Many parts of Kenya have been experiencing torrential rainfall for a couple of months now. This has resulted in floods and landslides. The unusual weather can be attributed to the Indian Ocean Dipole. This is the difference in sea surface temperatures between the eastern and western tropical Indian Ocean.
In Kenya, when warmer sea surface temperatures are experienced, heavy rainfall occurs while hot dry conditions (conducive for wildfires) are experienced in Australia. When warmer sea surface temperatures are experienced off the West Coast of Australia, Australia is likely to experience heavy rainfall, while Kenya experiences drought conditions.
The larger the difference in temperatures between the eastern and western tropical Indian Ocean, the more severe the climatic effects. This event is similar to the El Niño Southern Oscillation that occurs in the tropical Pacific Ocean.Sea surface temperatures are measured by Interagency Global Climate Observing System just off the coasts of Kenya and western Australia.
In some years, temperatures will be warmer in the western half of the Indian Ocean and in others they will be warmer in the eastern half. This dipole cycles between these extremes over three to five year periods, ordinarily with a 1°C difference in sea surface temperature. Between these extremes, temperatures will be fairly uniform across the tropical Indian Ocean.
