Melbourne's weather is infamously unpredictable, and it has certainly been living up to its volatile reputation so far this year. First, the city had its driest March on record, then the wettest April day in almost 50 years. And the rollercoaster continues, as the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has given its verdict on what's in store for Melburnians this winter. Unfortunately, the details are pretty concerning.
According to weather forecasters, the next few months are set to be hotter than usual. In the BOM's latest climate outlook summary, weather data shows that the whole country is heading into what could be the warmest winter ever recorded. Days and nights are highly likely to be noticeably warmer than average, with a very strong chance that both the median maximum and minimum temperatures will be "unusually warm".
For the entire East Coast, it's predicted that temperatures will be four times more likely to be in the top 20 per cent of the hottest recorded between June and August. Historically, the average temperature in Melbourne for this period is around nine to 12 degrees.
As for whether we'll be getting good use out of our umbrellas this winter, that looks less likely. Forecasters have predicted a lower chance of rain levels exceeding the median amount, with no major downpours expected. But when it does, remember to take heed of these rainy day etiquette reminders.
We're all for a reprieve from Melbourne's typically freezing winter conditions, but with weather forecasters pointing to greenhouse gas emissions as the reason for this change in climate, that's definitely not good news. In its climate outlook summary, the BOM pointed to global sea surface temperatures being the warmest on record between April 2023 and April 2024, noting that Australia's warming climate has caused an increase in the frequency of extreme heat events.
On the plus side, Melburnians will hopefully be able to save a little bit of extra cash on their heating bills and help reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by using less heating. To find out more about the Australian weather climate, go to the Bureau of Meteorology website.
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