June 3, 2026 10:24 pm
Published by Iain Strachan
New research led by UNSW suggests that as the climate warms, the conditions that produce hailstorms are drifting towards the poles, leaving winter crops increasingly exposed. A hailstorm can undo a season’s work in minutes. It can strike quickly and unevenly, shredding wheat, bruising fruit and flattening crops, while leaving neighbouring paddocks untouched. In a new Nature Climate Change study, scientists from UNSW Sydney say the geography and seasonality of that risk is changing. As the planet warms, the atmospheric conditions that... Read More
May 14, 2026 1:48 am
Published by Iain Strachan
Help to shape how we share our weather and climate research At 21st Century Weather, we’re always looking for ways to make our research more accessible, relevant and engaging. We’re inviting you to take part in a short audience survey to help us understand how people interact with our content, and how we can improve. By completing the survey, you can enter the draw to win limited edition 21st Century Weather-branded merchandise. Why your feedback matters Your input will help... Read More
April 20, 2026 12:49 am
Published by Iain Strachan
Deadly heatwave events are occurring at temperatures and humidity levels previously thought to be survivable, according to a new paper led by 21st Century Weather and featuring a team of international researchers. A study by Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and her collaborators looked at heatwaves that occurred in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) during 2024, Bangkok (Thailand) during 2024, Phoenix (United States) during 2023, Mount Isa (Australia) during 2019, Larkana (Pakistan) during 2015, and Seville (Spain) in 2003. The events featured climatologically extreme... Read More
January 29, 2026 11:10 pm
Published by Iain Strachan
From surfing after work to a swinging cricket ball, most Australians are already familiar with the regular arrival into our lives of a sea breeze. For some, it helps to cool down our sweltering cities on a hot summer evening, or it announces the end of a day at the beach by whipping up waves and sand. In Perth, they even have a name for its welcome, cooling effect – the Fremantle Doctor. Sea breezes form as land heats up... Read More
November 13, 2025 11:33 pm
Published by Iain Strachan
21st Century Weather’s Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick has been named the Scientist Communicator of the Year for 2025. Awarded by Australian Science Communicators (ASC), it recognises a researcher who communicates their work, or the work of their field, to audiences with clarity and excellence. In particular, the quality of the scientist’s science communication expertise is recognised by the award. The ASC is the peak body for science communication in Australia, bringing together professionals, educators, researchers, journalists, and creative communicators to advance meaningful... Read More
November 2, 2025 10:22 pm
Published by Iain Strachan
Carefully choosing the location of wind farms could help to balance electricity supply and demand during hot and cold days in southeast Australia, but more research is needed to better understand the complex relationship between weather, wind and energy. Together with hydroelectricity and solar, wind power is becoming an important source of renewable energy as Australia continues the transition to net zero. One area chosen for offshore wind farm development is the Bass Strait, along the coast of Gippsland in... Read More
September 29, 2025 1:32 am
Published by Iain Strachan
21st Century Weather Deputy Director Negin Nazarian has received the 2025 Global Environmental Change Early Career Award from the American Geophysical Union (AGU). The AGU is the world’s largest Earth and Space science association. It celebrates individuals and teams through its annual honours and recognition program for accomplishments in research, education, science communication and outreach. AGU’s annual meetings bring together more than 25,000 researchers, practitioners, students, and policymakers from around the world. The Global Environmental Change Early Career Award recognises... Read More
July 7, 2025 3:39 am
Published by Iain Strachan
Governments and businesses around the world are working toward net zero carbon emissions, where the amount of greenhouse gases we release into the atmosphere is balanced out by what we remove. It’s a vital step to stop further global warming, but new research warns that reaching net zero won’t mark a swift end to climate change. While global average temperatures may stop rising after net zero, other parts of the climate system will keep changing. Oceans will continue to warm,... Read More
June 18, 2025 11:54 pm
Published by Iain Strachan
Earth’s cloud cover is rapidly shrinking and contributing to record-breaking temperatures, according to new research involving the Monash-led Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather. The research, led by the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and published in Geophysical Research Letters, analysed satellite observations to find between 1.5 and 3 per cent of the world’s storm cloud zones have been contracting each decade in the past 24 years. The trend has been linked to changing wind... Read More
June 18, 2025 4:55 am
Published by Iain Strachan
A new experimental music work, Dark Oceanography, will premiere at the Monash University Performing Arts Centres on Sunday 27 July, immersing audiences in the swirling dynamics of ocean eddies and the future impacts of climate change beneath the surface of the sea. Created by The Sound Collectors Lab in partnership with the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Weather of the 21st Century, the work is a collaboration between leading percussionists, composers, music technologists and climate scientists. It uses ocean... Read More
