Australia could be heading for its third-warmest summer on record, with numerous regions expected to experience hotter and drier conditions than usual from March through May this year.
"Australia is on track to have the third-warmest summer on record nationally, after 2018–19 and 2019–20," said Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) in a statement on Thursday (29 February).
The country has at least an 80% chance of experiencing above-average temperatures during the southern hemisphere autumn, reports Reuters.
In New South Wales, it marked the 10th hottest summer on record, while Queensland experienced its sixth hottest. Sydney reported its hottest February day since 2020, and Brisbane set a record with 61 nights above 20 degrees.
The peak of the Australian summer recorded a temperature of 49.9 degrees at Carnarvon Airport in Western Australia on 18 February, with the warmest night at 36.4 degrees at Birdsville Airport in Queensland on 26 January.
The prevailing weather conditions significantly impact crop yields and livestock markets in Australia, a key exporter of agricultural commodities.
Australia is currently cultivating summer crops like sorghum and cotton, while the planting of more extensive crops such as wheat, barley, and canola is scheduled for April and May.
Large portions of the country, including most of the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, and the Northern Territory, face a 60% to 75% likelihood of below-median rainfall.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the word, in Canada, the weather service reported heavy snowfall in various parts of the country, including Saskatchewan, Regina, and Saskatoon, over the upcoming weekend, as per CJME News.
The weather service indicated potential total accumulations of 10 to 20 centimetres across most of southern Saskatchewan, with some areas expecting up to 30 cm.