Final answer:
To estimate the average SST anomaly temperature, examine if the temperatures are higher, lower, or near average. Positive, higher SST anomalies suggest El Niño conditions, negative, lower anomalies suggest b. La Niña, and near-zero anomalies suggest Neutral conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To examine the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomaly in the specified box area for October 2016, you need to assess whether the SSTs are higher or lower than the average. If the SST anomaly is positive and significantly higher than average, it would suggest El Niño conditions. In contrast, negative SST anomalies, or temperatures lower than average, are indicative of La Niña conditions. If the SST anomalies are near-zero, this would imply Neutral conditions. The presence of a warm phase would be indicated by persistent warmer SST anomalies.
Since the warm phase of ENSO, known as El Niño, is characterized by higher than average SSTs and an expected change in air pressure patterns across the Pacific, you would look for these factors in the anomaly field. La Niña would be the opposite, with cooler SSTs and a different pattern of air pressure.
An understanding of ENSO cycles, El Niño, and La Niña is essential for interpreting SST anomalies and their implications for global weather patterns. The average SST anomaly within the critical region box would give us the key information needed to answer the question regarding the tropical Pacific pattern that most closely resembles the conditions in October 2016.