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Changing extreme weather hazards

PROJECT 5.5: Extreme weather hazards in a changing climate

Changes in the intensity and frequency of extreme and hazardous weather events are visible impacts of climate change currently experienced across much of Australia. These events often have important consequences for infrastructure, energy, health and ecosystems. The costs associated with extreme weather hazards and disasters are likely to change in the future as the climate continues to warm.

We’re using observational data, climate models and statistical approaches to improve our understanding of current and future changes to extreme weather hazards and to deliver nationally significant knowledge products on current and future natural hazards. We will focus specifically on tropical cyclones, bush fires, thunderstorms, east coast lows and the extreme weather hazards they can produce.

We’re also consulting directly with stakeholders to ensure our information and knowledge products are incorporated and used to inform effective disaster risk policies and management activities. The improved understanding, information and tools on extreme weather hazards will be provided in formats that are relevant for reducing risks to human health, property and the environment in a changing climate.

For more information

Dr Andrew Dowdy, Bureau of Meteorology

 

This project is contributing to the following climate challenges:

Extremes and disaster risk management.

EXTREMES AND DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT
Our research will provide information and tools to inform updated operating and maintenance standards for infrastructure, and reduce the risks to human health, property and the environment.

Food security, ecosystems and NRM.

FOOD SECURITY, ECOSYSTEMS AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Our research will provide information and tools for use in decision making in relation to the influence of climate change on extreme weather events and their associated impacts on food security, ecosystems and natural resource management.

Changes in coastal climate.

CHANGES IN COASTAL CLIMATE
Improved information on extreme weather hazards will enhance our ability to provide coastal planners with the information they need to make informed coastal planning and management decisions.
Publications and papers
  • Bell SS, Chand SS, Tory KJ, Ye H, Turville. 2020. North Indian Ocean tropical cyclone activity in CMIP5 experiments: Future projections using a model-independent detection and tracking scheme, International Journal of Climatology, doi: 10.1002/joc.6594 | Abstract
  • Cavicchia L, Pepler A, Dowdy A, Evans J, Di Luca A, Walsh K. 2020. Future changes in the occurrence of hybrid cyclones: The added value of cyclone classification for the east Australian low-pressure systems. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, doi:10.1029/2019GL085751 | Abstract
  • Chand SS. 2020. Climate Change Scenarios and Projections for the Pacific. In Climate Change and Impacts. Springer Nature Switzerland, pp 171-199, doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-32878-8_3 | Book chapter
  • Chand SS, Dowdy AJ, Bell SS, Tory K. 2020. A Review of South Pacific Tropical Cyclones: Impacts of Natural Climate Variability and Climate Change. Climate Change and Impacts in the Pacific. Springer Nature Switzerland, pp 251-273, doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-32878-8_6 | Book chapter
  • Di Virgilio G, Evans JP, Blake SAP, Armstrong M, Dowdy AJ, Sharpe J, McRae R. 2019. Climate change increases the potential for extreme wildfires, Geophysical Research Letters, 46, 8517–8526, doi:10.1029/2019GL083699 | Full paper
  • Dowdy AJ. 2020. Climatology of thunderstorms, convective rainfall and dry lightning environments in Australia. Climate Dynamics, doi:10.1007/s00382-020-05167-9 | Full paper
  • Dowdy AJ, Soderholm J, Brook J, Brown A, McGowan H. 2020. Quantifying hail and lightning risk factors using long‐term observations around Australia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2020JD033101 | Full paper
  • Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub. 2020. Scenario analysis of climate-related physical risk for buildings and infrastructure: climate science guidance. Technical report by the National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Earth Systems and Climate Change Science (ESCC) Hub for the Climate Measurement Standards Initiative, ESCC Hub Report No.21. Full report and related summary reports [Case study 5.6]
  • Pepler A. 2020. Record lack of cyclones in southern Australia during 2019. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, doi: 10.1029/2020GL088488 | Abstract
  • Pepler A and Dowdy A. 2020. A Three-Dimensional Perspective on Extratropical Cyclone Impacts.  Journal of Climate., Vol 33, doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-19-0445.1 | Full paper
  • Raavi PH and Walsh KJE. 2020. Sensitivity of tropical cyclone formation to resolution-dependent and independent tracking schemes in high-resolution climate model simulations. Earth and Space Science Journal, 7 (3), doi:10.1029/2019EA000906 | Full paper
  • Ramsay HA, Singh MS, Chavas DR. 2020. Response of tropical cyclone formation and intensification rates to climate warming in idealized simulations. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 12(10), doi:10.1029/2020MS002086  | Full paper
  • Vaughan A, Walsh KJE, Kepert JD. 2020. The stationary banding complex and secondary eyewall formation in tropical cyclones. JGR Atmospheres, 125(6), doi:10.1029/2019JD031515
  • Warren RA,  Ramsay HA,  Siems ST, et al.  2020. Radar‐based climatology of damaging hailstorms in Brisbane and Sydney, Australia. Q J R Meteorol Soc., 146: 505– 530, doi: 10.1002/qj.3693 | Full paper
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