Published by Australian Academy of Science
Useful sites | El Niņo – riding the climate roller coaster

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology site has a vast amount of information about climate. Here is just a taste:

• Climate variability and El Niņo
  A good overview of what causes El Niņos and how they affect Australia's climate.
  http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/glossary/elnino/elnino.shtml

• El Niņo wrap-up
  Starts with a look at the current situation then briefly explains what El Niņo is. 'El Niņo education' gives more information about climate variability and El Niņo.
  http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/

• El Niņo: "droughts and flooding rains"
  An article by Neville Nicholls describing the El Niņo-Southern Oscillation and how it affects Australia. Nicholls also discusses climate forecasting and the 1997 El Niņo.
  http://www.bom.gov.au/bmrc/clfor/cfstaff/nnn/nnn_el_nino.htm

The Long Paddock (Queensland Government, Australia)

• Climate management information for rural Australia
  Practical information to help people plan for climate variability. Information includes 'Seasonal climate outlook' and 'Queensland drought monitor'.
  http://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/

• El Niņo and the Southern Oscillation
  A good explanation of the El Niņo-Southern Oscillation.
  http://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/Help/ElNinoSouthernOscillation/

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

• Indian Ocean – influence on Australia's climate (The Science Show, 30 September 2006)
  Discusses how the Indian Ocean influences the climate over the whole of Australia.
  http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2006/1751859.htm#

• Earth almost as hot as in ancient times (News in Science, 26 September 2006)
  Comments on the role of El Niņo in global warming.
  http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/2006/1748930.htm?enviro

• Droughts and flooding rain (Scribbly Gum, August 2006)
  Describes El Niņo and La Niņa events that bring long dry spells and then periods of intense rain to south-eastern Australia.
  http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/august2006/

What are the potential contributions of El Niņo-Southern Oscillation research to early warning of potential acute food-deficit situations?

This paper by Neville Nicholls from the Internet Journal for African Studies discusses African El Niņo droughts which have led to devastating famines in Africa.
http://www.ccb.ucar.edu/ijas/ijasno2/nicholls.html

El Niņo and the Australian drought

Dr John Zillman, President of the World Meteorological Organisation, describes global patterns of climate, the Southern Oscillations Index and the 1997 El Niņo. (Beware: heavy graphics.)
http://www.atse.org.au/index.php?sectionid=383

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA

• An El Niņo theme page
  An extensive site compiled by a number of different US government agencies. It explains El Niņo, discusses impacts, provides forecasts and has frequently asked questions. There are good illustrations and real-time graphics.
  http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/nino-home.html

• NOAA La Niņa Page
  Includes general information, forecasts and impacts.
  http://www.elnino.noaa.gov/lanina.html

• The ENSO cycle
  Covers ocean temperatures, atmospheric circulation and rainfall patterns.
  http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ensocycle/enso_cycle.html

El Niņo and La Niņa – tracing the dance of ocean and atmosphere (National Academy of Sciences, USA)

Explores how climatologists and oceanographers have joined forces to construct theoretical models to simulate and predict broad climate changes associated with ENSO.
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/opus/elnino.html