First Heat Wave of the Year Brings Record-High Temperatures, Fire Risk to Bay Area

Just two weeks after rain and cool temperatures put a damper on many Bay Area Memorial Day weekend plans, the region is getting its first real heat wave of the year.

Parts of the Bay Area are expected to break 100 degrees on Sunday and Monday. 

Record or near-record temperatures registered across the Bay Area on Sunday. Downtown San Francisco tied a 33-year-old record high at 91 degrees, the same temperature recorded at the Oakland Airport, a full 5 degrees higher than its previous record. Half Moon Bay obliterated its previous June 9 high of 72 degrees in 1941 with an 86 degree scorcher on Sunday.

Much of the North and South Bays neared triple digit temperatures on Sunday, and the heat is expected to be even worse on Monday, with several cities forecast to break 100 degrees. The National Weather Service issued heat advisories for much of the Bay Area on Sunday and Monday.

"Sensitive populations like the elderly, children, even pets should pay special attention to staying cool because they're the most vulnerable in these types of situations," said National Weather Service meteorologist Spencer Tangen.

Read the story from KQED News by Ryan Levi and Raquel Maria Dillon - “First Heat Wave of the Year Brings Record-High Temperatures, Fire Risk to Bay Area.”

Mozambique hit by unprecedented second cyclone in season

Johannesburg: The second powerful cyclone to rip into Mozambique in just six weeks has stunned residents in a region where such storms had not been recorded in the modern era.

Buildings damaged after Cyclone Kenneth made landfall in Pemba, Mozambique. 

Three deaths were reported from Cyclone Kenneth and the United Nations warned of "massive flooding" ahead.

Kenneth had maximum sustained winds of 220km/h, equal to a Category 4 hurricane, before it made landfall on Thursday evening in far northern Mozambique, the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre said.

It was the first time in recorded history that the southern African nation has been hit by two cyclones in one season, the UN said.

Read the story from The Age by Cara Anna - “Mozambique hit by unprecedented second cyclone in season.”

Dozens evacuated in Queensland floods as Townsville declared a disaster zone.

The Queensland coastal city of Townsville is in emergency shutdown after storms and a monsoon trough dumped extraordinary amounts of rain in the region, causing major rivers to reach peak flood levels.

Floodwaters at a home in Bluewater pushed a shipping container on its side. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk gave police evacuation powers and declared the area a disaster zone, announcing the closure of all schools and child care centres on Friday.

“We’ve had cyclones, bushfires, and now these one-in-100-year extreme flood events,’’ a government spokesman said.

“It went from a normal north Queensland wet season into something extraordinary.”

Record rainfall in recent days is set to continue as police warn isolated areas around Townsville “could get falls of up to 400 millimetres a day”.

Read The New Daily story  -  “Dozens evacuated in Queensland floods as Townsville declared a disaster zone.”

Stumping up for solar switch.

A number of significant solar farms for the region may be in the wings.

But on a smaller scale, Greater Shepparton City Council has pulled the trigger on $225 500 to install solar panels on its own facilities to help cut costs amid the climbing price of power.

And Shepparton, once known as the solar city, may one day be the solar-powered city, with hopes for more council assets to progressively turn to renewables.

Councillors this week commended the spend for the lump sum contract for solar installation on council buildings.

Cr Bruce Giovanetti said councillors were aware electricity costs were set to climb in the next year.

‘‘It’s great to see council is taking a proactive approach to ensuring we can reduce energy consumption costs as much as we can,’’ he said.

‘‘Hopefully this is just stage one of a number of stages of solar panels on council buildings.’’

Cr Dinny Adem added he was glad to see the transition ‘‘finally taking place’’ to reduce energy costs and the city’s carbon footprint.

‘‘I’m very pleased to see that moving forward,’’ he said.

Following this week’s council meeting, Mayor Kim O’Keeffe argued ‘‘every dollar counts’’ and that the council needed cut costs where possible.

‘‘In this space it is something we need to do,’’ she said.

‘‘Because costs are going to come up against other things that we may have to compromise with. ‘‘This is a great start.’’ 

In November last year, the council predicted the amount it paid for power might increase by up to 50 or 60 per cent in coming years.

A parliamentary inquiry in Shepparton into the health of regional councils’ finances last year heard from council representatives the impact rising power prices had on finances.

While acknowledging the significant price increases experienced, the council said it was on the front foot in managing energy use.

Council’s environment manager Greg McKenzie at the time said energy reduction measures integrated as part of a council plan were expected to reduce energy consumption by 8.5 per cent through to 2020 from 2014 levels.

Mr McKenzie said council energy usage had been predominantly in decline since 2010 and would continue to be, despite major new infrastructure projects in the wings, including the new Shepparton Art Museum and Cosgrove Three landfill.

But despite the decline in use, costs were climbing.

‘‘We recognise that even though our energy usage is declining, our costs continue to rise,’’ Mr McKenzie said.

‘‘The major issue is the volatility of the market. (This is) why council has an energy reduction plan.’’

Story by Thomas Moir from the Shepparton News - “Stumping up for solar switch.”

Nundle mulls wind farm benefits, jobs and visual impact

THE proposed $600-million wind farm near Nundle would bring more than 300 jobs to the region, the project’s developer says.

PICTURESQUE: The main concern about the proposal is
 about the visual impact it will have on Nundle's hills of gold.

The 98-wind turbine proposal from Wind Energy Partners would need a workforce of 272 during its 18 to 24 month construction phase.

Once completed, there would be up to 34 ongoing jobs to operate and maintain the wind farm over its 25-year lifetime.

There is also the potential for the project to include a solar farm, located on Lindsays Gap Rd, near Old Wallabadah Rd, towards the New England Hwy.

Wind Energy Partners have suggested it would create a community investment fund, to give back to the region around the wind farm.

Read from The National Daily Leader - “Nundle mulls wind farm benefits, jobs and visual impact.”

Queensland weather: Heavy rain eases across south-east, disaster package announced

After more than 24 hours of heavy rain across south-east Queensland, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has cancelled all severe weather warnings for the region, indicating the worst is over for the time being.

A 4WD crosses the flooded Clagiraba Creek
causeway west of Nerang on Saturday.

But the BOM has warned the situation is being closely monitored and that further severe weather warnings would be issued if necessary.

Some drenched Brisbane suburbs exceeded the average monthly rainfall for February in just 24 hours, BOM forecaster David Crock said.

Read the ABC News story - “Queensland weather: Heavy rain eases across south-east, disaster package announced.”

Cool weather before heat and potential rain

A subtle change behind a string of hot days is what has caused volatile temperatures across the region, but temperatures will remain at a low level in coming days.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Richard Carlyon.

Day time temperatures are soon likely to be warmer than average across the state, but Bureau of Meteorology climatologists say Greater Shepparton is in for a cooler change before the heat, humidity and potential rain sets in next week.

BoM senior forecaster Richard Carlyon said the region would manage to stay dry throughout the weekend and early next week, with a potential front pushing through on Tuesday.

‘‘A strong high pressure system south of the bite is very slowly moving and it’s just drifting towards us, and what it means is that we’re having fairly similar weather for the next three or four days,’’ Mr Carlyon said.

‘‘The next few days are pretty average, before we see showers developing on late Tuesday.’’

While rainfall across Australia for the spring period is showing no particular shift towards a wetter or dryer period, rainfall totals for spring in northern Victoria have been well below average.

Shepparton totals have reached only 8 mm for October, significantly lower than the average of 31 mm with the month almost over.

Mr Carlyon said while rainfall was forecast for the region from Tuesday, it would unlikely reach any significant falls to meet the average.

