Despite flooding across New South Wales and southeast Queensland this week, long term data suggests Moreton Bay's climate is warming

Dr Christa Pudmenzky explains how Cape Moreton's March climate is changing. Plus, how do increasing temperatures impact our farmers?

Cape Moreton experiences around five more March days reaching 25 degrees than it did 50 years ago. Cape Moreton, 25 March 2021, Source: Monash University.

Data from the Bureau of Meteorology suggests March temperatures are increasing in Moreton Bay.

In comparison to 50 years ago, Moreton Bay experiences five more March days reaching at least 25 degrees.

In the 1970s, residents saw around 23 days of the month hitting that mark.

Nowadays, it's almost the entire month.

Voices from your community

Moreton Bay resident Nick was concerned about the impacts of warmer temperatures on local wildlife.

"It feels like the warmer weather is hanging around a lot longer than it used to," he said.

"We have a big national park in our area.

"With the drier weather and bushfire-risk, I'm quite worried for our native fauna and wildlife.

"To make sure there is more food for them, I've planted a lot of native trees and shrubs in my garden."

Community voices like Nick's tell us how residents and business owners in Moreton Bay feel about their local climate. If you would like to contribute your voice to our column, you can fill out our 5-minute survey here.

Did you know?

Australia's warming climate is affecting our farmers.

Higher temperatures can shorten the growth period of particular crops, such as wheat and rice, which can impact flowering and harvest times.

Sunburn and extreme weather events can also reduce the quality of crops, lowering the price that farmers can sell their produce for.

Want more information on how your climate is changing? Check out last week's article here.

Dr Christa Pudmenzky is a climate scientist at the University of Southern Queensland.

This column is part of a collaboration between the Monash Climate Change Communication Research Hub and News Corp to deliver hyperlocal weather and climate information.

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