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Jamie Oliver renews vows in Las Vegas

<p>Jamie Oliver is celebrating 24 years of marriage! </p> <p>The celebrity chef and his wife Juliette Norton - also known as Jools - celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows. </p> <p>The couple organised a more fun and laid back ceremony, with a trip to Las Vegas, which, of course, included an Elvis impersonator. </p> <p>"Happy 24th wedding anniversary @joolsoliver 24 years !!! Love you - Las vagus baby !!" Oliver captioned a series of Instagram photos from their special day. </p> <p>"@gracelandweddingchapellv big love really good fun 🙏🏼 jamie xxx."</p> <p>The pair seemed to be having the time of their life posing and dancing alongside the Elvis impersonator. </p> <p>Their outfits also matched the fun occasion with Oliver donning a grey suit paired with aviator sunglasses, while Norton wore a pair of jeans, cowboy boots, a white top and a mini veil. </p> <p>Oliver also included a few snaps from their wedding in July 2000, where they also hired an Elvis impersonator. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8pbo-ztToH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8pbo-ztToH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jools Oliver (@joolsoliver)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Norton shared her own Instagram post, with the caption: "Happy 24 crazy married years together🤍 I love you so much." </p> <p>"thank you for indulging my LOVE for Elvis 🤍 I know this marriage has '3 people in it 😂😂 but you get me like NO other!</p> <p>"Just you wait and see what I have planned for our 25th 😉❤️❤️❤️❤️"</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Elevating tradition: La Traviata at the Sydney Opera House

<p>Opera Australia is set to enchant audiences as it opens its highly anticipated 2024 season with the Sydney premiere of Sarah Giles’ acclaimed production of Verdi’s timeless masterpiece, <em>La Traviata</em>. The curtains will rise on January 2nd at the iconic Joan Sutherland Theatre in the Sydney Opera House, promising an unforgettable journey into the world of love, sacrifice and redemption.</p> <p>Hailed as "an absolute triumph" by <em>The AU Review</em> and described as "audaciously new" by <em>InReview</em>, this co-production by Opera Queensland, State Opera South Australia and West Australian Opera promises to deliver the quintessential glamour of <em>La Traviata</em> while offering a fresh, female perspective. Director Sarah Giles skilfully brings the inner turmoil of Violetta to the forefront, shedding light on the harsh realities and heartaches of her life as a courtesan.</p> <p>Enhancing the narrative, Charles Davis' masterful set design delves into Violetta's public and private spheres, while his costumes brilliantly capture the opulent world of lavish parties and extravagance synonymous with <em>La Traviata</em>.</p> <p>For the first time, the award-winning conductor Jessica Cottis will take the baton, leading the Opera Australia Orchestra and the celebrated Opera Australia Chorus through Verdi's emotionally stirring score. Audiences can anticipate spine-tingling renditions of iconic pieces such as the lively "Brindisi" and the achingly beautiful "Sempre libera".</p> <p>Taking centre stage as Violetta, Australian soprano Samantha Clarke, fresh from a string of successful debuts in prestigious venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, is set to mesmerise audiences with her poignant portrayal. Joining her are the talented Australian-Chinese tenor Kang Wang, reprising the role of Alfredo, and New Zealand baritone Phillip Rhodes, making his Opera Australia debut as Giorgio Germont.</p> <p>As the season progresses, rising Australian soprano Sophie Salvesani will step into the shoes of Violetta, a role she previously captivated audiences with in 2022. Alongside her, Australian tenor Tomas Dalton returns as Alfredo, while baritone Luke Gabbedy, fresh from his acclaimed performance in OA's five-star production of the <em>Ring Cycle</em> in Brisbane, graces the stage as Giorgio Germont.</p> <p>Prepare to be swept away by the passion, drama, and timeless melodies of <em>La Traviata</em>, as Opera Australia invites you to experience this unforgettable journey of love and sacrifice, reimagined for a new era.</p> <p>Don't miss your chance to witness this exquisite production at the Sydney Opera House, from January 2nd to March 16th, 2024. For more information, <a href="https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/opera-australia/2024-season/la-traviata" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.</p>

Art

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Rod Stewart lists $105 million LA mansion

