Tropical Cyclone “Jasper,” currently a Category 1 system, is moving towards the west-northwest and is expected to intensify to a Category 2 as it nears the Far North Queensland coast, with landfall likely between Cooktown and Innisfail on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.
Scorching heat, dry lightning, and strong winds hit South Australia on Friday, December 8, 2023, causing multiple fires and extensive power outages affecting over 24 000 homes.
Severe Tropical Cyclone “Jasper” has intensified to a Category 4 system on Friday, December 8, 2023, with sustained winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) and gusts up to 270 km/h (165 mph). Currently located about 650 km (405 miles) from Honiara, Solomon Islands, Jasper poses a potential threat to the north Queensland coast.
Major flooding was expected in the Victorian city of Sale this morning, October 6, 2023 (LT), as the Thomson River approached the severe flood level. Residents were advised not to return home for 12 to 24 hours and to seek higher ground immediately.
Severe Weather Warning issued for Western Australia ahead of strong cold front on Wednesday
The Australian state of Queensland witnessed its warmest June on record this year, followed by unprecedented rainfall in early July, breaking long-standing monthly records within just a few days.
Outback Queensland was pounded by record-breaking rainfall, with some regions receiving up to 15 times their average monthly rainfall in just a few days. The unseasonal weather, brought about by a northwest cloud band since Friday, June 30, 2023, was accompanied by a cold blast that drastically reduced temperatures.
On June 27, 2023, parts of South Australia’s outback experienced their coldest June day on record, as an unusually thick northwest cloudband brought heavy rain and low temperatures across the state.
May 2023 saw an unseasonably cold spell across Australia with over 100 weather stations registering record-breaking minimum temperatures for the month, contradicting the Bureau of Meteorology’s predictions for a warmer and drier May.
Tropical Cyclone “Ilsa” made landfall as a Category 5 system near Port Hedland, Western Australia around 16:00 UTC on April 13, 2023 (00:00LT on April 14), as the strongest cyclone to hit the region in 14 years.
