Queensland Government Biosecurity Officer Tom Bowditch is looking forward to the public release of new Bureau of Meteorology climate forecasting tools that will fill a need for better medium-term forecasts. Tasked with coordinating an ambitious $5.8 million eradication program for Red Witchweed in the Mackay region, Tom credits his early access to the experimental forecasts […]
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In the words of that well-known armchair forecaster, Bob Dylan, ‘the times (and climate) they are a changing’, and this is just as true on the west coast as it is on the east. Over the last 50 years changes in Western Australia’s climate have increased average annual temperatures by one degree Celsius. While rain […]
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Climate models can help farmers get a feel for climate directions, but they don’t always agree and this can be a real challenge for on-farm planning. As NSW grower John Hamparsum says, “Climate is one of the main factors impacting a farming business. A farm is basically a factory without a roof on it and […]
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Whether it is on the sporting field or in the agricultural sector the old adage, a champion team will always beat a team of champions, highlights the importance of a coordinated approach. While each agricultural industry sector faces its own unique set of climate challenges, there are many issues that impact across multiple industries. For […]
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Forecasting weather and climate is a tricky business. The four main climate drivers — the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) — interact in complex ways. Their influence drives local climate and weather outcomes in different ways across Australia. Because of the […]
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