Preparation guidance for navigating summer storms
Australia's summer is a season of heightened thunderstorm activity, with these powerful storms playing a significant role in the continent's weather pattern. Here's a look at the key factors that contribute to the formation of these storms and the precautions to take during the storm season.
The Three Key Ingredients
Thunderstorms require three essential ingredients from the atmosphere: moisture, atmospheric instability, and a lifting mechanism. When warm, moist air is thrown upwards, it forms a cloud and produces heavy rain.
Warming Temperatures and Humidity
Increased heat and humidity during Australia's summer contribute to more frequent and intense thunderstorms. Higher temperatures cause air to warm and hold more moisture as humidity increases. This humid, warm air rises and cools, condensing moisture into clouds and releasing latent heat that fuels storm development.
The tropical monsoon and moist north-westerly winds during this season bring sustained humid conditions to northern Australia, further enhancing thunderstorm activity.
Atmospheric Instability and Lifting Mechanisms
Atmospheric instability makes moist air more buoyant, creating the perfect conditions for thunderstorms. A lifting mechanism, such as heat, a low-pressure trough, or an approaching front, causes moist air to rise rapidly, leading to the formation of storm clouds.
Severe Thunderstorms and Safety Measures
Severe thunderstorms are classified as intense, violent storms formed when the atmosphere is particularly unstable or when surrounding winds deliver more energy to the storm. In Australia, a thunderstorm is deemed 'severe' by the BoM when it produces heavy rainfall, wind gusts of 90km/h or more, hail of 2cm diameter or more, or tornadoes.
These storms can pose a threat to property and people's safety, so it's essential to take precautions. Preparing for storm season involves staying tuned to weather updates from reputable sources, having an emergency kit, checking current incidents or hazards from sources like BoM, ABC local radio, the SES, the Vic Emergency app or website, having plans in place for blackouts, and checking that home insurance coverage is up to date.
If going away during storm season, ask a neighbour or family friend to check your property, and consult the SES guide to plan and stay safe during a storm.
Thunderstorm Asthma
Periods of intense storms can bring about a health epidemic known as thunderstorm asthma, which induces asthma attacks that are triggered by high grass pollen levels and certain types of thunderstorms.
El Niño and Weather Events
Australia is bracing for an El Niño event in the summer of 2023/24. However, in the case of La Niña or a negative Indian Ocean Dipole weather event, the atmosphere becomes even more unstable, leading to wetter and stormier weather.
Single-Cell and Multicell Thunderstorms
Single-cell thunderstorms are short weather events, while multicell thunderstorms maintain the storm over time.
Driving in Wet and Stormy Conditions
To drive safely in wet and stormy conditions, remember to never drive through flood waters.
In summary, in Australia’s summer, increased heat and humidity create warm, moist air masses that rise and become unstable, driving the frequent formation of thunderstorms across the continent, especially in northern areas influenced by the monsoon system. Preparation, awareness, and caution are key to navigating this stormy season.
Science and environmental science play a crucial role in understanding Australia's summer thunderstorms, which are influenced by diverse factors such as climate-change, education-and-self-development, and learning about weather patterns and weather-forecasting. Increased heat and humidity, contribute to more frequent and intense thunderstorms due to warmer temperatures causing air to hold more moisture as humidity increases. These storms can also lead to environmental-science concerns like thunderstorm asthma. It is essential for individuals to be educated and prepared for the storm season, taking safety measures such as staying informed about weather updates, having an emergency kit, and being aware of precautions to take during severe thunderstorms. Furthermore, learning about topics like the difference between single-cell and multicell thunderstorms, and driving in wet and stormy conditions, can help ensure a safer drive during Australia's summer storm season.
