Dubbo is experiencing more above-average summer temperatures, according to weather bureau data

Dr Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick explains how Dubbo's climate is warming. Plus, local resident Chris Anemaat discusses how summer has changed in the central west region.

Dubbo experiences 19 more summer days reaching 35 degrees compared to 50 years ago. Dubbo, 25 February 2021, Source: Monash University.

Dubbo residents can expect more humid weather this weekend - temperatures will remain in the high 20s, with showers and light winds forecast across Saturday and Sunday.

Data from the Bureau of Meteorology shows Dubbo's climate is warming over time.

The number of summer days reaching 35 degrees have more than doubled in the past 50 years.

In the 1970s, Dubbo experienced around 15 days when temperatures climbed above 35 degrees.

Nowadays, it's more like 34.

A typical summer day in Dubbo is around 33 degrees - so a 35 degree day is considered above average.

Did you know?

Warming trends like these are occurring across the world.

Since 1910, Australia's climate has warmed by about 1.4 degrees.

One degree might not sound like much, but it translates into an increased likelihood of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and more fire danger days.

Weather varies between years, but long-term observations from weather stations like Dubbo Airport show us how the climate is changing over time.

Voices from your community

In his 20 years in the region, Chris Anemaat noticed similar warming trends.

"It seems that temperatures are becoming more extreme, summer is definitely warmer and starting much earlier," he said.

"It seems that the heat is becoming worse and will soon be unbearable.

"It's also a lot drier and we have experienced an extreme drought."

Community voices like Chris' tell us how residents and business owners in Dubbo 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 Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick is a climate scientist at the University of New South Wales.

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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