Floods, extreme weather and climate change: In the media
Updated: 16 January 2011
''I hope and pray that mother nature is leaving us alone to get on with the job of cleaning up and recovering from this event,''
- Queensland Premier Anna Bligh, quoted in The Age, 15 January 2011.
Rapid roundup: Queensland flood crisis – experts respond
Australian Science Media Centre
http://www.aussmc.org/2011/01/rapid-roundup-queensland-flood-crisis-%E2%...
Hotter, colder, wetter: it's a new world of extremes
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/weather/hotter-colder-wetter-its-a-...
Gary Tippet and Mark Russell, Sunday Age, January 16, 2011
IN A land of droughts and flooding rains, it's often hard to remember when you're being scorched by one or submerged by the other. But lately Australia seems to be oscillating between increasingly regular and ruinous extreme weather events - and sometimes suffering the opposite ends of the extremes at the same time.
More of Australia getting hot and wet extremes
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/weather/more-of-australia-getting-h...
Adam Morton, The Age, January 16, 2011
THE proportion of Australia experiencing hot and wet extremes has increased in line with predictions of the impact of rising greenhouse gas emissions.
Of droughts, flooding rains and climate change
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/editorial/of-droughts-flooding-rains-an...
Age Editorial, January 16, 2011
We respond well to an emergency, but global warming is an emergency too.
Ex-Met Office chief blames greenhouse gases for floods
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/01/15/ex-met-office-ch...
Aled Blake, Western Mail, 15 January 2011
EXTREME weather events in Brazil and Australia, which have killed hundreds of people, point towards a global warming trend, a Welsh climate change expert said last night.
Chief Scientist: Room for hope as floodwaters subside
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/room-for-hope-as-flood...
Penny Sackett, SMH, January 15, 2011
This devastation can help us learn to deal with changing natural forces.
Disaster expert urges a retreat from the coast
http://www.theage.com.au/national/disaster-expert-urges-a-retreat-from-t...
Karen Kissane, The Age, January 15, 2011
Some areas of Queensland are so flood-prone they should never have been built on and should be declared no-go zones, with residents bought out and moved out, according to an international disaster expert.
2010 the planet's wettest year and equal hottest
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/2010-the-planets-wettest-year-and-e...
The Age, January 14, 2011
Last year was the world's wettest on record, and tied 2005 as the hottest year since record-keeping began in 1880
Climate chaos across world as La Nina makes her mark
http://www.theage.com.au/world/climate-chaos-across-world-as-la-nina-mak...
Megan Levy, The Age, January 14, 2011
As Queenslanders battle the state's worst flooding disaster in decades, countries around the world are also grappling with climatic chaos that has killed hundreds and affected millions more.
El Nino seen triggering next world warmth record
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70C2ZF20110113
Alister Doyle, Reuters, 13 January 2011
Last year tied with 2005 as the warmest on record, according to U.S. agencies, but is likely to be overtaken soon by the next year with a strong El Nino weather event, experts said on Thursday.
All the wrong stars aligned for perfect storms
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/all-the-wrong-stars-aligned-fo...
Bridie Smith, SMH, January 12, 2011
Wild extremes being experienced by the continent are in keeping with scientists' forecasts of more flooding associated with increased heavy rain and more droughts as a result of high temperatures and more evaporation
Scientists see climate change link to Australian floods
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70B1XF20110112
David Fogarty, Reuters, 12 January 2011
Climate change has likely intensified the monsoon rains that have triggered record floods in Australia's Queensland state, scientists said on Wednesday, with several months of heavy rain and storms still to come.
Fire and rain: the lessons of natural disasters
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/editorial/fire-and-rain-the-lessons-of-...
The Age editorial, January 12, 2011
Queenslanders knew this summer's storms would be severe and bad flooding was likely.
Global warming will cause further extreme weather patterns, climate change chief says
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/global-warming-...
Joe Kelly, The Australian, January 11, 2011 5:37PM
One of Julia Gillard's top climate change advisers has warned that global warming may cause more extreme rain events.
Australia floods: La Niña to blame
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/11/australia-floods-la-nina
Damian Carrington, guardian.co.uk, 11 January 2011
As more energy and moisture is put into the atmosphere [by warming], the likelihood of storms, hurricanes and tornadoes increases
Have Insurers Begun to Detect Climate Change in Storm Damage?
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=have-insurers-begun-to-...
Evan Lehmann and Climatewire, SCientific American, January 11, 2011
It's likely that the number of strong storms involving rain, snow and hail is also rising because of warming temperatures, not just urban sprawl and expanding development
ACF Flooding and climate change fact sheet
http://www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res/Flooding_fact_sheet_12-1-11.pdf
Global weather disasters a sign the heat is on
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/global-weather-disasters-a-...
Mike Steketee, The Australian, 8 January 2011
Meteorological figures confirm the empirical evidence that temperatures are rising.
Floods can help Australia rise toward adaptation to climate change
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2011/0105/Floods-c...
CS Monitor editorial, 5 January 2011
The Queensland floods and other recent record-breaking weather events can help push Australia further toward becoming a world leader in adapting to the predicted effects of global warming.
2010 among Australia's wettest on record
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/05/3106683.htm
ABC News, 5 January 2011
Australia recorded its third wettest year on record in 2010, with 11 months of above-average rainfall soaking the east of the country because of the La Nina weather system.
AND
Very wet and very hot, 2010 gives records a good shake
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/very-wet-and-very-hot-2010-gives-recor...
20110105-19g90.html
The Age, January 6, 2011
It broke the drought and flooded the state, but 2010 wasn't the wettest year Victoria has had.
BoM Annual Australian Climate Statement 2010
http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/climate/change/201101...
Munich Re: “The only plausible explanation for the rise in weather-related catastrophes is climate change”
http://climateprogress.org/2011/01/04/munich-re-pielke-extreme-weather-d...
Climate Progess, 4 January 2011
Anthropogenic climate change will almost certainly increase the number of the most destructive hurricanes.
From June 2010
Exclusive interview: NCAR’s Trenberth on the link between global warming and extreme deluges
http://climateprogress.org/2010/06/14/ncar-trenberth-global-warming-extr...
CSIRO research
Extreme weather events - what can we expect?
http://www.csiro.au/science/adapt-extreme-weather.html
From the research archives.....
New breed of El Nino on the rise & will also more intense monsoons over northern Australiahttp://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2009/09/24/2695181.htm
Climate change to increase extreme rainfall (2004)
http://www.csiro.au/files/mediaRelease/mr2004/rain2040.htm
More floods, population: more costs at the coast (2003)
http://www.csiro.au/files/mediaRelease/mr2003/Prextreme.htm
