Figure 13 exhibits the composite difference of SST
anomalies between high and low TAI phases. The most
dominant feature in the simultaneous composite is the
positive SST anomalies in North Pacific and negative
anomalies along the southeast coast of the Eurasian
continent and in the tropical central and eastern Pacific
(Fig. 13b). The lead/lag composite of SST was then
calculated as a check of possible oceanic influences on
the atmosphere. Although there are SST anomalies in
the tropical eastern Pacific, both the pattern and evolution
of SST anomalies as shown in Fig. 13 do not
resemble those associated with ENSO (e.g., Chen
2002). In-depth analysis finds that the tropical SST