At the end of March there were 242 satellite-tracked drifting buoys, of which 71% had subsurface drogues intact, in operation for the WOCE/CLIVAR Surface Velocity Program in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The SEC is unseasonably strong across the entire basin. The NEC is normal. The NECC is poorly sampled, but appears to be weak, which is normal in the spring. SST anomalies at the end of the month are positive in the equatorial strip (<= 1 degree C). Strong positive anomalies (1-2 degrees C) are found poleward of 10 degrees east of 135W in both hemispheres.

FIGURE T26 - Movements of drifting buoys in the tropical Pacific Ocean during March 1995. The first (second) linear segment of the trajectories represents a two (three) week displacement. Red (solid) paths show buoys drogued to 15-m depth; blue (dotted) paths show undrogued buoys.