<p>Legendary rocker Rod Stewart has put his mega mansion on the market.</p> <p>The listing comes just days after the star’s former Malibu home was listed for an asking price of $49.5m (AU$74.2m), with the Wall Street Journal first reporting his current Los Angeles compound is asking for $70m (AU$105m).</p> <p>With a European style, situated in the gated enclave of North Beverly Park, the property spans 3,065 sqm with a pool and a soccer field.</p> <p>Although a soccer field is a rarity in LA, it’s no surprise Stewart, 78, is an avid soccer fan.</p> <p>The 78-year-old was even spotted in Malibu playing football with the Scottish national team on the beach after inviting them to play there.</p> <p>The Journal noted that according to sales records, Stewart purchased the property in 1991 for $12,08m. He also owns a home in Palm Beach, Florida.</p> <p>Images of the home showcase Old World-style finishes such as ceiling mouldings and medallions, Corinthian columns, crystal chandeliers and stunning marble floors in various patterns.</p> <p>The main house boasts nine bedrooms, one being the primary suite with a sitting room and a terrace that looks over the pool.</p> <p>The main wardrobe is also found in the primary suite — one large enough to store the rocker’s massive show collection.</p> <p>Elsewhere offers entertaining areas, including a flashy speak-easy with eye-catching jade green-painted walls.</p> <p>A main-floor great room showcases a bar and a loggia to spend time with guests outdoors.</p> <p>The listing also includes a three-stories-tall guest house with two gyms.</p> <p>Michelle Oliver of Douglas Elliman has the listing and declined to reveal why the British icon has decided to sell.</p> <p>She noted it is suitable for owners who are seeking “a return to maximalism” and for “something that looks different and stands out.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty / Realtor.com</em></p>

Real Estate

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"This is crazy": Ellen shares worrying update from storm-lashed LA

<p>Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres shared an update on Twitter showing the intensity of the wild storms hitting Los Angeles.</p> <p>The 64-year-old gave an up close and personal look at how the storm was wreaking havoc near her Montecito mansion.</p> <p>"Montecito is under mandatory evacuation. We are on higher ground so they asked us to shelter in place. Please stay safe everyone," she wrote.</p> <p>The video shows DeGeneres bundled up in a grey raincoat and hoodie as the rising floodwaters in the creek raged behind her.</p> <p>"This creek next to our house never flows, ever. It’s probably about nine feet [2.7m] up. It could go another two feet [60cm] up. We have horses ready to evacuate," she said.</p> <p>DeGeneres lives in an affluent area with other A-listers including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Oprah Winfrey, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Montecito is under mandatory evacuation. We are on higher ground so they asked us to shelter in place. Please stay safe everyone. <a href="https://t.co/7dv5wfNSzG">pic.twitter.com/7dv5wfNSzG</a></p> <p>— Ellen DeGeneres (@EllenDeGeneres) <a href="https://twitter.com/EllenDeGeneres/status/1612591946635284480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>DeGeneres referenced the five-year anniversary of the deadly mudslides that struck Southern California in 2018, leaving 23 people dead and over 160 others injured.</p> <p>"This is crazy, on the five-year anniversary. We’re having unprecedented rain,” she said.</p> <p>DeGeneres ended the video with a friendly reminder that: “We need to be nicer to mother nature, cause mother nature is not happy with us. Let’s all do our part. Stay safe everybody.”</p> <p>Various fans have commented their support and prayers for the former talk show host.</p> <p>"Wow, so sorry you have to go through that. Stay safe," one commented.</p> <p>"It’s 5 years to the day since 23 people died in the Montecito mudslides. Stay safe Ellen and everyone else," commented another.</p> <p><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Climate scientist warns a deadly bushfire season is "likely"

<p>An early climate model has suggested a hot and dry El Niño could form once La Niña - the event responsible for three years of flooding rains - comes to a slow close.</p> <p>Should this be on the horizon, a summer of drought, heatwaves and bushfires are all but certain according to a climate expert.</p> <p>The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) released its latest climate driver update on Thursday, stating ocean temperatures "remain warmer than average in the western Pacific".</p> <p>Models indicate sea-surface temperatures may exceed El Niño thresholds in the equatorial Pacific by June.</p> <p>Dr Wenju Cai, a climate scientist with the CSIRO, said an El Niño is "likely" to form.</p> <p>"We have been through three years of La Niña, during each of which heat is stored in the equatorial Pacific," he told 9News.com.au.</p> <p>"With so much heat charged in the equatorial Pacific, an El Niño is readily triggered by relaxation of the trade winds over the region."</p> <p>"(The) majority of prediction models are predicting an El Niño by the summer.”</p> <p>After extreme wet weather conditions and soaking rains, Cai holds fears for the next bushfire season - warning it could recall the grim scenes of Black Summer of 2019 and early 2020.</p> <p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) says heatwaves are among the most dangerous of natural hazards.</p> <p>Cai said Australia should know for certain what the summer will hold by June.</p> <p>"Between March and May, predictability is low as this is a period in which there is high noise, the so-called autumn predictability barrier," he said.</p> <p>One thing is for certain though, La Niña is drawing to a close.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Hugh Sheridan’s ex-husband’s identity revealed

