Not the biggest surprise given the developing El Niño in the Pacific, but global sea-surface temperatures were at record levels in July… (this chart via BoM):
Peter Hannam
@peterhannam1.bsky.social
Media adviser at Australia’s Climate Change Authority (but views here are my own). Soon to be a senior reporter for Renew Economy. Formerly at the Guardian, SMH/Age and Bloomberg. Every part of a degree of heating matters. (Also via 88phannam@gmail.com)
Australia had a generally drier than average July, with rainfall about 61% below average. Not a good set-up as the record El Niño builds in the Pacific … (via BoM)
Some news from me... From the middle of August, I'll be working as a senior reporter with Renew Economy. I've really enjoyed my time at the Climate Change Authority working closely with its energetic chair, The Hon. Matt Kean and the CCA’s many talented staff. 1/3
Global sea-surface temperatures were a record high in June…with a trend line that climate change deniers would struggle to explain away… (Via BoM)
One of these is not going to age well. Today’s lead editorial in The Australian, and a truly shocking temperature jump in the ‘cradle’ of El Niños:
Mid-afternoon, mid-winter and electricity is at negative wholesale prices across eastern Australia:
Great Barrier Reef not in danger? "The highest risks ...are for the [GBR] coral reefs, with the increasing sea temperature and ocean acidification, both almost certain risks with catastrophic consequences" National Climate Risk Assessment Marine Technical Report publications.csiro.au/publications...
Great Barrier Reef avoids World Heritage 'in danger' listing
The UN body raised "utmost concern" over the site's declining coral cover after mass bleaching events in 2024 and 2025.
abc.net.au
Two contrary takes, running in today’s Australian. At least the version via The Times (right), recognises European heatwaves are getting worse and that air-conditioning won’t save the harvests, etc…
June in Australia was another relatively warm month particularly in the summer east… including for maximum temperatures. (All via BoM)
Here’s how Australia’s rainfall deciles looked for June…with parts of the south relatively wet… a lot of the east relatively dry…
Task: make record UK heat seem banal or exaggerated. How did Campion (who almost never discloses her relationship to now One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce) do? (UK just posted record June heat for a third day running.)
The Blue Mountains, on Sydney’s west, are full of wonders, even towards mid-winter…
The Blue Mountains, so close to Sydney yet almost another world..
Australia had another warmer than average May and autumn, while increased rainfall in places like South Australia helped moderate the heat. Here’s how the maximums looked in May:
For May, parts of the south and the east got some much needed rain…
Articles like this one in today’s Australian (with an accompanying editorial odd when so much else was happening this week) are meant to confound and confuse…and of course delay climate action…
Second driest April on record for NSW, behind April 1997 at the start of the strong 1997-98 El Niño. Also driest April for the Murray Darling Basin since 1997, and the 7th driest April for the MDB on record. www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/clim...
Peter Hannam@peterhannam1.bsky.social · 3mo agoThe April weather story for Australia is very much about rain - or the lack of it - especially in eastern Australia.
The April weather story for Australia is very much about rain - or the lack of it - especially in eastern Australia.
The big wet across parts of central Australia meant, among other things, that Australia posted a relatively cool March. The coolest since March 2012, at least for maximums: (via BoM):
Unusually, The Australian runs a piece (via WSJ) in praise of EVs… though you have to read to the end…
One other chart for summer… Coral Sea surface temperatures hit a record high for the summer just past… (Via BoM)
Peter Hannam@peterhannam1.bsky.social · 5mo agoSo let’s take a look at Australian weather in February and across the summer…with some BoM charts. Here’s how February stacked up for maximum temperatures…with the blue region coinciding with the unusually heavy rains)…
So let’s take a look at Australian weather in February and across the summer…with some BoM charts. Here’s how February stacked up for maximum temperatures…with the blue region coinciding with the unusually heavy rains)…
The Washington Post was consistently doing some of the best climate reporting out there in recent years. This is a huge loss (h/t @sammyroth.bsky.social) open.substack.com/pub/climatec...
Breaking: Washington Post gutting its climate team
Clean energy dies in darkness. Courtesy of Jeff Bezos.
open.substack.com
Just to close the loop here. A cozy club of just the very worst people.
Bill Gates Gave $3.5M to Think Tank Run by Climate Crisis Denier Bjorn Lomborg
Tax records reveal that the billionaire’s foundation has donated for years to Lomborg’s Copenhagen Consensus Center.
desmog.com
PM2.5 Kills ~9 Million People Each Year Worldwide@tkovach.bsky.social · 6mo agoIt's hard to keep up, but did we already know Bjorn Lomborg was hanging out with Epstein?
January was another above-average month in Australia…not a big surprise but the size of the area with average maximums for the month of 39C or higher is notable:
South Australia’s Port Augusta hits 50C… and how it stacks up historically (via BoM)
