NOTES:    January 27, 1998 -- HotSpots

SSTs have inched a bit higher in the vicinity of the 
Galapagos, approaching 29C within the El Nino 
"HotSpot," showing values nearly 3 deg C above 
the warmest climatological SST for the ENTIRE year; 
30C SSTs can be seen to the NE off the coast of 
Central America.  The HotSpot envelope has pressed 
southward toward Tahiti during the past few weeks 
and there is some concern that the 30C [plus] SSTs 
near 150W/15S may expand toward Tahiti and 
French Polynesia.

In the Indian Ocean, the large HotSpot that has been
elongated NW-SE shows signs of weakening.  Concern
has been expressed that these extreme SSTs may have
caused some bleaching near the Seychelles.

AES