Try not to faint with shock, but the Bureau of Meteorology reckons we’re staring down the barrel of an uncharacteristically hot and dry summer.
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In the freshly released Severe Weather Outlook 2019—20, the Bureau predicts that from October this year through to April next year, we’ll be looking at a higher than normal risk of heatwaves and bushfires — thanks in part to widespread, ongoing drought.
In the report, senior meteorologist Adam Morgan says that we will be heading into summer with a country that is already largely quite toasty, having experienced historically low rainfall and with our daytime temperatures so far tracking to be the highest on record.
As a result of the already very dry soil in the country and a forecast for a lot of clear skies in the coming months, we’re looking at an increased chance of heatwaves through the south and east of the country as winds push the extreme heat from the centre of the country out and down.
The fire season, which kicked off a month earlier than usual, will see a higher than normal chance of bushfires throughout the country, thanks to increasingly dry conditions.
On the flip side, the Bureau is anticipating fewer cyclones making coastal landfall during cyclone season and a lower risk of widespread flooding.
You can watch the full report below:
If you’re interested in finding out a bit more about what the upcoming fire season will look like and how we’re not quite prepared to deal with it, the ABC’s investigative journalism podcast Background Briefing just did a joint report with Landline on this that is just mildly fucking terrifying.
