WMO Expects El Nino Development in Sept-Oct

September 25, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleCommentsAn El Nino event, usually associated with significant changes in rainfall, is likely to develop this month and next in the Pacific, affecting global climate patterns, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday.

The phenomenon, characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific, has been linked previously to drier-than-normal conditions in Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, northeastern Brazil, southeastern Africa and parts of Asia, the United Nations agency said.

“A weak El Nino may develop in September and October and last until the northern hemisphere winter,” the WMO said in a statement.

El Nino is also associated with wetter-than-normal conditions in Ecuador, northern Peru, southern Brazil to central Argentina and parts of eastern Africa, it said.

El Nino winters tend to be mild over western Canada and parts of the United States and wet over the southern United States, it added.

La Nina, its opposite phenomenon which causes an abnormal cooling of waters, ended in April.

The WMO update is based on many different climate forecast models gathered from centers around the world.

“The majority of these climate forecast models say that there is a ‘moderately high likelihood’ of an El Nino. Having said that, it can’t be ruled out that neutral conditions may continue,” WMO spokeswoman Clare Nullis told a news briefing.

The Geneva-based WMO promotes cooperation among its 189 member states and their national meteorological and hydrological services and is the U.N. system’s voice on weather, climate and water.

 

Copyright 2012 Reuters. Click for restrictions.Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetCategories: International NewsTopics: El Nino, Pacific Ocean, temperatures, weather, WMOHave a hot lead? Email us at newsdesk

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Greenlight Re Appoints Drake as VP-Business Development

May 14, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

Cayman Islands-based Greenlight Capital Re, a specialist property and casualty reinsurer, has appointed John H. Drake, Jr. as Vice President, Business Development. He will be responsible for maintaining productive client and broker relationships while also identifying attractive new business opportunities, and will be based at the Company’s headquarters in the Cayman Islands.

Brendan Barry, Chief Underwriting Officer at Greenlight Re, welcomed Drake to the company, noting his “experience and a deep understanding of our industry from his years in underwriting,” and his “established relationships and appreciation for the role of business development in a customer-centric reinsurance company.”

Drake has more than 20 years of insurance industry experience and a background that includes underwriting, sales and marketing. He joins Greenlight Re from Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, where he was most recently Vice President, Sales Force Effectiveness Team, and previously served as Vice President, Marketing for Swiss Re Underwriters Agency, Inc.

The bulletin stated that during his time with Swiss Re, Drake “developed and maintained broad property & casualty reinsurance broker relationships, and generated new business opportunities across all business lines.” He previously held underwriting management positions at OneBeacon Professional Partners, HartRe Company, and Chubb Specialty Insurance.

Drake is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate of Reinsurance (ARe). He also holds a Bachelors Degree from Union College, and is an MBA candidate at Babson College’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.

Source: Greenlight Re

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Riviezzo Joins Safety National as Business Development Rep.

April 3, 2012Email ThisPrintNewslettersTweetArticleComments

St. Louis, Mo.-based Safety National Casualty Corp. announced that James Riviezzo has joined the company as business development representative. He will be based in Safety National’s New York City regional office.


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