<p dir="ltr">The identity of the high profile entertainer who was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/zero-regrets-hugh-sheridan-reveals-secret-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">married to Aussie actor Hugh Sheridan</a> has been revealed. </p> <p dir="ltr">The former <em>Packed to the Rafters</em> actor, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, appeared on Jessica Rowe's <em>Big Talk Show</em> podcast and said they were married for nine years to an unidentified actor. </p> <p dir="ltr">But fans did a little digging and have concluded that Hugh, 37, was married to 35-year-old <em>Dynasty</em> star and Venezualan actor Rafael de la Fuente. </p> <p dir="ltr">It is understood that at the time of the relationship, Rafael was openly gay and Hugh was yet to share that he too was gay.</p> <p dir="ltr">On the podcast, Hugh said he did not want to reveal their former partner’s name but said the pair tied the knot on July 11, 2011 and were married for nine years. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf14Mh9OQeV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf14Mh9OQeV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rafael De La Fuente (@rafaeldlf)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I can't say their name because they were in the same industry, so. Couldn't really be specific about that, but I was married,” Hugh said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We were solidly together for about seven years and then the last couple of years we were travelling a lot and it got too hard and, but we're still very good friends.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Hugh confessed that close family and friends knew about the marriage but they decided to keep it private from the public. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was finding out if you don't speak out about your private life, people can assume that you're ashamed or that you've got some sort of an agenda or that you are denying other people their self expression by not talking about it.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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The wild weather of La Niña could wipe out vast stretches of Australia’s beaches and sand dunes

