NOTES: 12 MAY NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has officially stated we appear to be in the beginning stages of the El Nino of 1997 -- ENSO Advisory: 7 May 97. It is obvious from the referenced SST anomaly chart that all of the eastern equatorial Pacific has risen to above normal levels with the eastward progression of the large Kelvin Wave across the Pacific during March and April [http://wesley.wwb.noaa.gov/eileen/sealevel.html]. Still noteworthy is the South Atlantic region of negative anomaly from the Equator to 30S. This area appears to have been maintained below climatology for much of 1997 beneath an enhanced surface pressure gradient. A similar situation can been seen NW of Hawaii where below normal SSTs prevail. AES