The International School of Climatology of the "Ettore Majo rana Centre for Scientific Culture" at Erice was founded in 1979, with the aim of organising advanced courses and highly specialized seminars on current problems in the field of climatology. The first course, in March 1980, was devoted to climatic varia tions and variability, the understanding of which lies at the roots of modern climatological research. The publicity given to recent extremes of climate, which have had serious consequences for local populations, has led to an increased awareness of the practical importance of...