The Southern Hemisphere is experiencing summer-like heat, but in winter

These are some of the most extreme numbers in an extremely hot month for Australia. Australia is experiencing a prolonged heat wave that threatens to break the country’s winter average temperature record, set last year. Australia’s winter average temperature in 2023 is The long-term average from 1961 to 1990 was 14.96°C.This is the highest since records began in 1910.

Globally, average nighttime temperatures are rising even faster than daytime temperatures, a phenomenon scientists call “asymmetric warming.” Nighttime warming is a major factor in pushing up the global average temperature and has led to 14 consecutive months of record-breaking heat.SN: 8/19/24).

Australia isn’t the only country in the Southern Hemisphere experiencing scorching temperatures. Brazil’s vast Pantanal wetlands, which borders Bolivia and Paraguay, are literally burning due to a combination of severe drought and unseasonably warm temperatures. Raging fires have destroyed more than 700,000 hectares of the Pantanal this year.

Winter has traditionally brought dry and mild weather to the Pantanal. But that is changing. In fact, the Southern Hemisphere Drier over the past 20 yearsThe researchers: Science In 2023, El Niño could be a major factor, with climate change intensifying El Niño-related rains and droughts, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. (SN: 7/19/23)

These warmer winters could have negative effects on food security, water supplies, and insect populations. Reader Judy Dobles asked about the impact of heat on food production. Warmer winters could change when plants germinate and when they fruit. For example, in the United States, where average winter temperatures are also gradually increasing, these changes have led the USDA to recommend that in 2023: New Plant Hardiness Zone MapIt is used to recommend which plants will thrive in a particular area and when is the best time to plant them.

“How are growers (agricultural and horticultural) planning for future production in a changing climate?” asks reader Brian Hesketh. There are many efforts underway to breed heat-tolerant plants, such as apples bred to thrive in temperatures as high as 40°C (104°F).SN: 8/22/24).

Warmer winters mean less snowpack to feed rivers and replenish groundwater. Colder weather also helps suppress vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever.SN: August 26, 2024).

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