Just a weeks after being advised to prepare for the bushfire season, Australia’s homeowners are now being told to also expect more cyclones this summer, with an increased risk of widespread flooding over the east and north.
Releasing its annual Severe Weather Outlook* this week, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned that while the potential for bushfires remains, conditions are indicating heavy rainfall.
Bureau Senior Climatologist Greg Browning said that climate drivers indicate an active season across parts of Australia.
“And with an already wet landscape and above average rainfall likely, there is increased risk of widespread flooding for eastern and northern Australia”, Browning added.
It’s not all bad news, though, with the report showing the number of individual extreme heat days are likely to be lower than in recent years.
Browning said Australians could not afford to be complacent this severe weather season.
“Severe weather can disrupt and endanger lives in many ways, which is why the Bureau is asking the community to ‘know your weather, know your risk’,” he said.
“That means understanding the kinds of severe weather that can impact the area you live in and what you should do when it occurs.”
Before it does arrive, however, there are steps you can take to reduce risk of damage top your home, such as clearing gutters, downpipes and drains, removing any dead trees or branches, and make any necessary repairs to the roof, including replacing loose tiles or sheeting.
Make a home emergency plan and ensure everyone is familiar with it, and check your insurance policy is current and adequate.
*The BOM’s Severe Weather Outlook released outlook, which also outlines the risk of severe thunderstorms, heatwaves and bushfires, is released in early October every year and looks ahead to the end of April, when the high risk weather season in Australia officially ends.
