El Niño, 1997-1998 : the climate event of the century

This book will cover the time span from the first indications of El Nino (May 1997) until its reversal (June 1998). The focus will be largely on the United States, where El Nino produced widespread changes in how the public perceives weather and in the accuracy of forecasts Among the key issues it will examine are how the news media interpreted and dramatixed El Nino and the reaction both of the public and decision-makers (the latter based on interviews with agribusiness, utilities, water management agencies, etc.); the scientific issues emerging from the event; and the social and economic consequences of the event. Finally, it will suggest what can and should be done when El Nino occurs in the future. Contents......Page 12 Abbreviations......Page 14 Contributors......Page 16 1 What Made El Niño 1997–1998 Famous? The Key Events Associated with a Unique Climate Event......Page 20 2 Causes, Predictions, and Outcomes of El Niño 1997–1998......Page 45 3 Was El Niño a Weather Metaphor—A Signal for Global Warming?......Page 66 4 The Scientific Issues Associated with El Niño 1997–1998......Page 85 5 Who Used and Benefited from the El Niño Forecasts?......Page 126 6 Impacts of El Niño's Weather......Page 153 7 Policy Responses to El Niño 1997–1998: Implications for Forecast Value and the Future of Climate Services......Page 189 8 Summary: Surprises, Lessons Learned, and the Legacy of El Niño 1997–1998......Page 214 C......Page 228 E......Page 229 N......Page 230 U......Page 231 W......Page 232 This book will cover the time span from the first indicaitons of El Nino (May 1997) until its reversal (June 1998). The focus is largely on the United States, where El Nino produced widespread changes in how the public perceives weather and in the accuracy of forecasts. Among the key issues examined are how the news media interpreted and dramatized El Nino and the reaction both of the public and decision-makers (the latter based on interviews with agribusiness, utilities, water management agencies, etc.); the scientific issues emerging from the event; and the social and economic consequences of the event. Finally, it will suggest what can and should be done when El Nino occurs in the future This book covers the time span from the first indications of El Nino (May 1997) until its reversal (June 1998). The focus is largely on the United States, where El Nino produced widespread changes in how the public perceives weather and in the accuracy of forecasts. Among the key issues it examines are how the news media interpreted and dramatized El Nino and the reaction both of the public and decision-makers (the latter based on interviews with agribusiness, utilities, water management agencies, etc.); the scientific issues emerging from the event; and the social and economic consequences of the event. Finally, it suggests what can and should be done when El Nino occurs in the future El Nino 97-98 provided one of the most interesting and widely known climatic events of this century.