<p>Australians along the east cost are bracing for yet another round of heavy rainfall this weekend, after a band of stormy weather soaked <a href="https://theconversation.com/on-our-wettest-days-stormclouds-can-dump-30-trillion-litres-of-water-across-australia-191949">most of the continent</a> this week.</p> <p>The Bureau of Meteorology has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUsNQ_-fNbM&amp;ab_channel=BureauofMeteorology">alerted</a> southern inland Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Victoria and northern Tasmania to ongoing flood risks, as the rain falls on already flooded or saturated catchments.</p> <p>This widespread wet weather heralds <a href="https://theconversation.com/la-nina-3-years-in-a-row-a-climate-scientist-on-what-flood-weary-australians-can-expect-this-summer-190542">Australia’s rare third</a> back-to-back La Niña, which goes hand-in-hand with heavy rain. There is, however, another pressing issue arising from La Niña events: coastal erosion.</p> <p>The wild weather associated with La Niña will drive more erosion along Australia’s east coast – enough to wipe out entire stretches of beaches and dunes, if all factors align. So, it’s important we heed lessons from past storms and plan ahead, as climate change <a href="https://theconversation.com/2022s-supercharged-summer-of-climate-extremes-how-global-warming-and-la-nina-fueled-disasters-on-top-of-disasters-190546">will only exacerbate</a> future coastal disasters.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QUsNQ_-fNbM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Ongoing flood risk for eastern Australia | Bureau of Meteorology.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>How La Niña batters coastlines</h2> <p>La Niña is associated with warmer waters in the western Pacific Ocean, which increase storminess off Australia’s east coast. Chances of a higher number of tropical cyclones increase, as do the chances of cyclones travelling further south and further inland, and of more frequent passages of east coast lows.</p> <p>Australians had a taste of this in 1967, when the Gold Coast was hit by the largest storm cluster on record, made up of four cyclones and three east coast lows within six months. 1967 wasn’t even an official La Niña year, with the index just below the La Niña threshold.</p> <p>Such frequency didn’t allow beaches to recover between storms, and the overall erosion was unprecedented. It <a href="https://impact.griffith.edu.au/seawall-engineering/">forced many</a> local residents to use anything on hand, even cars, to protect their properties and other infrastructure.</p> <p>Official La Niña events occurred soon after. This included a double-dip La Niña between 1970 and 1972, followed by a triple-dip La Niña between 1973 and 1976.</p> <p>These events fuelled two cyclones in 1972, two in 1974 and one in 1976, wreaking havoc along the entire east coast of Australia. Indeed, 1967 and 1974 are considered <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/one-of-the-storms-that-hit-us-in-1974-was-among-the-three-worst-since-white-settlement/news-story/0cd5ca874d6b37206762d8485e4eb442">record years</a> for storm-induced coastal erosion.</p> <p>Studies show the extreme erosion of 1974 was caused by a combination of large waves coinciding with <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1066&amp;context=scipapers">above-average high tides</a>. It took over ten years for the sand to come back to the beach and for <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4300263">dunes to recover</a>. However, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00437-2">recent studies</a> also show single extreme storms can bring back considerable amounts of sand from deeper waters.</p> <p>La Niña also modifies the direction of waves along the east coast, resulting in waves approaching from a more easterly direction (<a href="https://www.surfline.com/surf-news/forecaster-blog-la-nina-conditions-mean-surf/97904">anticlockwise</a>).</p> <p>This subtle change has huge implications when it comes to erosion of otherwise more sheltered <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/how-la-nina-may-damage-queensland-tourist-hot-spots-041805874.html">north-facing beaches</a>. We saw this during the recent, and relatively weaker, double La Niña of 2016-18.</p> <p>In 2016, an east coast low of only moderate intensity produced extreme erosion, similar to that of 1974. Scenes of destruction along NSW – including a collapsed backyard pool on <a href="https://www.wrl.unsw.edu.au/news/wrl-coastal-engineers-document-the-worst-erosion-at-collaroy-since-1974">Collaroy Beach</a> – are now <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-06/nsw-weather-large-waves-hit-collaroy-coast/7479846#:%7E:text=NSW%20weather%3A%20Collaroy%20swimming%20pool%20collapses%20as%20giant%20waves%20hit%20beachfront%20houses,-Posted%20Sun%205&amp;text=Waves%20up%20to%208%20metres,as%20wild%20weather%20battered%20NSW.">iconic</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-05792-1">This is largely</a> because wave direction deviated from the average by 45 degrees anticlockwise, during winter solstice spring tides when water levels are higher.</p> <h2>All ducks aligned?</h2> <p>The current triple-dip La Niña started in 2020. Based on Australia’s limited record since 1900, we know the final events in such sequences tend to be the weakest.</p> <p>However, when it comes to coastal hazards, history tells us smaller but more frequent storms can cause as much or more erosion than one large event. This is mostly about the combination of storm direction, sequencing and high water levels.</p> <p>For example, Bribie Island in Queensland was hit by relatively large easterly waves from ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth earlier this year, coinciding with above-average high tides. This caused the island to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-27/bribie-island-changes-could-create-new-caloundra-bar/100777038#:%7E:text=Ex%2DTropical%20Cyclone%20Seth%20has,splitting%20the%20island%20in%20two.">split in two</a> and form a 300-metre wide passage of seawater.</p> <p>Further, the prolonged period of easterly waves since 2020 has already taken a toll on beaches and dunes in Australia.</p> <p>Traditionally, spring is the season when sand is transported onshore under fair-weather waves, building back wide beaches and tall dunes nearest to the sea. However, beaches haven’t had time to fully recover from the previous two years, which makes them more vulnerable to future erosion.</p> <p>Repeated <a href="https://www.usc.edu.au/about/structure/schools/school-of-science-technology-and-engineering/coast4d">elevation measurements</a> by our team and citizen scientists along beaches in the Sunshine Coast and Noosa show shorelines have eroded more than 10m landwards since the beginning of this year. As the photo below shows, 2-3m high erosion scarps (which look like small cliffs) have formed along dunes due to frequent heavy rainfalls and waves.</p> <p>On the other hand, we can also see that the wet weather has led to greater growth of vegetation on dunes, such as native spinifex and dune bean.</p> <p>Experiments in laboratory settings show dune vegetation can dissipate up to 40-50% of the water level reached as a result of waves, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272771418307583">reduce erosion</a>. But whether this increase in dune vegetation mitigates further erosion remains to be seen.</p> <h2>A challenging future</h2> <p>The chances of witnessing coastal hazards similar to those in 1967 or 1974 in the coming season are real and, in the unfortunate case they materialise, we should be ready to act. Councils and communities need to prepare ahead and work together towards recovery if disaster strikes using, for example, sand nourishment and sandbags.</p> <p>Looking ahead, it remains essential to further our understanding about coastal dynamics – especially in a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-03/gold-coast-no-stranger-to-beach-erosion/101381812#:%7E:text=a%20huge%20challenge-,Millions%20spent%20to%20protect%20Gold%20Coast%20beaches%2C%20but,change%20poses%20a%20huge%20challenge&amp;text=In%201967%2C%20Gold%20Coast%20beaches,and%20ruined%20the%20tourist%20season.">changing climate</a> – so we can better manage densely populated coastal regions.</p> <p>After all, much of what we know about the dynamics of Australia’s east coast has been supported by coastal monitoring programs, which were implemented <a href="https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/coastal-observation-program-engineering">along Queensland</a> and NSW after the 1967 and 1974 storms.</p> <p>Scientists predict that La Niña conditions along the east coast of Australia – such as warmer waters, higher sea levels, stronger waves and more waves coming from the east – will become <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-fuelled-wave-patterns-pose-an-erosion-risk-for-developing-countries-184064">the norm under climate change</a>.</p> <p>It’s crucial we start having a serious conversation about coastal adaptation strategies, including implementing a <a href="https://www.usc.edu.au/about/unisc-news/news-archive/2022/january/coastal-erosion-may-force-retreat-from-the-sea#:%7E:text=Giving%20up%20land%20to%20the,of%20the%20Sunshine%20Coast%20researcher.">managed retreat</a>. The longer we take, the higher the costs will be.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191941/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/javier-leon-262182">Javier Leon</a>, Senior lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a></em></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-wild-weather-of-la-nina-could-wipe-out-vast-stretches-of-australias-beaches-and-sand-dunes-191941">original article</a>.</p>

