A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia
Two distinct synoptic weather systems, cut-off lows and fronts, deliver most of the cool-season rainfall to the cropping regions of southern Australia. A comparative synoptic climatology of daily rainfall events over approximately five decades reveals both spatial and temporal variations of the domi...
Published in: | Theoretical and Applied Climatology |
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Springer-Verlag Wien
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1021-y http://ecite.utas.edu.au/119502 |
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:119502 2023-05-15T18:25:09+02:00 A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia Pook, MJ Risbey, JS McIntosh, PC 2014 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1021-y http://ecite.utas.edu.au/119502 en eng Springer-Verlag Wien http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1021-y Pook, MJ and Risbey, JS and McIntosh, PC, A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 117, (3-4) pp. 521-533. ISSN 0177-798X (2014) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/119502 Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences Climatology (excl. Climate Change Processes) Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2014 ftunivtasecite https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1021-y 2019-12-13T22:18:42Z Two distinct synoptic weather systems, cut-off lows and fronts, deliver most of the cool-season rainfall to the cropping regions of southern Australia. A comparative synoptic climatology of daily rainfall events over approximately five decades reveals both spatial and temporal variations of the dominant synoptic types. The rainfall characteristics and associated large-scale drivers differ between the two synoptic types. Understanding regional rainfall depends on understanding these differences. Cut-off lows contribute one half of growing season rainfall in southeast Australia, while frontal systems associated with Southern Ocean depressions contribute about a third. The proportions are reversed in the Central Wheat Belt (CWB) of Western Australia where Southern Ocean fronts are the dominant source of growing season rainfall. In the southern island state of Tasmania, topography strongly influences the outcome with cut-off lows contributing about half the rainfall near the east coast and fronts dominating a short distance to the west. Cut-off lows generally contribute their highest proportion of rainfall in the austral autumn and spring while frontal rainfall is at its maximum in late winter. Cut-off low rainfall contributes more strongly in percentage terms to the recent decline in rainfall. The distribution of synoptic types is explained by the dominant long-wave structure in the winter half of the year. The major trough near Western Australia favours frontogenesis to the southwest of the CWB but fronts moving out of the region encounter a persistent meridional ridge in the Tasman Sea where there is a high frequency of blocking events. Article in Journal/Newspaper Southern Ocean eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Southern Ocean Austral Southern Island ENVELOPE(-55.577,-55.577,52.266,52.266) Theoretical and Applied Climatology 117 3-4 521 533 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasecite |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences Climatology (excl. Climate Change Processes) |
spellingShingle |
Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences Climatology (excl. Climate Change Processes) Pook, MJ Risbey, JS McIntosh, PC A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia |
topic_facet |
Earth Sciences Atmospheric Sciences Climatology (excl. Climate Change Processes) |
description |
Two distinct synoptic weather systems, cut-off lows and fronts, deliver most of the cool-season rainfall to the cropping regions of southern Australia. A comparative synoptic climatology of daily rainfall events over approximately five decades reveals both spatial and temporal variations of the dominant synoptic types. The rainfall characteristics and associated large-scale drivers differ between the two synoptic types. Understanding regional rainfall depends on understanding these differences. Cut-off lows contribute one half of growing season rainfall in southeast Australia, while frontal systems associated with Southern Ocean depressions contribute about a third. The proportions are reversed in the Central Wheat Belt (CWB) of Western Australia where Southern Ocean fronts are the dominant source of growing season rainfall. In the southern island state of Tasmania, topography strongly influences the outcome with cut-off lows contributing about half the rainfall near the east coast and fronts dominating a short distance to the west. Cut-off lows generally contribute their highest proportion of rainfall in the austral autumn and spring while frontal rainfall is at its maximum in late winter. Cut-off low rainfall contributes more strongly in percentage terms to the recent decline in rainfall. The distribution of synoptic types is explained by the dominant long-wave structure in the winter half of the year. The major trough near Western Australia favours frontogenesis to the southwest of the CWB but fronts moving out of the region encounter a persistent meridional ridge in the Tasman Sea where there is a high frequency of blocking events. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Pook, MJ Risbey, JS McIntosh, PC |
author_facet |
Pook, MJ Risbey, JS McIntosh, PC |
author_sort |
Pook, MJ |
title |
A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia |
title_short |
A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia |
title_full |
A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia |
title_fullStr |
A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia |
title_full_unstemmed |
A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia |
title_sort |
comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern australia |
publisher |
Springer-Verlag Wien |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1021-y http://ecite.utas.edu.au/119502 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-55.577,-55.577,52.266,52.266) |
geographic |
Southern Ocean Austral Southern Island |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean Austral Southern Island |
genre |
Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1021-y Pook, MJ and Risbey, JS and McIntosh, PC, A comparative synoptic climatology of cool-season rainfall in major grain-growing regions of southern Australia, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 117, (3-4) pp. 521-533. ISSN 0177-798X (2014) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/119502 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00704-013-1021-y |
container_title |
Theoretical and Applied Climatology |
container_volume |
117 |
container_issue |
3-4 |
container_start_page |
521 |
op_container_end_page |
533 |
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1766206399495274496 |