Weather extremes in Austalia and New Zealand

Weather conditions Down-Under

Seemorerocks

I woke up this morning at around 3 sweltering under my blankets. I realised Pam was up and so started a wakeful period.

We checked the thermometer which read 20C (just under 70F).

This is unheard of - we have NEVER had temperatures like this in May!

Initial research seems to confirm that it was nothing like this during the terrible el-Nino of 1998.

Seeing I was well-and-truly awake I did a little bit of routine checking

This is the situation in our part of the world.  

Southern Australia is experiencing turbulent conditions with winds coming from Antarctica while my part of New Zealand is seeing warm northerly winds swing round from the tropics

If you have a look at the the temperature anomalies from Climate Reanalyzer you can see that Antarctica below Australia is seeing very high temperature anomalies.

The jetstream shows an interesting situation, akin to that in the Northern Hemisphere, where cold air is being brought up from Antarctica while under New Zealand warm air is flowing over Antarctica.

To my untrained eye,I have never seen the southern Jetstream look like this. It appears to be breaking up like it is in the Northern Hemisphere,

Finally, Pam cancelled a trek for today because rain was forecast.

Here you go - 

Although another forecast gives a different picture

As I sit here writing this (it is still 20C, the same as it was at 3 am) it doesn't look like rain although hopefully I'll be made to eat my hat.

I've stopped believing in Hope a long time ago

Meanwhile in Australia it's 15C (60F)

Here's the forecast,plus information from the indefatigable Deejay Rebel reporting from central Victoria.

** BoM issues severe weather warning for Victoria, 100kph winds predicted **

A severe weather warning has been issued for Victoria, with winds of up to 100 kilometres per hour predicted.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned strong winds and severe thunderstorm activity will hit most of the state from around 10:00am on Tuesday.

This follows thunderstorm activity on Sunday which .

Emergency services received more than 1,300 requests for assistance.

Senior meteorologist Kevin Parkin said the conditions were caused by a strong cold front moving across the state.

"It's windy at the moment, we can expect the wind gusts to increase overnight, probably affecting elevated parts about the Divide (Great Dividing Range)," he said.

"Those peak wind gusts of 90 to 100 kilometres per hour are more likely associated with that cold front ahead of it."

State Emergency Services (SES) acting deputy chief John Parker said people need to take extra precautions to ensure they remained safe.

"I ask people to take special care, particularly driving through peak hour tomorrow around the city, we also ask that people in the community of Victoria clear backyards and secure items such as outdoor furniture and trampolines in particular," he said.

"These items do cause damage when they're are blowing around in the wind and are a risk to communities."

VicRoads has also issued a warning to drivers to take care on the road.

Information source - ABC

Meanwhile for your enjoyment is an item on the weather from Radio NZ.