Thispaperanalyzedthevariationsoflatentheatflux(LHF)overthetropicalPacificintheperiod1978-1988byusingCOADS(ComprehensiveOceanandAtmosphericDataSet).IthasbeenfoundedthattheinterannualvariabilityofLHFexhibitsstrongENSOsignal,withthesignificantincreasingLHFduringtherecenttwowarmevents,i.e.,1982/83and1986/87anddecreasingLHFinthecoldepisodes.HoweverthelongitudinaldistributionoftheLHFdeparturesvariesfromeventtoevent.IntheeasternPacific,thespecifichumiditydifferenceatair-seainterface(qs-qa)makesadominantcontributiontotheinterannualvariabilityofLHF(r=0.73),whileinthewesternPacificthesurfacewindspeed,Wandtheqs-qamakenearlyequalcontributiontothatofLHF.
