ENSO-induced inter-annual sea level variability in the Singapore Strait

Abstract

<span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt; font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:mangal;color:#222222;background:white;mso-ansi-language:="" en-in;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:hi"="">Sea level data from four tide gauge stations in the SS (Tanjong Pagar, Sultan Shoal, Sembawang and Raffles Lighthouse) for the period 1970 – 2012 were extracted to study the ENSO-induced interannual sea level variability. Sea level during this period is dominated by inter-annual fluctuations. Monthly sea level anomalies were filtered using a Butterworth low pass filter to obtain inter-annual signals. It is found that at interannual scale, sea level and ENSO index vary coherently in the SS: drops are associated with El Niño phase and rises are related to La Niña episodes. Wind stress variations and reduced SCS volume transport play significant roles in ENSO-induced sea level variability.</span>