The southern Australian waters experiencing warmest temperature on record as the balmy temperature up an average of 1.5°C, is caused by changes in Australia’s ocean currents. Scientists believe that the sudden rise in water temperature is not due to climate change. Oceanographer Katy Hill, of the Integrated Marine Observing System, says Tasmanian waters are influenced by two main currents.
According to Hill the two currents are the East Australia Current (EAC), which comes down the east coast of Australia and the Leeuwin Current, which comes down the west coast of Australia and Tasmania. She also said that the EAC is strongest in summer bringing warm waters to the east coast of Tasmania, while the Leeuwin current is stronger in winter bringing warm waters to the west of Tasmania.
Hill informed that the waters along the east coast are about a degree and a half warmer than they usually are at this time of year. Researchers at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research uncovered the extended current using satellite images of sea surface temperature. Hill says natural climate variability is probably the cause of Leeuwin current moving further than usual.
Australia had a wetter year than usual this year, but that doesn’t mean we’re not still on a drying climate trend,” says Hill. But the warmer waters are not welcomed by all.