Domestic Travel

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Incredible collection of 200 "lost" Elvis Presley items up for auction

<p dir="ltr">A stunning collection of lost jewellery and other memorabilia and items that Elvis Presley gave to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is going up for auction on August 27 with the backing of his ex-wife, Priscilla.</p> <p dir="ltr">Up to 200 items, including gold rings encrusted with jewels, cufflinks, watches and chains, have been brought together by GWS Auction. Also included is the V-2 guitar played by Presley during his famous 'comeback' TV special of 1968, which alone is listed at US$750,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">Presley's 9.81 carat-to-weight Diamond 'First' TCB ring – where "TCB" stands for "taking care of business"' a favourite expression of the music legend – is also listed for a minimal bid of US$500,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">His 18 karat lion ring, which Elvis wore in the documentary 'Elvis: That's The Way it Is' is for sale too for a minimal bid of US$25,000. Other accessories, including watches, rings and necklaces, are mostly listed between US$1,000 to US$10,000 per item.</p> <p dir="ltr">The King's “Heartbreak Hotel” original lyrics board is also for sale for a minimal bid of US$50,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other items in the auction include: The King's "Speedway" Racing Jumpsuit, listed for a minimal amount of US$20,000; his 1976 Harley Davidson FLH 1200 Electra Glide for US$100,000; his 1973 Lincoln Continental 'Last' Limo for an amount of US$50,000; and his personally owned jet purchased for his father, listed at US$100,000.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the jewellery pieces were provided by Priscilla, although she doesn't own them. The lost collection's total estimated value, as well as its current owner's identity, remain unknown and it is also unclear how the items were found.</p> <p dir="ltr">Priscilla has also said she felt protective of the items because she designed some of them herself, including artefacts with the logo for TCB Band, the musicians who formed the core rhythm section of Presley's backing band in his later years.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also said she supported the auction in part because she was weary of seeing so many fake Elvis items for sale online.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There is so much product out there that is not authentic at all and that worries me,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want to know for sure that that is going to go to someone who is going to care for it, love it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The auction will be held in Los Angeles, California, at the Sunset Marquis Hotel starting at 10 pm on August 27.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Kruse GWS Auctions</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Madonna flips The Weeknd's former LA estate

<p>Music icon Madonna has successfully flipped this Los Angeles-area mansion for a huge profit.</p> <p>The ‘Material Girl’ singer has listed her 3-acre Hidden Hills home for $25.9 million (A$36 million) just one year after buying it from R&amp;B star The Weeknd.</p> <p>That’s $6.7 million (A$9.3m) more than the $19.3 million (A$26.8m) the 63-year-old pop queen paid for the approximately 12,000-square-foot estate, which she bought from the singer in April 2021.</p> <p>This time around, however, the house may actually sell at the steep asking price, thanks to the addition of a new gym and dance studio in the property’s barn.</p> <p>The home features a saltwater pool, a basketball court, a 10-person spa, an indoor-outdoor bar, a formal dining room with a fireplace, a wine cellar, a five-car auto gallery, a home theatre and a two-bedroom, two-bathroom guesthouse with a full kitchen.</p> <p>It also has plenty of room for guests, boasting nine bedrooms and eleven bathrooms throughout the main house and separate guesthouse. All seven of the main residence’s bedrooms have ensuite baths.</p> <p>The interesting compound is also very well hidden, accessed via an “olive-tree lined drive &amp; storybook bridge”.</p> <p>The grounds are located on a “sun-drenched hillside” brimming with redwood trees in the gated Hidden Hills community, which is known for its many current and former famous residents.</p> <p><em>Images: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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Stallone sells home to Adele then buys THIS

