The Increasing Frequency of Heat Wave–Extreme Rainfall Whiplash Events across Australia

Abstract

Abstract Heat wave-to-extreme rainfall sequences are a form of weather whiplash event (WWE), involving the abrupt transition from a “hot” to “wet” extreme. This type of subweekly temporal compounding can lead to an amplification of hazards associated with these extremes, including bushfire and flooding. Despite the potential for WWEs to have significant socioeconomic and environmental impacts on Australia, these sequences remain poorly understood. We present a custom definition to support the identification and analysis of subweekly hot-to-wet WWEs across Australia during extended summer periods (October–April) from 1910 to 2022. Using this definition, the highest WWE frequ..