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Examples of ENSO-Society Interactions


La Niña, El Niño, and US Atlantic Hurricane Damages


Roger A. Pielke, Jr.
Center for Science and Technology Policy Research
University of Colorado/CIRES
Boulder, Colorado, USA

Christopher W. Landsea
NOAA/AOML, Hurricane Research Division
Miami, Florida, USA

Updated with permission from:
Pielke Jr., R.A., and C.W. Landsea, 2002: La Niña, El Niño, and US Atlantic hurricane damages. In: M.H. Glantz (ed.), La Niña and Its Impacts: Facts and Speculation. Tokyo, Japan: United Nations University Press, 119-123.

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Recent research strongly suggests that U.S. Atlantic hurricane damages are modulated by the phase of ENSO, with increased losses during La Niña events and reduced losses during El Niño events (Pielke and Landsea, 1998, 1999). Our analyses support the following statements:

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