If you plan to travel to Australia, knowing what you can expect from the weather is essential. From extreme temperatures to record rainfall, you’ll want to see what you can expect before heading down under.
Extreme heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding are expected to become more common across Australia’s coasts due to climate change.
Temperature
The climate in Australia is quite varied, ranging from the tropical region of the northeast to the temperate region in southern and eastern Australia. So, it’s essential to know the travel warning for Australia before you go. The weather in the south part of the country is mild, with rainfall well distributed over the seasons.
The hottest temperatures are found in the desert region of central Australia, which can reach up to 50degC and rarely see rain for years at a time. The lowest extreme minimum is recorded at several places around the country, with -7.0 degC or lower in some areas.
In the country’s southeast, there is a mountain range called the Australian Alps; the highest peaks are covered with snow, and the temperature can be freezing in winter. In the mountains, there are ski resorts where you can enjoy snow sports.
However, the coastal region of Australia is much more relaxed, especially in Sydney and Melbourne, which are located on the coast. The sea is generally relatively calm, with average temperatures of 23 deg C (73 deg F) in January and 20 deg C (68 deg F) in July.
Temperatures in northern Western Australia are usually warm year-round, with daily maximums averaging between 31 and 36 deg C. However, summers can be very sultry. The Pilbara and Gascoyne regions of the northern part of the country have daily maximums exceeding 40 degC for several weeks at a time, with peaks of 47 degC in the winter.
Rainfall
Rainfall is a natural part of Australia’s climate but can cause significant impacts. This includes flooding, which can lead to loss of property and infrastructure, increased insurance costs, and disruption to electricity supplies.
A significant driver of rainfall variability in Australia is the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, a phenomenon centered in the tropical Pacific Ocean that can affect sea surface temperatures and change the timing of rain events. During an El Nino year, warmer waters of the eastern and central Pacific warm above their normal levels, and easterly winds in the tropics weaken.
Across Australia, there are several different rain events, including short-duration, light rainfall events; longer-duration, moderate rainfall events; and long-duration, heavy rainfall events. In the study below, we calculate how many of each type of event is likely to occur in a year using a percentile-based threshold.
The results show that there has been a significant increase in the frequency of 1-2 daylight events and a decline in 3-4 daylight and moderate rain events (Fig. s1).
In contrast, there is no consistent trend in 5-6 day or > six-day rain events throughout most of Australia, except tropical north Australia and west of Tasmania. Coastal SWWA and SEWA receive a high percentage of their annual rainfall from these longer-duration events.
Wind
Australia’s extreme weather conditions are well-documented and cause concern, particularly in areas where the climate is changing. These extreme events include heat waves, cold snaps, floods, and dry spells.
Using a range of climate indices to assess the frequency of such extreme events, Australia’s leading science and weather agencies have warned that we should brace for worse. CSIRO climate science center director said the country is expected to get hotter, driest, and most prone to extreme bushfires as it warms on average by 1.44 degrees Celsius (2.59 degrees Fahrenheit) over the last century, a trend that is not likely to reverse.
The wind is a critical factor in predicting the weather, as it can affect how dry or wet a country is. It can also be a predictor of storms, mainly tropical cyclones.
Wind speeds vary widely across the landscape, influenced by the terrain and surface roughness. They can be accelerated over crests of steep hills, reaching a maximum at the range and then separating into zones of turbulent airflow.
Wind turbines are becoming increasingly common and can be grouped into ‘wind farms’ to capture energy. The resulting electricity is used to power homes and businesses, providing renewable energy that is carbon-free and cheap to run.
Heatwaves
Heatwaves have killed more people in Australia than any other natural hazard, with the 2009 eastern Australian heatwave accounting for nearly 500 registered deaths (Nairn and Fawcett, 2013). In addition to killing, they can cause serious health problems such as dehydration, sunburn, and heat exhaustion.
You can do many simple things to prepare for a hot day: drink 2 to 3 liters of water each day, and avoid drinking alcohol or soft drinks. Also, remember to care for children and older people.
In Australia, we have observed a consistent increase in heat waves’ amplitude, magnitude, frequency, and duration since 1950. These trends are driven by climate change and can have significant consequences for public health.
We explored changes in hospital admissions, emergency presentations, ambulance callouts, and mortality during heatwaves and compared these to non-heatwave periods. We also explored how different definitions of a heatwave affected the outcomes studied.
We calculated indices for each region using a combination of global observations, downscaled simulations, and historical data. These were used to evaluate current and future climate change-related changes in heatwave characteristics across all Australian regions. The indices were then used to calculate the Excessive Heat Factor (EHF), which can measure excess heat and help understand the intensity of past and future heatwave events.
