Sudden stratospheric warming is the unusual climate variation affecting ozone, heat and wind

The smallest ozone hole in decades is one
impact of this year's unusual warming event.

We just had the smallest ozone hole since 1982, the drought is dragging on and the fire danger is forecast to be up. What connects all these events? Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW).

South Australia has been sizzling today, but relief is coming as a cold front makes its way across the country. 

Victoria is expected to have a hot night before the front arrives, then it will be New South Wales's turn in the hot seat on Friday. 

Pinning one event on a single climate driver is fraught, but this bout of warm weather fits with what would be expected as one of the strongest SSWs in 40 years starts impacting Earth's surface.

The official outlook is for warm dry conditions in the months ahead. 

Read the story from ABC News by Kate Doyle and Ben Deacon - “Sudden stratospheric warming is the unusual climate variation affecting ozone, heat and wind.”

Australia’s extreme heatwave spans five states with high of 49C forecast

Australia’s post-Christmas heatwave continues to sweep across the country, with a near record-breaking 49C forecast for Western Australia, and fire danger, health and air quality warnings issued across the nation.

 Sunrise over Altona pier in Melbourne on Thursday. Weather
 temperatures are set to soar as a heatwave stretches across Australia.

On Thursday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology forecast a scorching 49C maximum for Marble Bar and Pannawonica in the Pilbara region of WA – only 2 degrees below the highest temperature ever recorded in Australia, which is 50.7C at South Australia’s Oodnadatta airport in 1960.

By 8.40am on Thursday Marble Bar had already recorded 43.4C, with the worst of the heat to come.

The extreme heat is stretching across WA, SA, Victoria, New South Wales and parts of central Queensland. Temperatures in the south are 10C to 14C higher than average, the bureau said on Wednesday.

Read the story by Naaman Zhou from The Guardian - “Australia’s extreme heatwave spans five states with high of 49C Australia's extreme heatwave spans five states wth high of 49C forecast.”

Melbourne weather: Total fire ban declared across the state

Monday has been declared a total
fire ban day across the state.

Monday has been declared a total fire ban day across the state, with emergency services expecting their worst conditions so far this season.

Temperatures are forecast to hit 42 degrees in parts of Victoria, prompting a health warning in some districts.

The Country Fire Authority has issued an extreme fire danger rating for the North East district, and severe rating for most of the rest of the state.

On Sunday evening, a bushfire was burning at Mooroopna, near Shepparton.

Read the Melbourne Age story - “Melbourne weather: Total fire ban declared across the state.”

'Everyone is under great threat': Call for cyclone-like categories for heatwaves

Heatwaves cause more deaths in Australia than all other natural hazards combined, so authorities should consider a cyclone-like rating system to help people prepare for hot spells, a risk researcher says.

While the Bureau of Meteorology has developed its own system to rank heatwaves, there's still scope to complement it with ratings similar to those used to warn about cyclone intensity, said Thomas Loridan, a lead scientist with research centre Risk Frontiers.

Dr Loridan said the public generally understood the relative threat posed by a category 1 tropical cyclone compared with a category 4 or 5 severe storm, as well as different levels of fire danger.

"When you hear warnings about tropical cyclones or bushfires, it's scary," he said. "But when you hear a warning for a heatwave over the weekend, you tend to take it a bit more lightly."

Read Peter Hannam’s story in the Melbourne Age - “'Everyone is under great threat': Call for cyclone-like categories for heatwaves.”

Extreme fire dange and heat fatigue warning in Victoria as temperatures surge

Craig Lapsley.

Authorities are warning of extreme fire danger and heat fatigue as Victoria prepares to swelter through temperatures in high 30s and 40s.

Victoria's Emergency Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the fire danger would be severe this weekend.

He said people should be aware of the conditions and stay out of the sun and keep hydrated, with a top of 44 degrees Celsius expected.

Read the ABC story - “Authorities warn of extreme fire danger and heat fatigue as Victoria prepares for heatwave.”

Californian drought 'scaring' many people

One of the realities of climate change is being felt in California.

The "worst drought" in 500 years
scaring many Californians.

In a story headed: “California’s drought could be the worst in 500 years” Mother Jones reports Californians are becoming scared.

And it argues that such nervousness is with good reason as the state’s fire danger is alarmingly high and its drinking water is dangerously low.

The story point out that the drought will have repercussions outside the state’s borders for it produces a good chunk of the nation’s food; half of it fruit and vegetables and a significant amount of U.S. dairy products and wine.