Global Warming Impacts on Southeast Australian Coastally Trapped Southerly Wind Changes

Leslie, LM; Speer, M; Wang, S

Global Warming Impacts on Southeast Australian Coastally Trapped Southerly Wind Changes

Leslie, LM Speer, M

Wang, S

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Climate, 2024, 12, (7)
Issue Date:: 2024-07-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Leslie, LM
dc.contributor.author	Speer, M https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0421-7744
dc.contributor.author	Wang, S
dc.date.accessioned	2025-01-16T00:06:46Z
dc.date.available	2025-01-16T00:06:46Z
dc.date.issued	2024-07-01
dc.identifier.citation	Climate, 2024, 12, (7)
dc.identifier.issn	2225-1154
dc.identifier.issn	2225-1154
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/183704
dc.description.abstract	Coastally trapped southerly wind changes are prominent during southeast Australia’s warm season (spring and summer). These abrupt, often gale force, wind changes are known locally as Southerly Busters (SBs) when their wind speeds reach 15 m/s. They move northwards along the coast, often producing very large temperature drops. SBs exceeding 21 m/s are severe SBs (SSBs). SBs have both positive and negative impacts. They bring relief from oppressively hot days but can cause destructive wind damage, worsen existing bushfires, and endanger aviation and marine activities. This study assesses the impacts of global warming (GW) and associated climate change on SBs and SSBs, using observational data from 1970 to 2022. Statistical analyses determine significant trends in annual frequency counts of SBs and SSBs, particularly during the accelerated GW period from the early–mid-1990s. It was found that the annual combined count of SBs and SSBs had increased, with SSBs dominating from 1970 to 1995, but SB frequencies exceeded SSBs from 1996 to 2023. The ascendency of SB frequencies over SSBs since 1996 is explained by the impact of GW on changes in global and local circulation patterns. Case studies exemplify how these circulation changes have increased annual frequencies of SBs, SSBs, and their combined total.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	Climate
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/cli12070096
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	3701 Atmospheric sciences
dc.subject.classification	3702 Climate change science
dc.subject.classification	4101 Climate change impacts and adaptation
dc.title	Global Warming Impacts on Southeast Australian Coastally Trapped Southerly Wind Changes
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	12
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-01-16T00:06:44Z
pubs.issue	7
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	12
utslib.citation.issue	7

Abstract:

Coastally trapped southerly wind changes are prominent during southeast Australia’s warm season (spring and summer). These abrupt, often gale force, wind changes are known locally as Southerly Busters (SBs) when their wind speeds reach 15 m/s. They move northwards along the coast, often producing very large temperature drops. SBs exceeding 21 m/s are severe SBs (SSBs). SBs have both positive and negative impacts. They bring relief from oppressively hot days but can cause destructive wind damage, worsen existing bushfires, and endanger aviation and marine activities. This study assesses the impacts of global warming (GW) and associated climate change on SBs and SSBs, using observational data from 1970 to 2022. Statistical analyses determine significant trends in annual frequency counts of SBs and SSBs, particularly during the accelerated GW period from the early–mid-1990s. It was found that the annual combined count of SBs and SSBs had increased, with SSBs dominating from 1970 to 1995, but SB frequencies exceeded SSBs from 1996 to 2023. The ascendency of SB frequencies over SSBs since 1996 is explained by the impact of GW on changes in global and local circulation patterns. Case studies exemplify how these circulation changes have increased annual frequencies of SBs, SSBs, and their combined total.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/183704