Ep.145: L'Australia nel 2020 ha subito la violenza del clima estremo

State Of Emergency Declared In ACT As Canberra Braces For Increased Bushfire Threat

Source: Getty Images AsiaPac

L'Australia nel 2020 ha sudato attraverso il quarto anno più caldo di sempre, secondo il Dipartimento di Meteorologia. E questo nonostante l'atteso impatto raffreddante dell'andamento climatico della Nina nei mesi scorsi.


Italian

Gli australiani nel 2020 hanno subito la forza del clima estremo.

Siccità e calore hanno alimentato incendi devastanti a partire dal primo giorno dell'anno.

Il responsabile delle Operazioni Climatiche del Dipartimento di Meteorologia Andrew Watkins ha dichiarato che si è trattato di un anno soffocante.

"La Nina has had quite a large influence on rainfall over the spring, summer, over December in 2020. It was Australia's fourth warmest year on record. Temperatures were 1-point-5 degrees above the long term average."

Il giorno più caldo è stato registrato appena quattro giorni dopo l'inizio dell'anno nuovo.

Blair Trewin, un esperto climatologo del dipartimento, ha dichiarato che le temperature hanno raggiunto i 48,9 gradi centigradi a Penrith Lakes, ad ovest di Sydney.

"That was the highest temperature that has ever been recorded on the east coast of Australia. And also the highest that has ever been recorded in a major metropolitan area in Australia."

Durante lo stesso mese, una severa tempesta di grandine ha colpito l'A-C-T, facendo cadere grandine dal diametro che arrivava fino a 6 centimetri.

La temperatura più fredda è stata registrata in Tasmania ad inizio agosto.

"Liawenee on the central plateau of Tasmania reached minus 14-point-2 during that event. That is a state record for Tasmania. And is particularly significant because as far as we know that was the only state or provincial low set anywhere in the world in 2020."

Le precipitazioni annuali sono state il quattro per cento superiori alla media, ma sono variate considerevolmente a seconda delle regioni.

La stagione dei cicloni tropicali è stata leggermente meno attiva del normale.

Ci sono stati otto cicloni tropicali, rispetto alla media a lungo termine di undici.

L'arrivo de La Nina alla fine di settembre ha causato un effetto raffreddante e secondo le previsioni porterà condizioni più umide del normale nel 2021.

Watkins ha dichiarato che ciò ridurrà il rischio di incendi.

"Having said that though the rainfall we saw over spring has encouraged grass growth. So there is a higher risk of grass fires particularly in parts of New South Wales."

Tutti sono stati invitati ad avere pronti i propri piani anti-incendio.

English

Australians felt the force of extreme weather in 2020.

Drought and heat fuelled devastating bushfires from the first day of the year.

The Head of Climate Operations at the Bureau of Meteorology, Dr Andrew Watkins, says it was a sweltering year.

"La Nina has had quite a large influence on rainfall over the spring, summer, over December in 2020. It was Australia's fourth warmest year on record. Temperatures were 1-point-5 degrees above the long term average."

The hottest day came just four days into the new year.

A Senior Climatologist at the bureau, Dr Blair Trewin, saysthe temperature reached 48-point-9 degrees Celsius at Penrith Lakes, west of Sydney.

"That was the highest temperature that has ever been recorded on the east coast of Australia. And also the highest that has ever been recorded in a major metropolitan area in Australia."

The same month, a severe hailstorm struck the A-C-T, dropping hail up to 6cm in diameter.

The coldest temperature was recorded in Tasmania in early August.

"Liawenee on the central plateau of Tasmania reached minus 14-point-2 during that event. That is a state record for Tasmania. And is particularly significant because as far as we know that was the only state or provincial low set anywhere in the world in 2020."

Annual rainfall was four per cent higher than average, but varied considerably depending on the region.

The tropical cyclone season was slightly less active than normal.

There were eight tropical cyclones, compared to a long-term average of eleven.

The arrival of La Nina in late September had a cooling affect and is forecast to bring wetter than normal conditions in 2021.

Dr Watkins says that will reduce the bushfire risk.

"Having said that though the rainfall we saw over spring has encouraged grass growth. So there is a higher risk of grass fires particularly in parts of New South Wales."

People are urged to have their fire plans ready to go.

Report by Phillippa Carisbrooke 

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