It certainly doesn't argue for a Modoki. I agree that it isn't east-based in the sense that it matches up with the most extreme members of that grouping, but region 1.2 is so small that it doesn't weight the index much. When considering the subsurface cold pool is not below region 4 and is under region 3, the EMI would be biased slightly east, as the JAMSTEC data forecasts. I do agree that it isn't a huge deal since it will be so weak.