What's behind the heatwave?
Australia heated up this week ½Å¹ß·¹Çø®Ä«»çÀÌÆ®=½Å¹ß·¹Çø®Ä«»çÀÌÆ® as a mass of hot air swept east across the ¼ÛÆÄ¿ø·ëÀÌ»ç continent.
The dominant climate ¹æÇе¿¿ë´ÞÀÌ»ç driver behind the heat has been a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) - an event where sea surface ¾çÆò¿ë´ÞÀÌ»ç temperatures are warmer in the western half of the ocean, cooler in the ¼°æ´ëÆ÷ÀåÀÌ»ç east.
The warmer waters cause higher-than-average ´ä·Ê¶±=´ä·Êǰ ´ä·Ê¶± Çà»ç¶± ±îÄ¡¶± rains in the western Indian Ocean region, leading to flooding, and drier conditions across South East Asia and Australia.