Australia experienced its second-highest September temperatures on record last month, driven by the combined effects of global warming and a strengthening El Niño weather pattern. The Bureau of Meteorology reported that minimum nighttime temperatures across the continent also reached record highs for the month, marking the warmest Septembers since records began in 1910.
Data indicates that average temperatures ranked within the top five warmest Septembers for every state, while the Northern Territory recorded its sixth hottest September. The extreme heat also impacted alpine areas, where snow depth in Kosciuszko National Park was recorded at zero.
Record nighttime temps are especially dangerous for wildlife. Animals can’t cool down when the nights stay too warm.
I’m surprised more politicians aren’t discussing this. September is typically mild, so people might not realize how dire it actually is.
Does anyone else find it bizarre that record-breaking heat is becoming our normal? It feels like we’re losing context for what’s severe.
El Niño isn’t new, but the baseline temperature keeps rising. That’s the real crisis here.
Zero snow in Kosciuszko is truly alarming. The alpine ecosystem can’t survive this kind of persistent heat.