…
Read MoreSuch departures are called anomalies. A forecast might state that “spring temperatures in Minneapolis have a 65 percent probability of being above normal.” It would likely be based on a forecast anomaly map, which shows temperature anomaly patterns. The maps do not attempt to predict the weather for a…
Read More