What is going on with our weather?

Two hundred and seventy-five kilometres north-northeast of Townsville, Cyclone Koji is gathering itself. Like a tiger hunting its prey, the cyclone moves steadily south. Its winds howl fiercely, as the ocean beneath churns restlessly. The Queensland police are urging families within the Northeast and Central Queensland Coast to prepare themselves – to secure what can be secured, and to take shelter. It is expected that the winds will reach speeds up to 130km/hr, tearing up roofs and trees as though they are no more than loose threads.

Elsewhere across Australia, the story is no less severe. Much of the country is gripped by an intense heatwave, with some regions recording temperatures as high as 50 °C. In Victoria, fire continues to ravage the state, with locals warned the current blazes could burn for days, if not weeks. Already, more than 130 structures have been destroyed and over 300,000 hectares of land blackened. Chaos seems to surround us as the nation grapples with weather events unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Being a Melbournian, I have experienced some of these conditions first-hand. A thin layer of smoke hangs in the air, while the city skyline has been enshrouded in a grey smog. It was only yesterday that I was minding my own business, doing absolutely nothing of importance, when nature decided to lob a tree branch the size of a small canoe onto the ground outside my house. Mercifully, it did not land on the house, which would’ve cost an arm and a leg and involved a lot of paperwork. But it landed close enough that it demanded work.

As such, I brought out a saw from the depths of my garage and got to work, praying my lack of competence didn’t result in the loss of a finger… or a hand. With every cut, the branch naturally fought back, and by the end of my work, I was covered in sweat and dust. Despite looking about as coordinated as an elephant on ice skates, I was nonetheless proud of my work. The job was done, and I’d survived with only a few scratches.

My small perils pale in comparison to what so many others are facing. My thoughts are with the families braving the fires and those preparing for Cyclone Koji. Stay safe, look out for one another, and take care.

— Lachie