Grey nomads who have delayed or maybe abandoned plans to head this winter may be regretting that decision around about now. But, on the other hand, those who are already in the tropics may be sweating ion just how high the temperatures are going to go!
Meteorologists say the south-east is enduring a particularly chilly start to winter, while the north is sweltering through near record high June temperatures.
The Guardian reports that, in the first week of winter, most of the south-east experienced far colder than usual temperatures coupled with strong winds.
Sydney has endured its coldest first week of June in more than 30 years. The first seven days of June in Sydney have all failed to reach 18.5C and that hasn’t happened since 1989.
“It has been an unusually cold start to winter for south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales and southern Queensland,” said Weatherzone meteorologist, Ben Domensino. “That’s due to a series of cold fronts that have moved out into the south-east of the country during the first week of June.”
Mr Domensino said strong winds had made it feel even colder.
“At times, temperatures have been feeling more than five degrees colder than the actual air temperature due to that wind chill,” he told the Guardian.
For grey nomads already in the north it is a very different climactic story.
Bradshaw in the Northern Territory hit 37.8C on Sunday, the second highest June temperature on record in Australia.
And the unusually low and unusually high temperatures are apparently linked.
Mr Domensino said that, due to the way the air circulates around the weather systems over Australia, the south-westerly winds and the cold fronts that are going over the south of the country have ‘caused a spell of very warm easterly winds over the Northern Territory’s top end, making temperatures soar’.
Please do enlighten folks on effects on your travels but, please spare us of any “wild” statements about climate change rubbish 🙂
I was waiting for it as soon as The Guardian was quoted but happy that the article remained factual