<p>Maybe you heard that Sylvester Stallone has up and sold his custom Beverly Hills 90210 mansion. The lucky buyer on this occasion was none other than soul diva Adele – who only paid a humble $58 million for the abode residing in the ultra-exclusive guard-gated Beverly Park community.</p> <p>While Stallone and his wife Jennifer now call Florida home (with a $35 million pad out in Palm Beach), the power couple are keeping one foot on Californian soil with a recent purchase.</p> <p>They’ve “downsized” on the down-low to an estate in nearby Hidden Hills. This happens to be another guard-gated community near Los Angeles, in an area well known for its many famous residents – including musicians, pro athletes and nearly all of the Kardashians.</p> <p>Stallone paid about $18.2 million for the residence, meaning he got himself a new home and still managed to pocket roughly $40 million from the Beverley Park sale.</p> <p>The house is set at the end of a discreet Hidden Hills cul-de-sac, the gated estate spans more than two acres and is a true compound, with a mansion-sized main house, a guesthouse, pool house and separate horse barn.</p> <p>All up, the various structures include more than 10,000 square feet of living space, and the fully landscaped property also includes a greenhouse, vegetable garden, 100 fruit-bearing citrus and avocado trees, a koi pond and a horse arena for riding.</p> <p>Built new in 2015, the property was sold the following year for $7.8 million to Margie Keyes, the Australian-born ex-wife of Keyes Auto Group owner Howard Keyes.</p> <p>Shortly after her purchase, Keyes engaged the services of noted interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard who is best known for his work with celebrity clients like the Kardashians and the Osbourne family - for a very custom make over.</p> <p>As you can see in the gallery below, the results of those renovations are stunning and highly luxurious.</p> <p><em>Images: Dirt Real Estate </em></p>

Real Estate

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Brooke Shields earns TWICE what she spent on LA home

<p dir="ltr">Actress and model Brooke Shields has reportedly <a href="https://www.redfin.com/CA/Pacific-Palisades/1710-N-San-Remo-Dr-90272/home/6849498">sold</a> her LA home for $10.2 million - making a hefty $5.7 million profit in the process.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <em><a href="https://www.dirt.com/gallery/entertainers/actors/brooke-shields-house-los-angeles-1203456072/brookeshields_pps15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dirt</a></em>, Shields bought the five-bedroom, five-bathroom 1980s home for about $4.5 million in 1997, meaning she has collected double its original value.</p> <p dir="ltr">The opulent residence, located in the affluent Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, features an airy living area with a functional fireplace and exposed beams, as well as a large balcony area with sweeping views of the canyon, and a marble-topped professional kitchen.</p> <p dir="ltr">On the second floor, the master suite boasts two fireplaces, a study nook, a free-standing tub, a sauna, and its own private balcony.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8fdc7489-7fff-a777-1952-99b2ec0a9efd"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Outside, the home’s second deck on the first floor is home to a lagoon-style pool and spa, accompanied by a lush lounge area.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaVXUThuZb7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaVXUThuZb7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brooke Shields (@brookeshields)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Shields took to Instagram last week to announce she was moving on from her LA home, sharing a series of throwback photos from when she made jam with LA Times columnist Ben Mims.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My iPhone just reminded me of these pics from jamming mandarins with my new friend @benbmims in my backyard, as I said goodbye to my LA home 💛 #movingon,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although the <em>Blue Lagoon</em> star has owned the property for 25 years, she has spent most of her time on America’s east coast in the 1840s Manhattan townhouse she owns with her husband Chris Henchy.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d4a87b0a-7fff-c496-f5eb-c6102c2aef36"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @brookeshields (Instagram), Redfin</em></p>

Real Estate

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Naomi Osaka's stunning new mega-mansion 

<p>Naomi Osaka, former World No. 1 tennis player, has forked out $8.7 million (US$6.3m) for former boy-band star Nick Lachey's LA home.</p> <p>This isn't the first time the famed athlete has bought a home from a pop star. In 2019, Osaka splashed $9.5 million (US$6.9m) on buying Nick Jonas' 90210 pad.</p> <p>The San Fernando Valley purchase happened off market, according to Dirt, and appears to be a tidy pay day for Lachey and wife Vanessa. The pair only lived there for a year after buying the house in late 2020 for $7 million (US$5.1m).</p> <p>Nick Lachey is best known as the former 98 Degrees boyband singer, Jessica Simpson's ex-husband and co-host of Netflix's Love Is Blind.</p> <p>Osaka is well placed to indulge in luxury real estate. Forbes estimates the Japanese-Haitian tennis superstar's income reached $83 million (US$60 million) in a single year, making her the highest-paid female athlete of all time.</p> <p>Located in LA's Tarzana neighbourhood, the East Coast traditional-inspired manor was newly built in 2015 and boasts an outdoor feature Osaka was no doubt drawn to – a sunken sports court.</p> <p>Behind a double-gated driveway, the home welcomes you with manicured front garden and driveway parking for a dozen or more cars, plus a four-car garage.</p> <p>Interiors feature a large gourmet eat-in kitchen with dual islands, a formal dining room sports wainscoting and a patterned wallpaper, a lounge area with beautiful coffered ceiling and fireplace and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.</p> <p>There's a media room that acts a second comfy lounge room and a "parlor games room" that in listing photos is equipped with pool table and wet bar that can easily seat five sports fans. There's also a movie theatre.</p> <p>All five of the home's bedrooms enjoy ensuite full bathrooms, with an additional two powder rooms in the residence. The upstairs main suite comes with a fireplace, private balcony, private sitting room and dual closets.</p> <p>Year-round outdoor entertaining is also on offer, with a covered loggia including fans and a fireplace.</p> <p>Outside, the resort-style backyard has grassy lawns, a fire pit, stamped concrete patio and a dark-bottomed pool. Plus, there's also a bar and built-in BBQ for summer get togethers.</p> <p>The best feature of the roughly 2,800sqm property, and no doubt part of the reason Osaka was keen to snag the home, is the aforementioned sports court.</p> <p><em>Images: Domain.com.au</em></p> <p> </p>

