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Climate of Australia
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Climate of Australia
The Climate of Australia is the second driest of any continent, after Antarctica. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), 80% of the land receives less than 600 mm (24 in) of rainfall annually and 50% has even less than 300 mm (12 in). As a whole, Australia has a very low annual average rainfall of 419 mm (16 in).
This dryness is governed mostly by the subtropical high pressure belt (subtropical ridge), which brings dry air from the upper atmosphere down onto the continent. This high pressure is typically to the south of Australia in the summer and over the north of Australia in the winter. Hence Australia typically has dry summers in the south and dry winters in the north. The Intertropical Convergence Zone also moves south in Australia's summer, bringing the Australian monsoon to parts of northern Australia. The climate is variable, with frequent droughts lasting several seasons, caused in part by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Australia has a wide variety of climates due to its large geographical size. The largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. Only the south-east and south-west corners have a temperate climate and moderately fertile soil. The northern part of the country has a tropical climate, varying between grasslands and desert, and subject to some of the largest interannual rainfall variability in the world. Australia holds many heat-related records: the continent has the hottest extended region year-round, the areas with the hottest summer climate, and the highest sunshine duration.
Because Australia is separated from polar regions by the Southern Ocean, it is not subject to movements of frigid polar air during winter, of the type that sweep over the continents in the northern hemisphere during their winter. Consequently, Australia's winter is relatively mild, with less contrast between summer and winter temperatures than in the northern continents–though the transition is more dramatically marked in the far inland areas, particularly west of the Great Dividing Range. Seasonal highs and lows can still be considerable. Temperatures have ranged from above 50 °C (122 °F) to as low as −23.0 °C (−9.4 °F). Minimum temperatures are moderated.
The El Niño–Southern Oscillation is associated with seasonal abnormality in many areas in the world. Australia is one of the continents most affected and experiences extensive droughts alongside considerable wet periods. Occasionally a dust storm will blanket a region and there are reports of the occasional tornado. Tropical cyclones, heat waves, bushfires and frosts in the country are also associated with the Southern Oscillation. Rising levels of salinity and desertification in some areas is ravaging the landscape.
Climate change in Australia is a highly contentious political issue. Temperatures in the country rose by approximately 0.7 °C between 1910 and 2004, following an increasing trend of global warming. Overnight minimum temperatures have warmed more rapidly than daytime maximum temperatures in recent years. The late-20th century warming has been largely attributed to the increased greenhouse effect.
Because of its higher general elevation of over 650 m (2,130 ft), southern latitude and entirely landlocked location, winters are exclusively cool to cold in the Australian Capital Territory. Canberra has warm, dry summers with cool nights and some thunderstorms. Heavy frosts are commonplace and radiation fog often occurs. Many of the higher mountains to the territory's west are snow-covered for a large part of the winter and early spring. Severe thunderstorms can occur between October and March, and annual rainfall is 623 mm (25 in), with rainfall highest in spring and summer, and lowest in winter. The region is dry throughout its entirety due to its position on the leeward side of the Brindabella Ranges.
The highest temperature recorded in the ACT was 44.0 °C (111.2 °F) at Canberra Airport on 4 January 2020. The lowest temperature was −14.6 °C (5.7 °F) at Gudgenby on 11 July 1971.
Over half of New South Wales has an arid or semi-arid climate. The eastern portion has a temperate climate, ranging from humid subtropical from its northern border to the Central Coast and most of Sydney, and oceanic to the south coast. The Snowy Mountains region in the south-east falls in the alpine climate or subpolar oceanic climate zone, with cool to cold weather all year around and regular heavy snowfalls in the winter and spring. Further inland, the climate is semi-arid and a desert climate towards the western part of the state.
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Climate of Australia
The Climate of Australia is the second driest of any continent, after Antarctica. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), 80% of the land receives less than 600 mm (24 in) of rainfall annually and 50% has even less than 300 mm (12 in). As a whole, Australia has a very low annual average rainfall of 419 mm (16 in).
This dryness is governed mostly by the subtropical high pressure belt (subtropical ridge), which brings dry air from the upper atmosphere down onto the continent. This high pressure is typically to the south of Australia in the summer and over the north of Australia in the winter. Hence Australia typically has dry summers in the south and dry winters in the north. The Intertropical Convergence Zone also moves south in Australia's summer, bringing the Australian monsoon to parts of northern Australia. The climate is variable, with frequent droughts lasting several seasons, caused in part by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Australia has a wide variety of climates due to its large geographical size. The largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. Only the south-east and south-west corners have a temperate climate and moderately fertile soil. The northern part of the country has a tropical climate, varying between grasslands and desert, and subject to some of the largest interannual rainfall variability in the world. Australia holds many heat-related records: the continent has the hottest extended region year-round, the areas with the hottest summer climate, and the highest sunshine duration.
Because Australia is separated from polar regions by the Southern Ocean, it is not subject to movements of frigid polar air during winter, of the type that sweep over the continents in the northern hemisphere during their winter. Consequently, Australia's winter is relatively mild, with less contrast between summer and winter temperatures than in the northern continents–though the transition is more dramatically marked in the far inland areas, particularly west of the Great Dividing Range. Seasonal highs and lows can still be considerable. Temperatures have ranged from above 50 °C (122 °F) to as low as −23.0 °C (−9.4 °F). Minimum temperatures are moderated.
The El Niño–Southern Oscillation is associated with seasonal abnormality in many areas in the world. Australia is one of the continents most affected and experiences extensive droughts alongside considerable wet periods. Occasionally a dust storm will blanket a region and there are reports of the occasional tornado. Tropical cyclones, heat waves, bushfires and frosts in the country are also associated with the Southern Oscillation. Rising levels of salinity and desertification in some areas is ravaging the landscape.
Climate change in Australia is a highly contentious political issue. Temperatures in the country rose by approximately 0.7 °C between 1910 and 2004, following an increasing trend of global warming. Overnight minimum temperatures have warmed more rapidly than daytime maximum temperatures in recent years. The late-20th century warming has been largely attributed to the increased greenhouse effect.
Because of its higher general elevation of over 650 m (2,130 ft), southern latitude and entirely landlocked location, winters are exclusively cool to cold in the Australian Capital Territory. Canberra has warm, dry summers with cool nights and some thunderstorms. Heavy frosts are commonplace and radiation fog often occurs. Many of the higher mountains to the territory's west are snow-covered for a large part of the winter and early spring. Severe thunderstorms can occur between October and March, and annual rainfall is 623 mm (25 in), with rainfall highest in spring and summer, and lowest in winter. The region is dry throughout its entirety due to its position on the leeward side of the Brindabella Ranges.
The highest temperature recorded in the ACT was 44.0 °C (111.2 °F) at Canberra Airport on 4 January 2020. The lowest temperature was −14.6 °C (5.7 °F) at Gudgenby on 11 July 1971.
Over half of New South Wales has an arid or semi-arid climate. The eastern portion has a temperate climate, ranging from humid subtropical from its northern border to the Central Coast and most of Sydney, and oceanic to the south coast. The Snowy Mountains region in the south-east falls in the alpine climate or subpolar oceanic climate zone, with cool to cold weather all year around and regular heavy snowfalls in the winter and spring. Further inland, the climate is semi-arid and a desert climate towards the western part of the state.
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