Thursday, June 14, 2007
PREDICTION OUT BY 922,500 MEGALITRES
ABC News, June 11, 2005:
Leading environmentalist Professor Tim Flannery has warned that Australia is now entering long-term climate change, which could cause longer and more frequent droughts.
He also predicts that the ongoing drought could leave Sydney’s dams dry in just two years.
ABC News, June 11, 2007:
Sydney’s largest dam, Warragamba, has received 43 millimetres of rain since Thursday, while the region’s smaller dams got a better soaking, including the Upper Nepean which got 108 millimetres.
Sydney’s catchment is 36.9 per cent full.
UPDATE. The weather gods are cruel to Flannery:
And there’s more rain on the way for Sydney, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting a further 60mm by tomorrow ... “It’s not drought-breaking rain but it’s good for the catchment,’’ a bureau spokesman said.
The rain comes as thermometers began to drop, with website weatherzone.com.au predicting a cold blast from the south could see temperatures plunge up to 5C below average across NSW.
UPDATE II. Another doomed prediction:
It’ll be some time before the Greens grow sufficiently to form government.
UPDATE III. May in Australia was reported as unusually hot and therefore evidence of global warming. How will June be reported?
UPDATE IV. Sydney water levels are now up to 39.2% capacity following rainfall this week. “Still not great,” writes Pixy, “but definitely improving.”
UPDATE V. This week’s Sydney forecast:
Saturday: Windy with rain
Sunday: Showers
Monday: Showers
Tuesday: Showers
Wednesday: Possible shower
Thursday: Possible shower
Friday: Possible shower