Australia’s summers have become twice as long as its winters amid increasing temperatures driven by climate change, according to new weather data analysis.
The Australia Institute found that summer across most of the country over the past 20 years was about a month longer than in the mid-20th century, while winters had become shorter.
Between 2014 and 2018, summers were found to be about 50% longer.
The findings followed Australia’s warmest and driest year on record.
The findings followed Australia’s warmest and driest year on record.
- Australia fires were far worse than any prediction
- What is Australia doing to tackle climate change?
The country experienced a devastating bushfire season, which killed 33 people and an estimated one billion native animals.
While scientists said climate change was not the direct cause of the bushfires, they have long warned that a hotter, drier climate would contribute to Australia’s fires becoming more frequent and more intense.
What does the report say?
In its analysis, the Australia Institute think tank compared official Bureau of Meteorology data from 1999 to 2018 with mid-20th century benchmarks.
It found that summer temperatures had lasted 31 days longer than in the 1950s and 1960s, while winter was about 23 days shorter.
It noted that some areas, such as the town of Port Macquarie in New South Wales, were experiencing even more drastic changes to the length of seasons, with seven more weeks of traditional summer temperatures than in the 1950s and 1960s.