A Multiscale Evaluation of the Wet 2022 in Eastern Australia

KJ Reid; MA Barnes; ZE Gillett; T Parker; DG Udy; H Ayat; G Boschat; A Bowden; NH Grosfeld; AD King; D Richardson; Y Shao; L Teckentrup; B Trewin; P Hope; L Zhou; AR Borowiak; CM Holgate; RN Isphording

Journal article

A Multiscale Evaluation of the Wet 2022 in Eastern Australia

KJ Reid, MA Barnes, ZE Gillett, T Parker, DG Udy, H Ayat, G Boschat, A Bowden, NH Grosfeld, AD King, D Richardson, Y Shao, L Teckentrup, B Trewin, P Hope, L Zhou, AR Borowiak, CM Holgate, RN Isphording

Journal of Climate | American Meteorological Society | Published : 2025

DOI: 10.1175/JCLI-D-24-0224.1

Abstract

Eastern Australia experienced record-breaking rainfall and flooding during 2022, which devastated communities and led to over AU$6 billion of damage. In this study, we conduct a multiscale analysis to understand why 2022 was unusually wet with multiple record-breaking rainfall events over the year. We assess the synoptic- and mesoscale conditions during three key periods: February–March, July, and October. These periods were chosen because they were impactful and represent three different seasons. Next, we examine the large-scale climate drivers and evaluate how unusual these events were compared to previous years. Finally, we discuss predictability and the possible impact of climate cha..

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