Wet, warm start to winter for Australia

The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest seasonal forecast is predicting the start of winter to be wet and warm for large swathes of Australia.

Wetter-than-average conditions are expected across the southeast between next month and July, with daytime temperatures forecast to be warmer than usual.

The bureau’s latest three monthly climate outlook comes after a series of sweltering days across NSW, Victoria and South Australia where April temperatures soared to record highs.

Senior climatologist Lynette Bettio said the forecast reflected warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures around New Zealand and in the Tasman sea.

‘‘This may cause lower pressures over eastern Australia with a swing towards above average rainfall in the far southeast,’’ she said on Thursday.

‘‘Northern Australia is also likely to receive above average rainfall, however we are coming into the dry season across the north so we don’t need large rainfall totals to exceed the median.

‘‘Days and nights are forecast to be warmer than average across the south and cooler than average across parts of northern Australia, especially in Queensland.’’ — AAP

AAP story from The Shepparton News - “Wet, warm start to winter for Australia."

Why climate change may be to blame for dangerous cold blanketing eastern U.S.

Biting Arctic air — bringing wind chills as low as 30 below — will make the outdoors miserable for more than 130 million Americans in the Northeast, as well as parts of the Southeast and Great Plains this weekend, forecasters warn.

The polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air
surrounding the Earth's North and South poles.

But before folks file this cold snap away under "typical winter weather," scientists say the potentially record-breaking temperatures in store for Friday night through Sunday are being fed, at least in part, by a warming climate.

Confused?

It might seem like the effects of "global warming" would herald an end to these frigid conditions. President Donald Trump suggested so in a mocking tweet before the New Year, writing, "In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year's Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming ... "

Read the NBC News story by Eric Ortiz - “Why climate change may be to blame for dangerous cold blanketing eastern U.S.”

Mid-week scorcher on the way for the southeast

The mercury is set to sizzle in Australia's southeast this week, with some areas likely to push 40 degrees. 

Temperatures will begin to climb from Monday. 

A very hot air mass will gradually approach from the northwest over the coming days, blanketing the southeast in very hot temperatures.

Although tomorrow will be hot in many inland areas of the southeast, even hotter temperatures will begin arriving on Tuesday, with the peak of the heat on Wednesday and Thursday.

Read the nine.com.au story - “Mid-week scorcher on the way for the southeast.”

(No mention that this might be connected to climate change - Robert McLean)