Jennifer Marohasy

THE modern meteorologist relies on computer models for forecasting. Coupled atmospheric-ocean models, known as general circulation models, are favoured for medium to long-range forecasting with these models forecasting an overall and quite rapid general warming at the north and south poles. In accordance with this forecast, there has been a general decline in the extent [...]

What is wilderness? Dave W provides some insights… IT is a place that is not under human control: a place where people might pass through, but not stay: a land where the wild beasts rule. Before people existed, the world was one vast wilderness. Since we’ve been around, wild areas are less and less common. [...]

WE know that the Australian Bureau of Meteorology can’t forecast weather more than a few days out. So why should we believe a climate forecast to 2030? According to Sara Phillips, writing for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the Bureau’s new State of the Climate 2014 report is a reliable source of information because it distils [...]

In announcing yesterday’s $320 million drought assistance package for farmers there was some mention of the situation out west being akin to a natural disaster. A more accurate description would be that its part of a natural cycle – not a natural disaster. There are many reasons why landholders may be particularly vulnerable to this [...]

ABOUT one week after Central Queensland University put out a media release announcing the publication of our latest paper on medium-term rainfall forecasting, John Abbot and I received a phone call from the ABC, from a rural reporter. Part of the interview with Professor Abbot can be heard online here, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-21/nrn-forecast/5275122 ABC journalists Cassie Hough [...]

AUSTRALIA was erroneously considered terra nullius at the time of European settlement. I know this wasn’t a land belonging to no one because there are the dreamtime stories, including the story about the formation of the Murray River. It happened as the hunter of creation times chased the mighty Murray cod downstream, the bends and [...]

I’ve just published in the peer-reviewed literature explaining: “Much of the present research effort by government institutions in Australia, which is focused on monthly and seasonal rainfall forecasts, is limited to the application of general circulation models, in particular, POAMA. However, results so far have been disappointing with medium-term monthly forecasts consistently about equivalent to, [...]

Wanting to find a list of peer-reviewed papers supporting an alternative perspective on climate change? It’s just been compiled by the geeks at popular technology.net http://www.populartechnology.net/2009/10/peer-reviewed-papers-supporting.html#Preface So much for the false statement by Al Gore in 2000 that: “There was a massive study of every scientific article in a peer reviewed article written on global [...]

THERE are at least 3 practical ways in which medium-term rainfall forecasts for Queensland can be improved: 1. Through the use of sophisticated statistical modelling techniques, in particular artificial neural networks to mine historical data for recurrent patterns, 2. The incorporation of relevant climate indices, including the Inter-decadal Pacific Oscillation, and also 3. The presentation [...]

I HAVE already detailed my concerns with the claim by the Bureau of Meteorology that 2013 was the hottest year on record. Thank you for your many comments in the threads that followed the two blog posts. I am taking many of these comments into consideration in the development of a further set of questions. [...]