extreme weather Feed

extreme weather

person looking at a sunset

Extreme weather is landing more Australians in hospital – and heat is the biggest culprit

02 Nov 2023

As Australia heads into summer with an El Niño, it’s important to understand and prepare for the health risks associated with extreme weather.

Storm clouds over the Sydney skyline

Likelihood of hail in Australia has changed substantially over the last four decades

12 Oct 2023

Understanding how hailstorm frequency has changed over time can help us build resilience against future hail events.

Photo of dried up river in New South Wales

If El Niño is expected, why hasn't it yet been declared in Australia?

18 Jul 2023

A UNSW Sydney scientist explains exactly how an El Niño event manifests and why it can be difficult to predict.  

A sun on the horizon with electricity pylon and cables in the foreground

An El Niño looms over Australia’s stressed electricity system – and we must plan for the worst

09 Jun 2023

The likely El Niño is bad timing for the electricity sector, and means Australians may face supply disruptions and volatile prices.

cyclone seen from space

Cyclone Freddy was the most energetic storm on record. Is it a harbinger of things to come?

20 Mar 2023

The record-breaking Cyclone Freddy was a wake-up call to prepare for the storms of the future.

Very ominous and dark rain clouds move in over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on an otherwise sunny day

Think storms are getting worse? Rapid rain bursts in Sydney are 40% more intense in last 2 decades

11 Nov 2022

The growing threat of flash flooding as a result of more intense rapid rain bursts means the city needs to update its flood defences.

flooding of town

Stormy times still ahead unless lessons are learnt from recent floods

24 May 2022

Australia needs more investment in hydrological modelling and new infrastructure to reduce the impact of major flood events, UNSW expert says.

Avalon rock pool in Sydney in stormy weather

La Niña has been declared. Why should we care?

24 Nov 2021

With La Niña prolonging the wet season, there is an increased risk of flooding along the north, east and southeast regions.

Fire fighters hose fire

There’s no end to the damage humans can wreak on the climate. This is how bad it’s likely to get

17 Aug 2021

Academic research can shed light on crucial questions about what life on Earth will be like under the most plausible emissions scenarios. And a warning: the answers are confronting.

Cows standing in water

Extreme heat and rain: thousands of weather stations show there's now more of both, for longer

07 Jul 2020

As the planet continues to warm, extreme weather events such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall are becoming more frequent, intense and longer, according to global weather data.

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