Out of the 245 natural disasters in 2009, 224 were weather related, accounting for 55 million people out of the 58 million people affected and 7 000 out of 8 900 of those killed.  The Belgian World Health Organization-collaborating Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) released these preliminary 2009 disaster figures for the period from 1 January to November 2009. A joint press conference was held in Copenhagen today by WMO, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and the United Nations Development Programme. Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of WMO, underlined the importance of early warning systems and seasonal climate forecasts to manage risks and to better prepare vulnerable populations to cope with more extreme events.

From Monday through to Thursday the weather on the Range was influenced by a high north of New Zealand extending a weak ridge of high pressure along the east coast of Queensland. This synoptic situation resulted in hot north-westerly winds raising daytime temperatures into the low thirties and overnight temperatures to around 20ºC.  At 9.00pm on Friday winds backed southerly bringing a cool change and overcast conditions over the next couple of days. There were thunderclouds over Maleny on late Saturday and Sunday afternoons and once again the rain drops could be counted on one hand. Radar showed the thunderstorms by-passing Maleny on each occasion. According to weather lore, a change in the weather is expected with the new moon on Wednesday 16^th.

*Warning issued – danger of heat exhaustion or heatstroke possible 

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Geneva, 8 December 2009 (WMO) – The year 2009 is likely to rank in the top 10 warmest on record since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The global combined sea surface and land surface air temperature for 2009 (January–October) is currently estimated at 0.44°C ± 0.11°C (0.79°F ± 0.20°F) above the 1961–1990 annual average of 14.00°C/57.2°F. The current nominal ranking of 2009, which does not account for uncertainties in the annual averages, places it as the fifth-warmest year. The decade of the 2000s (2000–2009) was warmer than the decade spanning the 1990s (1990–1999), which in turn was warmer than the 1980s (1980–1989). More complete data for the remainder of the year 2009 will be analysed at the beginning of 2010 to update the current assessment.

This year above-normal temperatures were recorded in most parts of the continents. Only North America (United States and Canada) experienced conditions that were cooler than average. Given the current figures, large parts of southern Asia and central Africa are likely to have the warmest year on record.

Climate extremes, including devastating floods, severe droughts, snowstorms, heatwaves and cold waves, were recorded in many parts of the world. This year the extreme warm events were more frequent and intense in southern South America, Australia and southern Asia, in particular. La Niña conditions shifted into a warm-phase El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in June. The Arctic sea ice extent during the melt season ranked the third lowest, after the lowest and second-lowest records set in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

People in the north-central part of the Canadian province of Ontario are digging out after one of the worst snow storms on record.Some areas north of Toronto received as much as 100 centimetres of snow over the past three days.The main highway through the region re-opened for the first time in days, but nearly all side roads remain closed, blocked by a thick blanket of snow, in some areas chest high.More than 100,000 people have been affected by the storm either cut off in smaller communities or in their cottages or stranded by the road closures.

The Bureau of Meteorology report a mature El Niño conditions continue to dominate the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Ocean surface temperatures in the central Pacific remain at levels not seen since the El Niño events of 2002-03 and 1997-98, with values more than 2°C above normal in places along the equator. Leading climate models continue to suggest tropical ocean temperatures will remain above El Niño thresholds into the new year, though most indicate the El Niño will decline after the southern hemisphere summer.

Over the past fortnight, the Southern Oscillation Index has remained steady at levels typical of an El Niño event, while temperatures below the tropical Pacific Ocean surface have cooled slightly in central regions. However, Trade winds have weakened considerably over the same period, which may lead to some renewed warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

The poor start to the northern wet season and the occurance of spring heatwaves are both typical impacts for an El Niño event. However, the influence of El Niño events on Australian rainfall typically declines by mid to late summer.

The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) has a reduced impact upon Australia over the summer months. The Bureau’s POAMA model suggests neutral IOD conditions may be present through autumn 2010.

Heavy rain across the southern half of Brazil triggered flooding and mudslides, killing 20. Many of those affected live in shanty towns in the country’s second city of Sao Paulo, where floodwaters reached a metre in depth.

On the first day of summer we had a thunderstorm at 4.00 pm with enough precipitation to freshen-up the gardens and some parched paddocks.   With just over 9 mm measurement in the gauges it was insufficient to make much difference to the flow in the OBI-Obi Creek.  A high in the Tasman has been controlling our weather pattern on the Ranges for most of the week. Although one or two troughs have moved through the area they were too weak, in a dry air mass, to upset the stable conditions prevailing up the east coast. Thunder was heard again on Sunday evening as a severe thunderstorm passed on its way to Jimna and Kenilworth and the number of raindrops that reached the ground could be counted on one hand. Weatherwatchers looking northwest will have seen a display of virga on the leading edge of a cumulonimbus cloud.

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Long Range forecast for the Sunshine Coast

On 3^rd of August 2009, on TV Channel 7 Ken Ring, long range New Zealand forecaster said the Sunshine Coast would have a very wet 3^rd week of December and we would have a very high temperature over Christmas.  The second half of January 2010 would also be very wet. On 3^rd April 2010 there will be a tropical cyclone, or remains of one, off Fraser Island. This will be the fourth cyclone of the TC season.

Better forecasting on Emerald’s radar

The weather bureau says a new radar station being built in Emerald, in central Queensland, will help forecasters provide more accurate warnings.

Queensland Towns run short of Water

Residents in several Queensland towns, including Maleny, are being asked to restrict their water use because reservoirs are extremely low, and creeks have dried up.

UK’s Wettest November on Record

 The UK Met Office has said last month was the wettest November on record, with an average of 217.4mm of rain across the UK. The previous recorded average of 193.6mm dates back to 1951. Meanwhile, for Scotland alone, average monthly rainfall was a record-breaking 256.7mm, passing the 244.8mm reached in November 1938.

Heat-wave puts Russian white Christmas on hold

There is no dreaming of a white Christmas in Russia yet, as record temperatures in Moscow ward off any sign of snow.

Toronto has its First Snow-free Record

Toronto (Canada) has experienced its first snow-free November in 162 years. Although it was initially reported that such a happening could only be confirmed as far back as 1937, David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, revealed the records of a University of Toronto weather station chart a much longer interval.