Australia just hit a grim weather milestone. Last time it did, 75 people died
Australia has recorded a Southern Oscillation Index reading of -29.1, a level not seen since the devastating 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires. While experts caution that this does not guarantee a repeat of that disaster, the combination of extreme ocean temperatures and dense vegetation creates a significant fire risk for the upcoming summer.
Why it matters
This data serves as a critical warning for emergency services and residents to prepare for potentially extreme bushfire conditions driven by climate volatility.
- 9.39pm . First published at 9.17pm
shares Share article Australia has hit an ominous weather milestone, matching climate conditions last seen ahead of one of its worst natural disasters.
In February 1983, Ash Wednesday bushfires ripped through Victoria and South Australia, killing 75 people and destroying thousands of homes.
Ash Wednesday bushfires ripped through Victoria and South Australia, killing 75 people and destroying thousands of homes. Nine
Now, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) - which tracks atmospheric changes across the Pacific Ocean - has plunged to -29.1, its lowest reading since that tragic month.
With the world’s oceans hotter than at any point on record, experts are paying attention.
The numbers do not necessarily mean another Ash Wednesday is coming.
But they raise an uncomfortable question as summer approaches : could history repeat?
Back in 1983, the warning signs were everywhere.
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