Forecasters have previously looked at these phenomena as one factor in making drought, hurricane and flooding predictions. Now Allen and colleagues at Columbia University’s Earth Institute and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory suggest El Niño and La Niña can help anticipate tornado and hailstorm frequency in parts of the United States. Projections for this year show an average or below average season, according to Allen, though it’s likely still too early to tell whether those will bear out.