The Climate Hazards Center, in collaboration with FEWS NET and NOAA, helped release a Special Report on "El Niño and Precipitation." This report discusses the meaning and significance of El Niño, as it triggers changes in global atmospheric circulation, which are responsible for anomalous precipitation patterns. A greater understanding of El NIño helps to provide a better baseline for prediction, and thus timelier responses to climate hazards and their effects. Major contributions were made by Laura Harrison, UCSB CHC, and Andrew Hoell, NOAA.