Authorities are warning residents across parts of Victoria and NSW to batten down the hatches as a severe thunderstorm brings flash flooding, large hail and damaging winds.
Available to comment:
Dr Kim Reid, Research Fellow, Monash School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment
Contact details: +61 410 858 950 or Kim.Reid@monash.edu (Please email or text before calling)
- Extreme rainfall and flooding
- Synoptic weather systems
- Tropical-extratropical interactions
- Atmospheric rivers
The following can be attributed to Dr Reid:
“With climate change increasingly reshaping our weather, we are likely to see more intense storms as the planet warms. Intense thunderstorms can bring high amounts of rain falling over a short period of time, bigger hail and although it’s very rare, an increased likelihood of tornadoes.
“There is also a risk of thunderstorm asthma during this storm, as the rye grass pollen north of Melbourne is sucked into thunderstorms, which break the pollen apart and cause it to get into people’s lungs more easily.
“The fact we have good warnings like the ones issued by the Bureau of Meteorology today are a testament to the significant research developments in the field in recent decades. A few decades ago, we wouldn’t have had a few hours’ warning for a thunderstorm like we do today. With more warning, more people can prepare for the impacts of extreme events and the impact on our communities is likely to be reduced.
“Our warnings and predictions will only improve in coming years following Wednesday’s launch of the Monash-led Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Weather of the 21st Century, which will focus on our ability to do high-resolution modelling necessary for understanding small but high impact weather like thunderstorms. Think of it like your TV, with more pixels (in this case, more detailed weather models). We can get a crisper picture of a storm and can more accurately study what is happening with our weather and climate.”
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