Trends of apparent temperature in Australia

This study compares historical and future temperature and apparent temperature trends across Australia. Observational weather station data from ten chosen urban locations show that eight have annual average warming trends in temperature and/or the apparent temperature (up to 0.4°C per decade) over the second half of the twentieth century. Trends are explored spatially using high resolution ERA Interim reanalysis, revealing that in the continental interior the apparent temperature is warming faster than the temperature, by up to 0.2°C per decade. Therefore, over much of Australia's desert interior, it has been feeling warmer than would be expected. Future trends were explored using high resolution CMIP3 model data. A best practice model for the Australian climate was used as well as best case and worst case scenario models selected using the CSIRO Representative Climate Futures framework. It was found that at 2070 using the A1B emissions scenario the temperature is projected to warm faster than the apparent temperature by up to 1°C in central Australia. Projected increases in wind speed and drying across central Australia, partially offset the thermal comfort impacts of global warming. 18.139.66.39 on 5-22-2014-->