tiabunna's photos with the keyword: climate

I've just returned from my travels today and this was my rain gauge on returning. In just over a week, there was 255 mm (10 inches) of rain. This was way outside normal weather patterns - a new monthly record in less than half a month! It also matches the record rain and flood events being seen worldwide and consistent with climate change.

For most of the past week, the central coast of eastern Australia, IE southeast Queensland and northern NSW, have been experiencing a massive and very unusual rainfall event. An upper low pressure system over the area has been fed with a stream of very moist tropical maritime air by a high pressure system near New Zealand. Although this sub-tropical area normally has a summer rainfall peak, the amounts from this system are far outside the usual bounds. Falls of 200mm daily with over a metre in the week have been common, with even over 700mm in 24 hours in some spots. ( ADDITION: I've just read that the top 1 week rainfall was about 1.8 M.) Needless to say, this has caused massive flooding and disruption in many areas. The weather system is now moving southwards, bringing the high rainfalls to Sydney and to my location further south. It should dissipate in the next few days, but not before causing further problems. This event is well outside what would be considered "normal", but it's entirely in keeping with the latest IPCC report issued on 28 February 2022. The media release with it warns “This report recognizes the interdependence of climate, biodiversity and people and integrates natural, social and economic sciences more strongly than earlier IPCC assessments, ....It emphasizes the urgency of immediate and more ambitious action to address climate risks. Half measures are no longer an option.”

Copied from an old 1966 slide. Previously posted some years ago, now with a better quality image. View large on black. The Bureau of Meteorology had asked us to look for these colourful thin clouds and, in August, we were surprised and delighted to see them behind the meteorological office. They are Nacreous Clouds, also known as "Mother of Pearl" clouds because of their colours or, more currently, as "Polar Stratospheric Clouds". They are made of ice crystals (which give their colour), are about 20-25 km high, and form when temperatures there drop below -80 C. They had always been considered quite rare and I believe our sighting was one of the earliest confirmed at Mawson in Antarctica. There have been very numerous sightings since, significantly becoming as late as October, because of climate change effects. Ozone normally forms in the early spring in the polar stratosphere and absorbs ultraviolet radiation as the sun returns, in the process warming the stratosphere. In the 1970s it was found that Chlorofluorocarbon gases (once used in spray cans and old refrigerators) mix through the atmosphere and break up the newly formed ozone, causing the polar stratosphere to remain colder in spring. This is the "ozone hole". Although chlorofluorocarbon gas use has (largely) been banned, it will take years for the gases already released to break down, for the ozone hole to heal totally, and for the stratosphere to return to normal. Yes, this is relevant to climate change: see this link.

With the failure of worldwide governments (not least ours in Australia) to take the actions needed to limit anthropogenic climate change, today is a worldwide day of protest at the need to do more. These schoolchildren were among the crowd of about 600 people of all ages at our local event - good for a small community. The PiPs show more images. There were speakers on the back of the white vehicle. Here's a musical link.

Although our little beachside area has a small population (outside holiday seasons), several hundred concerned citizens marched in support of positive action on global climate problems. Enthusiasm is what counts! Two further images in notes. You may care to check this musical link.