El Niño and La Niña forecasting & monitoring

• TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason provide important extended time series monitoring of El Niño and La Niña events
• NOAA's long term climate forecasts, based in part on ocean altimeter data, include flood control, agricultural strategy, water and energy use planning
• Worldwide damage from the 1997-1998 El Niño probably exceeded $20 billion*. Reliable predictions could help minimize economic impacts.
• Media outlets use the data to explain weather and climate to the public
• TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason data are recognizable to more than a billion people worldwide

*D. Anderson, European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast