Andrew Watkins | Lightnews

Andrew B. Watkins

@windjunky.bsky.social

1.2K followers 160 following 5.5K posts

Australian climate scientist rambling about climate drivers, variability, risks, trends & impacts. Once played goalie for Antarctica. Born @ 325ppm.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/drandrewwatkins/

Videos

Environmental science 33%

Medicine 16%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 1d

We are on a path to, at best, 2.7°C. Not win at all.

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 1d

One of my favourites. Vale Jon Kudelka

fluids_guru @fluidsguru.bsky.social · 1d

Jon Kudelka was one of the best. A true prophet who understood us all. (This was from 2013). #auspol #kudelka

kudelka.com.au/tag/ipcc/

Jon Kudelka’s seminal cartoon of a scientist standing behind an IPCC lectern at every AR cycle waiting for the world to listen. Published in 2013.

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

fluids_guru @fluidsguru.bsky.social · 1d

Jon Kudelka was one of the best. A true prophet who understood us all. (This was from 2013). #auspol #kudelka

kudelka.com.au/tag/ipcc/

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 1d

Grass looking crispy :-(

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 1d

La Nina + neg IOD = cold Australia, right?
Not anymore.
Just released: "2025 was Australia's 4th warmest year since national temperature records began in 1910. For Australia as a whole, the national annual average temperature was 1.23 °C above the 1961–1990 average"
www.bom.gov.au/climate/curr...

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 2d

Winter Olympic athletes juggle the mental load of large carbon footprints that contribute to a warmer world & loss of snow, with a love of their sport, mountains & representing their nation. Hence more are speaking out on the need to move away from fossil fuels. #POW
www.nbcmiami.com/olympics/202...

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 2d

Just noting that no sensible scientist is going for El Niño this early (southern autumn is the ENSO predictability barrier), even though the ENSO models are unusually emphatic. Key story is really that we are setting up for a record global temperature in the next handful of years.

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 2d

Comments from me in today’s Guardian on the chance of El Niño in 2026 & record global temperatures in 2026 or 27.
TL:DR La Niña is unlikely, but either neutral or El Niño more likely in 2026. With accelerating global warming, we may not even need a strong El Niño to give record global temperatures.

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 3d

Great article on the climate threats to both winter and summer Olympics
theconversation.com/climate-chan...

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 5d

My interview with ABC Radio today on the threat that climate change plays to the Winter Olympics (which starts this week in Italy) and Australia’s snow seasons, and the need to Protect Our Winters.
drive.google.com/file/d/1Z6zS...

05:02:26 Watkins ABC South East NSW.mp3

drive.google.com

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 6d

#ridetoworkmelb #melbweather

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 6d

And a large proportion don’t. On the flip side, expecting individuals to act while governments don’t is exactly what mining companies and others want. Action at scale is what’s required, and that’s a local, national and global government effort, not just Joe Average sorting their plastics.

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 7d

You won’t find many of us Australian climate or biodiversity folks disagreeing with you!

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 7d

I did a live interview today discussing the shortening window of reliable natural snow for the Winter Olympics (starting in Italy on Friday) and Australia, and the importance of having plans to Protect Our Winters.
From the 5min mark of
www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Mornings - ABC listen

Mornings pulls apart the issues that interest the Canberra community

www.abc.net.au

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 7d

While we have been watching the heat, inland Qld has floods.
Already areas have had a years worth of average rainfall in first 5 weeks of the year, with almost 3 months to go in their wet season.

www.bom.gov.au/climate/maps...

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

Michael Brown @mjibrown.bsky.social · 7d

Absolutely enormous sunspot on the surface of the Sun that is visible with eclipse glasses or a solar filter - no telescope required. Just took a look at it myself.

Could be interesting when it is directed more towards Earth later this week.

www.spaceweather.com

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

www.spaceweather.com

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

David Jones @ozhillbilly.bsky.social · 7d

#Melbourne is so parched. 3mm of rain in the past six weeks and repeated heatwaves. Example of an intense flash drought coming on top of an ordinary rainfall year.

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 7d

Press release from Protect our Winters on the threats to Australia’s snow season, high country and Winter Olympians, with some quotes from me (and from Olympians!)

protectourwinters.org.au/press/austra...

Australian Winter Olympic Success At Risk Due To Climate Change Impacts - Protect Our Winters Australia

protectourwinters.org.au

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 9d

Thanks Adam Morgan for asking me and Sarah Kirkpatrick to be involved in this ABC News story about the heatwaves. Normalising the difficult conversations about climate risk is important, and it’s a credit to the ABC.
youtu.be/goMyuDCKS9M?...

Australians to experience more 50C days as heatwaves intensify, experts say | ABC NEWS

YouTube video by ABC News (Australia)

youtu.be

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 9d

I spoke about heat records, NCRA, Antarctica and the arts on Einstein-a-Go-Go (3RRR) this morning. Listen at:
www.rrr.org.au/shared/broad...

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 9d

"Heatwave? Its always been hot up here."
There were 6 days in January 2026 above 45.0C at Mildura.
Mildura only reached 45C a total of 6 times from 1946-2000 (54 years).
Mildura has reached 45C a total of 27 times since 2000.
www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/...
*hat tip Gary Weymouth

www.bom.gov.au

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 10d

Please don’t give ammunition to the ‘scientists are to blame for not telling us’ crowd.

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 10d

I get where you are coming from, but this isn’t a formal attribution piece but a look at the types of patterns that give us our most extreme heatwaves. It’s a piece of the puzzle - educating people about what patterns generate a heatwave. The formal attribution assessments will come.

Reposted by Andrew Watkins

Extreme Temperatures Around the World @extremetemps.bsky.social · 11d

‼️That's CRAZY :50c again in AUSTRALIA
and on the Southern coast

The mother of all heat waves of the Southern Hemisphere is just getting wilder with these insane records:
50.0 Port Augusta
49.7 Tarcoola
49.6 Woomera
48.3 Coober Pedy

🌡️5 consecutive days >49C!
and more tomorrow

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 11d

Similar but different - certainly in Melbourne a lot less wind, and the early inversion this time meant the morning started cool.

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 11d

Great article on the causes of the current heatwave by Tess Parker @tessjparker.bsky.social and Michael Barnes. Most people would not realise that Tropical Cyclones off NW Australia in Jan/Feb actually drive an extra kick in our SE Australia heat.
theconversation.com/anatomy-of-a...

Anatomy of a heatwave: how a cyclone, humid air and atmospheric waves drove brutal heat in the southeast

In 2009, the combination of a cyclone, atmospheric waves and warm moist air triggered a record-breaking heatwave. It’s happening again.

theconversation.com

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 11d

Second day with SA recording a 50C now...
www.bom.gov.au/sa/observati...

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 11d

As Sean Dooley from Birdlife Australia has pointed out, birds dont sweat. If there is no water for them they will die. @birdlifeglobal.bsky.social

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 11d

First 50C (provisional) of the heatwave posted at Andamooka (SA) yesterday. May not be the last.
Data at: reg.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/...

Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 11d

Concerning temperatures in South Australia today. Roxby Downs already 49.4C at 2:17pm local time. Recent maximums have been hit around 4pm.
Also 49.0C at Maree - second day in a row 49+, 4th consecutive day over 48. 'Only' 47C forecast tomorrow.
Is 50C on the cards?
www.bom.gov.au/sa/observati...

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