Seasonal and El Ni¿o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-related variations of sea surface temperature (SST) and salinity (SSS), 0/450-dbar dynamic height anomalies (&eegr;, an alias for sea level), zonal (&tgr;x) and meridional (&tgr;y) wind stress, wind stress curl (curl (&tgr;)), and precipitation (P) are examined in the tropical Pacific during 1961--1995. In the equatorial band the El Ni¿o (La Ni¿a) events are chiefly concerned (1) in the east and center, with warmer (colder) than average SST and a &eegr; increase (decrease), and (2) in the west, with fresher (saltier) than average SSS, westerly (easterly) wind anomalies, above (below) average P limited to the east of about 150 ¿E, and a &eegr; decrease (increase). Much smaller ENSO changes occur away from the equatorial band except in the convergence zones for SSS, P, and &tgr;y changes and in two patches centered around 7 ¿N and 7 ¿S in the west for curl (&tgr;). The ENSO-related &eegr; changes are schematically concerned with a zonal seesaw in phase with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) in the equatorial band and a meridional seesaw between the regions situated north and south of about 5 ¿N, which lags by about 1 year behind the SOI. The double seesaws result in a longitudinal mean &eegr; rise (drop) within about 5 ¿N--20 ¿S up to the mature phase of El Ni¿o (La Ni¿a), and not just until its beginning, partly compensated by a longitudinal mean &eegr; drop (rise) within about 5¿--20 ¿N. Aside from its intrinsic substance, this paper offers a novel and concise observational basis for testing theoretical studies and model simulations. ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union