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Essay on Australian Climate

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Australian Climate

Australian Climate Zones

When looking at the climate of Australia, we can break up the continent into three basic areas of climate. The tropical region containing the northern peninsulas of Australia, as well as the city of Darwin, is hot and extremely wet. Average maximum temperatures range from 30 - 39°C with an average annual rainfall of up to 400 cm. The tropical north is covered with rainforests and is regularly hit by tropical monsoons, hence the extreme amount of precipitation. Secondly, the central deserts and grasslands cover over seventy percent of the inland and receive the least amount of rain, from 12 to 100 cm annually. The maximum temperature ranges from 24°C in the southern deserts to over 36°C in …show more content…

The high pressure causes divergence, which decreases cloud cover. Therefore, the subtropical high which exists over Australia causes dry and cloud-free weather, atmospheric conditions which are conducive to deserts. The southeast corner of Australia is farthest away from the subtropical high and is moister than the central regions because of this. The northern area of the country is hit by tropical cyclones in the summer; while the southern part of Australia is struck by cold frontal systems from the south. Because the central region only receives the tail end of these systems, minimal precipitation occurs year-round. The driest location in Australia is Mulka Station on the Birdsville Track (in the Outback), which receives less than twelve centimeters of precipitation per year.

Although the subtropical high pressure belt is generally centered over Australia, it shifts from season to season. The high pressure belt causes many changes in weather; from October to March the belt is in the south, carrying moisture from the Pacific into the temperate area in the southeast. During the winter, the belt shifts northward, increasing the amount of precipitation in the tropical regions of the north. When the high pressure system shifts north, the

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