Across the far northern coast of Australia, as well as the south-east states, daytime and overnight temperatures and likely to be warmer than average in the next couple of months, according to BoM senior hydrologist Paul Feikema.

Mr Feikema said there were a number of climate drivers that tipped towards both dryer and wetter than average temperatures.

After one of the driest and warmest winters on record for much of Australia, he said spring had also started off dry for the majority of the country.

‘‘Some places will have above average, some below depending on the local weather forecast,’’ he said.

‘‘Days and nights are likely to remain above average for large parts of south-east Australia. 

Vegetation that grew in the wet of 2016 is now drying out, raising bushfire potential for many parts of Australia, which we have already witnessed.’’

Story from the Shepparton News by Rhiannon Tuffield - “Cool weather before heat and potential rain.”

Gas wars fire up in Victoria as consumers feel the heat

The Twelve Apostles are not the only diminishing resource in Victoria's Otways.

Tim O'Brien, managing director of Lakes Oil, which
 wants to drill for onshore gas in the Otways.

The region is running short of gas too, at least out at sea where it's legal to tap into it.

Port Campbell's offshore gas wells have supplied the nation with energy for decades and helped to make Victoria Australia's leading gas exporter, but they are running dry.

Gas there is "in steep decline, with offshore fields at or near end-of-life", Australia's energy market operator, AEMO, warns.

Read Adam Carey’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Gas wars fire up in Victoria as consumers feel the heat.”

'Aim for the targets' - Shepparton News

As the Federal Government hints it might step away from a clean energy target, the Goulburn Valley Environment Group believes the target would improve certainty and remove barriers to solar investment in the region.

Tatura's Terry Court - clean energy target a
sound way of managing this
transition to a carbon less economy.

GVEG energy spokesperson Terry Court said the clean energy target, among a raft of recommendations handed down by chief scientist Alan Finkel, was ‘‘a sound way of managing this transition to a carbon less economy’’ and a vital component of the Finkel report.

‘‘We should introduce it and we should not waiver,’’ he said.

He said such a target would give industry incentive and offer a sound policy foundation to facilitate substantial investment.

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg told an energy summit on Monday the government was considering its new policy against a backdrop of the rapidly-falling cost of renewables and storage, greater efficiencies being found in thermal generation and the need for power which can be delivered according to the market’s needs.

A new poll shows nearly threequarters of Coalition voters think the policy is a good idea.

The Australia Institute polling found almost four in five people said the government should introduce a clean energy target to encourage the construction of new clean energy sources.

But the clean energy target recommended by Dr Finkel was unpopular with conservative MPs, who do not want more subsidies for renewables and favour government support for coal-generated power.

‘‘I notice the Coalition has taken on all Finkel recommendations other than this one,’’ Mr Court said.

‘‘I think they’re being driven by some very conservative and naive elements of the Coalition government,’’ he said.

‘‘And some of them are complete and utter climate change deniers.’’

In a speech in London this week, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said climate change may be doing more good than harm.

Mr Frydenberg’s response was blunt: ‘‘Climate change is real.’’ Mr Court said an opportunity existed for bipartisan agreement on a target.

‘‘(A target) that might not be as ambitious, but one that can certainly help provide a sound foundation for investment,’’ he said.

He said large industry wanted the introduction of a clean energy target ‘‘so they know where they’re going’’.

A positive for such a target locally, was several large scale solar instillations being planned for the region, he said.

‘‘If we can get some policy certainty here, more installations will be constructed,’’ he said.

‘‘So they can make that investment. (At the moment) it’s holding back investment.’’

Story from today’s Shepparton News - “Aim for the targets.”

NSW farmers urged to plan for dry season as lack of rain increases pressure on landholders

A sheep and cattle farmer from the New South Wales Hunter Valley says conditions in the region have not been as dry as they currently are in almost 40 years.

Large parts of NSW are in desperate need of rain.

The observation came as farmers were urged to plan for the warmer months in a bid to mitigate the effects of the harsh conditions.

