Alfonso Nino listed in the phone book as Al Nino has fielded a few calls from people who for some reason think a weather phenomenon would have a telephone.

Nino (pronounced NEE-no) was awakened at 2 a.m. recently by an enraged, foul-mouth woman complaining about the weather. The retired Navy man replied in suitable nautical language and hung up.

"It's happened at least a half-dozen times all phone calls," Nino said. "It's always something like, 'Why are you doing this?' And I say, 'Well, I didn't really have nothing else to do. I thought maybe it would be kind of fun.' I usually joke around with them a bit."

The 74-year-old Nino is one of several Californians whose first name is a variation on the theme. There's Albert, Alfred and Alfredo. There's also Eleazar, Elpidia and Eliseo. And thereās all those listings for L. Nino.

Eliseo Nino, 62, a retired San Gabriel teacher, has had the vanity auto license plate "L NINO" since 1970.

"I do wonder sometimes what they think when I drive by," he said. "I saw one lady pointing."