Kosciuszko loses snow for first time since 1954
Alpine snow at Kosciuszko fell to zero for the first time since 1954. This happened during Australia's second-hottest September.
Australia's September was scorching. Average temperatures ran 2.71 degrees above the long-term average.
Night-time lows hit their hottest mark since records began in 1910. Every state and territory recorded top-five warmest Septembers except the Northern Territory, which still ranked sixth.
Alpine areas broke records too. At Kosciuszko, snow depth reached zero in September for the first time since measuring started in 1954.
At Thredbo, the average night-time low crept above freezing for the first time. Climate scientist Linden Ashcroft said the cause is clear: climate change.
She noted the warming shows seasons are shifting. Winter is ending earlier.
Spring is arriving sooner. The Bureau of Meteorology data shows Australia has not had a September cooler than average since 2004.
- 2.71 degrees Celsius above average
- Temperature anomaly
- Zero
- Snow depth at Kosciuszko
- Since 1954
- Years of zero-snow record
- Second-hottest September on record
- Ranking for Australia
Why it mattersRecord heat and vanishing snow show that Australia's ski season is shrinking. Extreme warmth is becoming normal rather than the exception.
AustraliaAustralians in alpine regions face shorter ski seasons and higher fire risk. The heat stress also affects agriculture, tourism and energy demand across the country.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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