The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued an Australia-wide reminder for communities to prepare for heatwaves and bushfires in the coming months.
Releasing its Severe Weather Season Outlook, BoM said there was an increased likelihood of more bushfire activity than normal this year and communities needed to be prepared.
The Bureau’s Head of Long-range Forecasts, Andrew Watkins said parts of the country had already been severely affected by bushfires.
“The current state of Australia’s climate drivers means the likelihood of seeing more bushfire activity than normal has increased,” Dr Watkins said.
“The Bureau’s outlook shows we’re likely to see more warmer and drier than average conditions for the coming months. This is due largely to a record strong positive Indian Ocean Dipole, that leads to drier air than usual over northwest Australia.”
He said this would lead to more heatwaves and higher risk of bushfires “particularly when you consider how dry many parts of southern and eastern Australia are at the moment”.
Dr Watkins said that while the outlook predicted a lower risk of widespread flooding and a near normal chance of thunderstorms, “severe thunderstorms and significant rainfall events can happen at any time”.
“Not being complacent and taking the time to know your weather and know your risk is one of the best ways to stay safe during the coming severe weather season,” he said.
BoM has also released its Tropical Cyclone Season Outlook, with the odds favouring fewer cyclones than normal.
Despite this, Dr Watkins was quick to point out that the risk from cyclones was always high.
“We’ve never had a tropical cyclone season without at least one cyclone crossing the coas,” he said.
“This means that despite a reduced risk this season, all communities in northern Australia must be ready.
“Even if cyclones stay well out to sea, they can still pose a significant risk to property and lives through strong winds, intense rain and flooding, and storm surges,” he said.
BoM’s Severe Weather Season Outlook can be accessed at this PS News link.
