Abstract
We present time series of anomalies of tropopause height, tropopause potential temperature and lower stratospheric potential temperature over the tropical western Pacific for the period 1980‐1982. These observations show a decrease in tropopause height as anticipated following the lower stratospheric warming associated with El Chichón. However, the magnitude of the decrease in tropopause height is considerably less than expected. Analysis reveals, however, that the tropospheric warming associated with the El Niño can account for this discrepancy.