The Bureau of Meteorology is Australia’s national weather, climate and water agency. Its expertise and services assist Australians in dealing with the harsh realities of their natural environment, including drought, floods, fires, storms, tsunami and tropical cyclones. Through regular forecasts, warnings, monitoring and advice spanning the Australian region and Antarctic territory, the Bureau provides one of the most fundamental and widely used services of government.
Acacia Pepler, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Andrew Dowdy, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Eun-Pa Lim, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and Pandora Hope, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
The US was hit by a ‘bomb cyclone’ last week, bringing icy cold and driving snow. These storms develop very rapidly, forming outside the tropics, typically on continental east coasts in winter.
Last year saw plenty of warm weather around the country, but other notable events included dry months in the southeast, some very cold winter nights, and record-warm dry season days in the north.
We already know that climate change makes heatwaves hotter and longer. But a new series of research papers asks whether there is also a climate fingerprint on frosty spells and bouts of wet weather.
As the planet warms, the amount of moisture in the atmosphere is increasing. This will cause a lot more heavy rainfall, even in areas that are becoming drier.
Scott Power, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Brad Murphy, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Christine Chung, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; François Delage, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and Hua Ye, Australian Bureau of Meteorology
New research shows that global warming has already begun to exacerbate extremes of rainfall in the Pacific region – with more to come.
The new State of the Climate report outlines Australia’s rising temperatures and its regional rainfall declines - and the trends that are locked in for the coming few decades due to greenhouse emissions.
The Indian Ocean Dipole may be El Nino’s less famous cousin, but that hasn’t stopped it having a profound effect on Australia’s weather since it flipped into a “strong negative phase” two months ago.