Hot, dry summer expected across southern Australia
Businesses and homeowners with rainwater storage tanks will make good use of these assets in the coming months.
On 8 October, the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) released a statement asserting that southern Australia will experience a particularly hot, dry summer season. High temperatures are expected to penetrate the region earlier than normal.
Australia to experience sparse rainfall
The report came at a time when southern Australia experienced an out-of-character hot spell. The heat wave started in Western Australia, permeating into South Australia and western Victoria by 3 October.
For example, Victoria encountered two consecutive days of temperatures at or exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, something that hasn't happened in recorded history.
September was a particularly arid month as well. Tasmania and Western Australia experienced some of the driest months on record. To exacerbate the issue, the majority of Tasmania, most of Victoria, the southeastern portion of South Australia and parts of Western Australia have encountered less-than-average rainfall.
What's causing these dry, hot conditions? The BOM acknowledged a strong El Nino in the Pacific Ocean. Meteorologists often correlate El Nino with high temperatures in southeastern Australia.
What are authorities doing to prepare for it?
A hotter, drier summer often translates to bushfires. To prepare for such catastrophes, Victoria Minister for Emergency Services Jane Garrett announced the state will equip firefighting groups with 47 specialist aircraft.
The fleet will include two Large Air Tankers (LATs), which are some of the largest firefighting aircraft across the world. Last summer, Victoria dropped more than a million litres of fire retardant throughout the state.
"We're bracing for a long, hot and dry summer fire season and these aircraft will help protect communities which may come under threat of bushfires," said Ms Garrett.
To ensure communities in drier areas can sustain an arid summer, homeowners should consider equipping themselves with polyethylene water tanks to collect and store rainwater.
Southern Australia is due for a particularly arid summer. How can homeowners and officials prepare for a wave of possible bushfires?
by Gerald Beckton
