Rising temperatures in Moreton Bay could impact residents' health

Dr Christa Pudmenzky explains how Moreton Bay's March climate is changing. Plus, how do extreme heat events affect mortality rates?

In Moreton Bay, a typical March day is more than one degree warmer than it was 50 years ago. Cape Moreton, 18 March 2021, Source: Monash University.

Data from the Bureau of Meteorology suggests Moreton Bay's climate is warming.

Back in the 1970s, a typical March day was around 25 degrees.

Nowadays, it's more like 27 - more than one degree warmer than it was 50 years ago.

Small changes in the climate can lead to more extreme weather events such as heatwaves.

Fast fact

Warming trends like these increase the likelihood of extreme heat events which can have dangerous implications for our health.

Research from the University of Technology Sydney found that around two per cent of all deaths in Australia are caused by heat.

Brisbane, Coffs Harbour and the Gold Coast have more heat-related deaths than anywhere else in the country.

Voices from your community

Burpengary East resident Pradeep Hathiringe noticed similar changes in March temperatures.

"The local temperature has been rising, even in the early morning," he said.

"I have to use the air conditioning at home to minimise the effects of high temperatures inside the house.

"I've noticed that people are spending less time in the parks because temperatures are so high."

Community voices like Pradeep's tell us how residents and business owners in Moreton 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.

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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