Real Estate

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See inside “Jeopardy!” star Alex Trebek’s luxe LA home

<p dir="ltr">Just over a year after Alex Trebek, the beloved host of<span> </span><em>Jeopardy!</em>, passed away at 80, his children have decided to list his home near Los Angeles for a whopping $9.89 million ($USD 6.995 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/3405-Fryman-Rd_Studio-City_CA_91604_M12859-49929" target="_blank">listing</a>, Trebek first bought the five-bedroom, 7.5-bathroom home in 1991 for $3.04 million.</p> <p dir="ltr">In an interesting turn of events, Trebek’s daughter Emily is the listing agent for the property, along with Renee Oigens at Compass.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the Trebeks have been forced to slash the price of their last home that hit the market - to the tune of $USD 200,000 ($AUD 280,000) - some experts believe they will actually sell the LA home for more than the asking price.</p> <p dir="ltr">Real estate experts have pointed to the home’s location in LA’s Fryman Canyon, a secluded hotspot for celebrities, as well as its famed pedigree.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We believe this home will go at or above the asking price,” Amy Herman, a licensed real estate salesperson who works with high-profile clients, told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/inside-alex-trebeks-home-los-angeles-how-much-its-worth-today/" target="_blank"><em>Realtor.com</em></a>. “This is in part because of Alex Trebek’s legacy, and in part because of the fabled Studio City urban/suburban, super niche neighbourhood.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Herman pointed out that the area is home to A-list celebrities such as Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, and George Clooney.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Plus, a 99-year-old Mediterranean mansion on 1.5 acres is super difficult to find,” she said. “The house has an extra-special library and movie theatre, which are especially reflective of Trebek’s iconic Hollywood legacy.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Jason Gelios, an author and real estate agent in Detroit, said the kinds of buyers attracted to celebrity homes will tend to pay a higher price.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Celebrity properties tend to appeal to a different type of homebuyer in the luxury market,” he said. “Homebuyers who look for that celebrity touch on a property will pay the higher price.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the home does require some renovating, which could see the selling price take a hit, Californian broker and real estate agent Khari Washington says it’s a reasonable price.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There are smaller houses nearby that are fixed up and have sold in the $5 million range. With this home being more significant, the asking price is right on.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With features including a twin wrought-iron staircase in the double-height foyer, as well as cathedral-style ceilings, uniquely designed windows, and a separate wing housing a 13-metre-long home theatre, its new owners will have a lot to enjoy.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images, Realtor.com</em></p>

Real Estate

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2021 was one of the hottest years on record – and it could also be the coldest we’ll ever see again

