GLOBAL WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

APRIL 2004

UNITED STATES
West

Significant precipitation during the winter season alleviated drought
conditions along the immediate West Coast, although severe to extreme drought
classification continued in early April throughout the Intermountain West, the
Northern Rockies, and southward into New Mexico. Exceptional drought was noted
through parts of Montana and Idaho. Moderate drought conditions developed in
parts of the Southeast by the end of April.

In the United States, record heat affected areas of California during April
26-27. Records broken for the month of June included 100°F at Yorba Linda on
the 26th and 27th, 98°F at Sacramento on the 26th and 99°F at Paso Robles on
the 27th.

A strong storm system in the upper levels of the atmosphere brought showers and
thunderstorms to areas of the southwestern U.S. and adjacent areas of northern
Mexico during April 1-6. In the Coahuila state of northern Mexico, a deadly
flash flood occurred along the Escondido River in Piedras Negras where locally
5 to 7 inches fell late on the 5th and early on the 6th. At least 36 people
were killed by the early morning flooding which damaged or destroyed hundreds
of homes, prompting a state of emergency declaration by Mexican president
Vicente Fox.

Midwest

Severe thunderstorms spawned 52 tornadoes in the United States on the 20th,
with the majority of these occurring in the states of Illinois and Indiana.
Eight people were killed in Utica, Illinois as an F-3 tornado affected the
downtown area.

An unusual late-season snow fell across parts of southern Indiana and the
western parts of Kentucky and Tennessee on the 13th. In Jackson, TN,it was the
latest measurable snowfall on record. In Kentucky, there were 6 fatalities in
traffic accidents caused by slick driving conditions.

AFRICA

Long term drought continued across areas of Africa, including the Greater Horn
and parts of southern Africa. In Zimbabwe, an estimated 5.5 million people will
require emergency food aid during 2004.

Heavy rains in Angola produced flooding along the river system which flows into
neighboring Zambia, Botswana and Namibia. Extensive flooding along the Zambezi
River threatened more than 20,000 people in northeastern Namibia, and was
characterized by local officials as the worst flooding since 1958.

In the Greater Horn of Africa, at least 50 people drowned as a result of
flooding in Djibouti's capital city. Torrential rains during the night of April
12-13 were reportedly the heaviest in 10 years in Djibouti. The heavy rain cut
electricity and washed away part of a railway line into neighboring Ethiopia.
The majority of the flooding surged along the dry Ambouli riverbed between the
cities of Djibouti and Balbala.

ASIA

In China, a significant dust storm affected northwest China's Ningxia Hui and
Inner Mongolia Autonomous regions on the 25th. Visibilities were severely
reduced in the city of Shizuishan, keeping many local residents in their homes.

In China, severe thunderstorms produced a tornado and "fist-sized" hail in
parts of central China on the 21st. The tornado was responsible for 7 deaths in
Hengyang city (Hunan province), destroyed 2,000 homes and 2,700 acres of crops.


RUSSIA

In Russia, at least ten people were killed and thousands displaced as flooding
affected the Kemerovo region of Siberia on the 17th. More than 20 towns and
villages were affected by flooding in the Kemerovo, Altay and Tomsk regions.

In Bosnia, heavy rains caused extensive flooding along the country's river
system, affecting as many as 300,000 people. More than 300,000 acres of
agriculural land was also flooded.

MIDDLE EAST

In Saudi Arabia, 5 people were killed from floodwaters in the southern part of
the country as heavy rains affected the area around Jizan City on the 19th.

INDIA

In northeastern India, flooding affected the state of Manipur during mid to
late April. Approximately 1,000 houses were submerged, and there was
significant damage to paddy fields which were in the early part of the harvest
cycle.

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes hit northern Bangladesh on the 14th;
flattening villages, uprooting trees and killing at least 76 people.