Maleny Weather

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For the first part of the week our weather was dominated by a weak high pressure system moving slowly across southern Queensland and into the Coral Sea. This brought to the Ranges warm northerly winds and above average temperatures.  Then on Thursday night there was a dramatic fall in overnight temperatures as a northwest cloudband moved in with high cloud and a frontal system producing no rain. However, on Saturday and Sunday winds backed to the southeast and brought to the Ranges some useful isolated maritime showers to break the 14 day spell of dry weather.

Outlook The frontal system will move off the coast during Monday allowing ridging from a high pressure system to become our dominant weather pattern on Tuesday.  Conditions should remain fine well into the week. As the week progresses winds will increase with a possibility of some local shower activity later in the week.  

Heavy storms have killed at least seven people in Poland and injured 36 others. Trees were uprooted in many areas and power lines toppled, with 17 people suffering electrical burns. The Czech Republic and parts of Germany also suffered storms with falling trees and local flooding

Data from the past are vital inputs to climate change and global warming research and can help forecast the spread of disease and improve flood forecasts. Rescuing historical environmental data can contribute to improving socio-economic development and human well-being.

The Environmental Data Rescue Organization (IEDRO), based in the USA, is a non-profit organization whose volunteers rescue and digitize historic weather obervations throughout the world.

At least seven people have died in wildfires, fanned by strong winds in hot dry weather, that have swept across France, Greece Spain and Sardinia in the past few days.

Twelve people have died in Japan in floods and landslides that were triggered by torrential downpours. The conditions have hampered rescue operations. Warnings remain in place for western areas.

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A NNW wind on Monday brought a bright winter’s day with clear blue skies and a maximum temperature of twenty-two degrees. Winds backed the following day to SW where it remained for the rest of the week bringing a surge of cold weather up from the southern oceans.  The Wind Chill factor on Friday was five degrees at 7.00am, representing two degrees below the temperature recorded outside.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the south-west coast of New Zealand’s South Island shortly before 7:30pm AEST on Wednesday, prompting a tsunami warning for south of the Hunter in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. This was the first occasion the tsunami buoy warning system was put into operation and proved a useful exercise for future events. Scientists at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have demonstrated for the first time that tsunamis in the open ocean can change sea surface texture in a way that can be measured by satellite-borne radars. The finding could one day help save lives through improved detection and forecasting of tsunami intensity and direction at the ocean surface

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During the first part of the week the high pressure system moved slowly eastward into the Tasman Sea, bringing a stream of moist wind, low level cloud and showers to the Ranges. Temperatures were above average until midweek and then the Ranges came under an influence of a cold frontal system with its dry cold air and clear blue skies. In comparison this week last year we had over two inches of rain.

The development of an El Niño weather pattern is increasing and at this stage may be a medium strength event. According to leading meteorologists it is unlikely to attain the levels of 1997/1998 event. That event killed more than 2000 people and caused billion of dollars worth of damage to crops, infrastructure and mines in Australia and Asia. Leading climate models indicate that warming of the Pacific will continue for the next few seasons, with very little chance of the current development stalling or reversing.

According to official reports, some 500,000 people have been stranded after floods in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam, and most of the rivers are still rising. Floods in India often occur during the monsoon season, which usually lasts from June to September