Professor Matthew England from the University of NSW has noticed something unusual in the Tasman Sea. In August, the water temperature was about 2 degrees higher than normal. He explained that this warm water combined with unusual easterly winds has led to increased rain along the New South Wales coast. Usually, winter brings westerly winds, but this season has been different.
These conditions have caused record rainfall in places like Sydney. Interestingly, the ongoing La Niña phenomenon, which often brings cooler and wetter weather, might be contributing to this increased rain. This year, the El Niño Southern Oscillation was neutral, but trends show it might lean towards La Niña soon.
The forecast suggests that the rain could help lower the bushfire risk in NSW, while parts of Victoria and Western Australia are still facing potential fire hazards. Australia’s fire chiefs recently released their seasonal assessment, highlighting these concerns.
In May, the weather bureau predicted a warmer and wetter winter for NSW, and it seems that prediction was spot on. Areas like Collaroy recorded the highest winter rainfall since records began 42 years ago. Some regions received so much rain that it fell as snow in alpine areas, marking one of the best ski seasons in a decade.
However, parts of south-western NSW have seen drier conditions. Even with extensive rainfall, a small portion of the Riverina and Murray region remains in drought. The winter’s minimum temperatures were the coldest since 2019, with Armidale hitting a record low of 2.5 degrees on August 2. Despite this, maximum temperatures were slightly above average.
Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick from the Australian National University highlighted that perceptions of colder winters may be influenced by short-term memory. People often compare this year to the warmer winters of the past decade, when in reality, this year’s conditions align closer to long-term averages.
Globally, 2024 marked a record high temperature year. This summer saw extreme weather events, including wildfires in Canada and heatwaves across Europe. These trends remind us how shifting climate patterns continue to affect our weather and environment.
For further reading on global temperature trends, see the World Meteorological Organization.