Ian MacCallum has worked the land around Moonan Flat in the Upper Hunter for 60 years.

"For the cattle industry, it is particularly bad because our cows have just calved, and we've got young calves on the ground which are this coming year's income.

Read the ABC News story - “NSW farmers urged to plan for dry season as lack of rain increases pressure on landholders.”

Scorcher sees weather records smashed

WEATHER forecasters predicted hot conditions would hit, and they did, with temperature records smashed across the region.

Yesterday’s heatwave-like conditions caused all-time September high temperatures in Toowoomba, Warwick and Gatton.

SCORCHING SEPTEMBER: Toowoomba builder
Luke Maiden cools off during yesterday’s hot conditions.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jim Richardson said Toowoomba hit 34.9 degrees at 3.04pm yesterday after hitting 33.3 degrees on Sunday.

The previous Toowoomba September record was set on September 26, 2013, with 34.4 degrees.

Mr Richardson said Warwick also broke its record for its hottest September day, recording 36.6 degrees at 2.13pm yesterday.

Its previous hottest temperature was 35.1 degrees.

Gatton was the hottest of them all, getting a maximum temperature of 39.5 degrees at 1.57pm yesterday.

That broke the record set on Sunday with 38.7 degrees.

Also breaking September records were Applethorpe with 31.7 degrees, Miles with

39.5 degrees, Dalby with 37.6 degrees and Wellcamp airport which recorded 37.4 degrees.

Mr Richardson called the conditions a “low-intensity heatwave”.

“So (it will) probably moderate a bit today and then cool down by the

weekend a fair bit,” he said.

Toowoomba will see a reprieve from the hot weather that will set in from today, with 32 degrees forecast for today, 28 degrees for tomorrow and 23 degrees for Sunday and Monday with the chance of showers.

Outside of the Toowoomba region, other Queensland towns also broke September all-time high records yesterday including Ipswich 39.3, Beaudesert 37.3 degrees, Kingaroy 35.9 degrees, Maroochydore 35.7 degrees, Nambour 35.9 degrees and Tewantin 35.4 degrees.

Read The Chronicle story - “Scorcher sees weather records smashed.”

Pacific Islands Forum: Climate change and illegal fishing on agenda for Samoa meeting

Leaders from around the region will attempt to form a collective voice on such varied topics as climate change, illegal fishing and labour mobility as they gather in Samoa's capital Apia for the annual Pacific Islands Forum.

This year's gathering of Pacific leaders comes
 as the Australian Government pledges to
renew its engagement with the region.

The official theme of this year's forum is The Blue Pacific: Our Sea of Islands, Our Security through Sustainable Development, Management and Conservation.

In an address to journalists ahead of the forum, Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the theme provided a new narrative for how the forum engaged with the world with a unified voice.

"By the sheer fact of our geography, such as trends associated with shifts in the centres of global power, this places the Pacific at the centre of contemporary global geopolitics," he said.

Read the ABC News story - “Pacific Islands Forum: Climate change and illegal fishing on agenda for Samoa meeting.”

7,000 underground gas bubbles poised to ‘explode’ in Arctic

Scientists have discovered as many as 7,000 gas-filled 'bubbles' expected to explode in Actic regions of Siberia after an exercise involving field expeditions and satellite surveillance, TASS reported.

With time the bubble explodes, releasing gas. This
 is how gigantic funnels form.' Picture: Yamal Region.

A number of large craters - seen on our images here - have appeared on the landscape in northern Siberia in recent years and they are being carefully studied by scientists who believe they were formed when pingos exploded.  

Alexey Titovsky, director of Yamal department for science and innovation, said:  'At first such a bump is a bubble, or 'bulgunyakh' in the local Yakut language. 

'With time the bubble explodes, releasing gas. This is how gigantic funnels form.' 

Read The Siberian Times story - “7,000 underground gas bubbles poised to ‘explode’ in Arctic.”