Earth just had its most moisture-laden April on record as unrivalled air and ocean temperatures caused atmospheric moisture content to surge across the planet. It has been known since the 1800s that rising global air temperature allows Earth’s atmosphere to hold more moisture. This phenomenon is explained by the Clausius–Clapeyron relation, which shows that the […]
A stubborn area of high pressure has been entrenched to the south of Australia over the last few weeks, causing a lengthy run of repetitive weather across the country. Weather systems in Earth’s mid-latitudes typically move from west to east. This includes the high and low pressure systems, cold fronts and low pressure troughs that […]
Signs are pointing to the second consecutive positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) developing in the next few months. However, May is shaping up to be a time to make-or-break this event. What is a positive IOD? The IOD is a coupled ocean-atmosphere climate driver that changes the circulation patterns over the Indian Ocean. A positive […]
The Bureau of Meteorology has officially declared El Niño over and the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is now inactive for the first time since 2021, meaning there is no immediate sign of either an El Niño or a La Niña event. “El Niño has ended and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has returned to neutral. Climate models […]
New data released overnight gives La Niña nearly a 90% chance of returning this spring, as the ocean continues to cool in the tropical eastern Pacific. The Pacific Ocean has been in an El Niño phase since September 2023, peaking between November to December 2023 at about 2°C, which is classified as a strong event. […]
A large pool of abnormally cold water sitting beneath the surface of the tropical Pacific Ocean is a clear sign that El Niño is on its last legs, with history suggesting a swift transition to La Niña could be on the cards in 2024. The 2023-24 El Niño The Pacific Ocean has been in an […]
As Perth and the southwest corner of Western Australia emerge from their traditional spring, summer, and early autumn dry season, the wait for decent rain is a lot more frustrating than usual. There are two reasons for the heightened stress levels. The first is that even by local standards, it has been an exceptionally […]
The World Meteorological Organization has confirmed that 2023 was an astonishing year for our planet’s climate, with records obliterated in the atmosphere, hydrosphere and cryosphere. Atmosphere Global air temperatures frequently made headlines around the world in 2023 as records fell month after month. Every calendar month from June to December set a new global average […]
A tongue of water warm enough to support tropical cyclone development has been detected off the central NSW coast this month, breaking temperature records in the western Tasman Sea. Sea surface temperatures off the NSW coast have been running around 2 to 3°C above average in recent weeks, with some areas more than 3°C warmer […]
Australia’s tropical cyclone season is officially underway, but we may not see much activity for few months yet. The season runs from November to April, and for mining operators and businesses across northern Australia, 2026-27 is shaping up to be a season where the headline numbers and the real risk may not line up. On […]
A positive Indian Ocean Dipole is underway, but this one is unlikely to deliver the textbook dry spring and summer that businesses have come to expect from the pattern. The Bureau of Meteorology officially declared a positive IOD on Tuesday, October 27, which typically like El Niño can cause drier and warmer conditions over parts of […]
Waters off Indonesia have cooled in recent weeks, an indication that a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event could be developing. It’s an important climate driver for Australia, and it could shape rainfall and temperatures heading into summer, with flow-on effects for farmers, energy and other industries. What is the Indian Ocean Dipole? The IOD […]
Leonora, WA, had its wettest September day on record earlier this month. Three weeks later, more than 1.3 million lightning pulses were detected within 800 km of the town in 48 hours. Why is a stalled trough delivering storms to mining country, and what it could mean for operations? The DTN Total Lightning Network detected […]
