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Earth

Software predicts where El Niño will strike next

30 July 2008

New Scientist. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

El Niño events periodically wreak havoc on the world’s weather, increasing the risk of hurricanes and flooding in some regions, and droughts and forest fires in others. But despite telltale signs of their presence in the Pacific Ocean, including a reversal of ocean currents and large temperature rises, it can be hard to tell where else El Niños are having an effect.

However, forecasting the weather during an El Niño event could soon be as simple as joining the dots, thanks to software that maps the world’s climate as an interconnected network. The software, developed by a team…

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