El Niño combined with global warming means big changes for New Zealand’s weather
2016 was the world’s warmest year on record, due in part to a very strong El Niño event. But 2023 (and 2024) could beat that record – what should we expect?
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What are ‘bomb cyclones’? An expert explains what’s behind these intense winter storms
The US was hit by a ‘bomb cyclone’ last week, bringing icy cold and driving snow. These storms develop very rapidly, forming outside the tropics, typically on continental east coasts in winter.
Vietnam’s typhoon disaster highlights the plight of its poorest people
Vietnam has been hit by its fiercest storm in a decade, bringing home the reality of the risks faced by many poor and vulnerable people in flood-prone regions around the world.
Cities are making it rain more – but not as much as scientists thought
A new study shows it does rain more in cities, but the trend over time has been exaggerated by changes in satellites.
Is this Australia’s climate wake‑up call? Official report reveals a hotter, harder future if we don’t act now
The sobering assessment is a national call to action. The sooner Australia mitigates and adapts, the safer we will be.
Super cyclonic storm Phailin: the strongest cyclone ever in the North Indian Ocean Basin
Phailin (the Thai word for sapphire) is officially the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded to make landfall over India. Phailin had begun as a tropical storm with 105kph (65mph) winds, but rapidly…
Nine years after the Pasha Bulker storm, we’re finally getting a handle on East Coast Lows
Most people in Australia’s southeast are familiar with the stormy weather known as East Coast Lows. But they might not realise how much scientific progress has been made in understanding them.
New marine reserves won’t address UNESCO’s Reef concerns
Today’s announcement of a network of marine parks for Australia is a big step forward in marine conservation. However, major threats to one iconic marine area, the Great Barrier Reef, are land-based…
Rising seas will displace millions of people – and Australia must be ready
In 2017 18.8 million people were displaced by natural disasters, with floods accounting for 8.6 million. Climate change is poised to drive those numbers higher still.
How to work out which coral reefs will bleach, and which might be spared
Regional variations in sea temperature can make all the difference between a coral reef suffering major bleaching or surviving as a refuge for corals, new research shows.