Remote stations improve our understanding of a changing climate

24/07/2013

Some of Australia’s most remote Australian islands and stations in Antarctica have been added to a network of environmental monitoring stations, which allows scientists to better understand long-term trends and changes in our climate.

Bureau of Meteorology Climate Monitoring Manager, Dr Karl Braganza, said that this network draws upon data collected at 112 locations across Australia, and now includes the addition of eight remote stations on Cocos Island, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Willis Island (Coral Sea), Macquarie Island and Mawson, Davis and Casey in the Antarctic.

“The Bureau’s climate monitoring network, known as the Australian Climate Observations Reference Network – Surface Air Temperature, is a high-quality, ground-based temperature record,” Dr Braganza said.

“Combined, these stations hold over 100 years of records used in the analysis of long-term trends and changes in the Australian climate.

“The addition of these remote stations is particularly valuable in monitoring climate as together they represent a much larger geographical area, and are located in unique and often pristine environments.

“Climate monitoring over the continent provides part of the picture of the Australian climate, which is more comprehensive with the addition of these eight sites at the perimeter of Australia and its territories.

“This extension of the Bureau’s high quality temperature network will allow climate researchers to better understand long-term changes in Australia’s monthly and seasonal climate, as well as monitor changes in day-to-day weather such as the frequency of hot and cold extremes in temperature,” Dr Braganza said.

Each of these sites is explored in more detail in the catalogue available for download, go to the Station catalogue.

To learn more go to Australian Climate Observations Reference Network.