Projected Climate Variability HCCREMS Region
Projections are provided for a range of climate variables including rainfall, temperature (minimum, maximum and average annual), humidity, pan evaporation, water balance, wind, sea level rise and extreme sea levels, wave climate and extreme events.
Historic Climate Variability HCCREMS Region
This report provides the methodology and outcomes of Stage 2 of the HCCREMS Regional Climate Change Research project. This includes a comprehensive analysis of sub-regional climate distributions, including seasonal, interannual and interdecadal variability of key climate variables and extreme events.
Additionally, the drivers of climate variability in the region are analysed. This incorporates an analysis of key synoptic patterns and their influence on sub-regional climate distributions.
Progress Climate Downscaling Methodology Report
This report focuses on the identification and collation of regionally specific climate data to be used in Stages 2 – 4 of HCCREMS Regional Climate Change Research project. It outlines the detailed quality assurance procedure implemented to identify the nature and suitability of data sets suitable for the research.
The report also identifies the process (using self organised mapping techniques) to define the key synoptic patterns driving climate variability of the region which underpins the subsequent research stages.
2010 Historic and Projected Impacts – Coastal Zone
Building on the overall research outcomes of the HCCREMS Regional Climate Change Research project, this report provides a detailed analysis of historic and projected climate variability specifically for the region’s COASTAL climatic zone. Climate parameters for which analysis is provided include rainfall, pan evaporation, humidity, water balance, wind speed & wind gust.
2010 Historic and Projected Impacts – Central Zone
Building on the overall research outcomes of the HCCREMS Regional Climate Change Research project, this report provides a detailed analysis of historic and projected climate variability specifically for the region’s CENTRAL climatic zone. Climate parameters for which analysis is provided include rainfall, pan evaporation, humidity, water balance, wind speed & wind gust.
2010 Historic and Projected Impacts – Western Zone
Building on the overall research outcomes of the HCCREMS Regional Climate Change Research project, this report provides a detailed analysis of historic and projected climate variability specifically for the region’s WESTERN climatic zone. Climate parameters for which analysis is provided include rainfall, pan evaporation, humidity, water balance, wind speed & wind gust.
2010 Case Study 1 – Climate Change Impacts Wine Industry
This case study presents an analysis of the potential impacts of climate change on the Hunter Valley Wine Industry. A broad scale risk assessment completed by industry representatives identified increases in extreme heat days, winter minimum temperature and spring frosts, along with changes to heat degree days, winter minimum temperatures and diurnal range as being the key risks to the industry arising from climate change. A number of adaptation strategies have been identified to address these.
2010 Case Study 2 – Extreme Heat Events
This case study provides an analysis of historic and projected changes in key temperature variables and extreme heat related indices to improve understanding of the potential impacts of climate change on community health (heat impacts) in the Hunter, Central and Lower North Coast region of NSW.
It identifies existing and projected increasing trends in extreme heat days (>37oC) and yearly worst 3-day heat events. This information has underpinned a broad scale risk assessment process that has identified the following extreme and high rated risks for the region:
- Heat related morbidity and mortality
- Increase in production of photochemical smog and particulate pollution from bushfires
- Reduced access to emergency services and facilities
- Injury, trauma and related effects as a result of violence and trauma
- Disruptions to essential services (eg. electricity & water supplies)
- Reduced access to transport services.
2010 Case Study 3 – Bushfire Events
This case study provides an analysis of historic and projected changes for a range of climate variables known to significantly influence wildfire behaviour and management. This identified that changes most likely to heighten the risk posed by wildfire (ie increases in average wind speed, extreme heat days and average maximum temperatures, combined with projected decreases in relative humidity) are projected to occur during autumn. This is likely to increase the number of days classified using fire danger indices as high or extreme, and may require an extension of the current observed bushfire season later into autumn.
2010 Case Study 4 – Extreme Events
This case study provides an analysis of historic and projected changes in climate variables considered to represent `extreme events’ in the coastal climatic zone of the region. These include extreme rainfall events. extreme heat days, wind gust, storms (East Coast Lows) and extreme sea levels.
Extreme and high rated risks identified from this analysis included impacts of extreme heat events on public health and safety, increasing bushfire risk, increased demand on and possible loss of power supply, more widespread flooding of property and environment, increased coastal erosion and potential change in marine and estuarine habitat distribution.
