Atmospheric waves are like vast musical notes resonating around the globe. Researchers have recently discovered how these waves affect Australia's rainfall and how they can help us make better weather forecasts.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasing in popularity in the field of climate modelling. Academic publications on the topic have surged and there are more and more initiatives to support the development of research in that field. But, where does this growing interest come from?
Navigating climate uncertainty can be challenging, especially when making decisions. 'Storylines' have the potential to make an uncertain future more tangible than numbers, and thereby better aid with planning and decision-making.
In a recent study, climate scientists showed that the modified Fosberg Fire Weather Index, a proxy for fire weather, increases across Australia under climate change, suggesting a higher chance of fires in the future. They attributed this to worsening drought conditions.
The Southern Ocean plays a crucial role in the Earth's climate system, however its intricate dynamics remain poorly understood. Co-authored by over thirty Australian and New Zealand climate science experts, a new paper shows that cross-disciplinary collaboration and community building are important for solving the mysteries of the Southern Ocean’s dynamic climate systems.
In 2015, world leaders of 195 nations agreed to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5°C. While this year-long exceedance of 1.5°C doesn’t break the commitments made in the Paris Agreement, scientists warn that it does bring us closer to the red line.
Current climate models struggle to accurately represent the Southern Ocean's climate dynamics due to biases related to aerosols and clouds. Tahereh Alinejadtabrizi is a climate scientist who is working on this research problem.
With climate change increasing the frequency and severity of bushfire weather, climate scientists warn that Australia could face bushfires that are even more devastating than the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires.
Researchers have found that windblown dust delivers enough iron to support a third of the Southern Ocean’s phytoplankton growth. This finding sheds light on the vital role that dust-fuelled productivity plays in the ocean's capacity to absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
It seems counterintuitive that rainfall increases in the later years of a multi-year La Niña event. Yet, this is what occurred during the recent triple-dip La Niña. Even more interestingly, this increase happened despite no strengthening of La Niña in the tropical Pacific. So, what's the reason behind it?