<p>Well, it’s official: 2021 was one of the planet’s seven hottest years since records began, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) declared this week. The year was about 1.11℃ above pre-industrial levels – the seventh year in a row that the average global temperature rise edged over 1℃.</p> <p>The WMO report echoes <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/news/2021-was-worlds-6th-warmest-year-on-record">two separate</a> <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/2021-tied-for-6th-warmest-year-in-continued-trend-nasa-analysis-shows">official US analyses</a> released last week that found 2021 was the sixth hottest year on record, tied with 2018.</p> <p>For many of us in Australia and overseas, however, 2021 may have felt generally colder and rainier than usual. This is because of the effect of back-to-back La Niña events, a natural phenomenon that brings cooler, rainier weather in our region.</p> <p>The fact 2021 was among the world’s hottest years despite these cooling forces shows just how strong the long-term warming trend is. Indeed, 2021 may well be the coldest year we’ll ever experience again. Let’s reflect on the year that was, and what we can expect for this year and beyond.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PiR6TnAx36E?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <span class="caption">2021 was one of the seven warmest years on record, WMO consolidated data shows.</span></p> <h2>La Niña dampens the heat, but not enough</h2> <p>2021 started and ended with La Niña events. While it’s unusual for this climate phenomenon to occur two years in a row, <a href="https://theconversation.com/back-so-soon-la-nina-heres-why-were-copping-two-soggy-summers-in-a-row-173684">it’s not unheard of</a>.</p> <p>In La Niña years, we see the global average temperature decrease by about 0.1-0.2℃. So how does it work?</p> <p>During La Niña we see cool water from deep in the Pacific Ocean rise to the surface. This happens when wind strength increases at the equator, which pushes warmer water to the west and allows more cool water to rise off the coast of South America.</p> <p>Essentially, the net transfer of energy from the surface to the deeper ocean brings the average global surface temperature down. While La Niña is a natural phenomenon (it’s not the result of human activities), human-caused climate change remains a constant underlying influence that sets a long-term warming trend.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437382/original/file-20211213-25-9bnwpl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437382/original/file-20211213-25-9bnwpl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">A schematic showing interactions between the atmosphere and ocean during a La Niña.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bureau of Meteorology.</span></span></p> <p>The La Niña conditions of 2021 took the edge off the global average surface temperature. Parts of Australia, southern Africa and northwestern North America saw cooler temperatures during 2021 compared to recent years as the effects of La Niña kicked in.</p> <p>Unless we have another strong La Niña very soon, we’re going to keep seeing even hotter years than 2021 for the foreseeable future until net global greenhouse gas emissions cease.</p> <h2>A year with massive, extreme events</h2> <p>As the world warms we’re becoming more accustomed to extreme events, especially severe heatwaves. This was no different for 2021, which was characterised one incredibly extreme heat event in particular, which occurred in western North America.</p> <p>In late June and early July, heat built over northwest United States and southwest Canada. <a href="https://theconversation.com/extreme-heat-waves-in-a-warming-world-dont-just-break-records-they-shatter-them-164919">New temperature records were set across the region</a> – at some sites, by several degrees. A staggering 49.6℃ was recorded in Lytton, British Columbia, which is Canada’s highest temperature measurement.</p> <p>This heatwave was disastrous, including in Seattle and Portland where <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/11/climate/deaths-pacific-northwest-heat-wave.html">death rates spiked</a>. Soon after, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-02/lytton-fire-record-temperatures-heat-dome-canada-heatwave/100261768">wildfire destroyed</a> the town of Lytton.</p> <p>While many other parts of the world also saw heatwaves, including significant events in Europe and Asia, the western North American heatwave stands out. The scale of this event would have been <a href="https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/western-north-american-extreme-heat-virtually-impossible-without-human-caused-climate-change/">virtually impossible without human-caused climate change</a>.</p> <p>Severe floods were also a feature of 2021 in many places. Short bursts of extreme rainfall that bring flash flooding are becoming more frequent and intense due to the human influence on the climate. We saw especially devastating events in <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/europe-s-deadly-floods-leave-scientists-stunned">central Europe</a> and in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57861067">China</a> in July.</p> <h2>Australia’s coolest year since 2012</h2> <p>Australia not only experienced <a href="https://theconversation.com/back-so-soon-la-nina-heres-why-were-copping-two-soggy-summers-in-a-row-173684">back-to-back La Niña events</a>, but also the <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-wet-winter-a-soggy-spring-what-is-the-negative-indian-ocean-dipole-and-why-is-it-so-important-164957">negative Indian Ocean Dipole</a> – a bit like the Indian Ocean’s version of La Niña, bringing cool, rainier weather to Australia during winter and spring.</p> <p>Both left their mark, with Australia experiencing its <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/change/#tabs=Tracker&amp;tracker=timeseries">coolest year since 2012</a> and its <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/change/#tabs=Tracker&amp;tracker=timeseries&amp;tQ=graph%3Drranom%26area%3Daus%26season%3D0112%26ave_yr%3D0">wettest year since 2016</a>.</p> <p>And still, 2021 was warmer than any year in the observational series prior to 1980. In fact, Australia is warming faster than the world as a whole, with <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-has-already-hit-australia-unless-we-act-now-a-hotter-drier-and-more-dangerous-future-awaits-ipcc-warns-165396">Australian temperatures</a> already up <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/state-of-the-climate/australias-changing-climate.shtml">about 1.4℃ since 1910</a>.</p> <p>We also saw major floods in Australia that inundated <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-20/nsw-floods-break-120-year-old-rain-records/100079400">eastern New South Wales</a> in March, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/dec/01/queensland-floods-950-evacuated-from-inglewood-as-rising-rivers-threaten-towns">Queensland</a> more recently.</p> <p>However, the influence of climate change on extreme rainfall in Australia is less clear than for other parts of the world because Australia has a high climate variability - swinging from drought to flooding rains and back again. Another reason is because our major floods are often caused by extreme rain that falls for several days, and the effect of climate change on this type of rain is difficult to unpick.</p> <h2>What’s in store for 2022 and beyond</h2> <p>We can’t forecast the weather beyond about ten days, but we can make a couple of forecasts for 2022 with confidence.</p> <p>First, while 2022 may experience a slight cooling influence from <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/outlook/">the ongoing La Niña</a>, it will still be among our warmest years. To have an individual year as cool as those we experienced as recently as the 1990s is exceptionally unlikely due to our high greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <p>Second, there will be more extreme heat events somewhere on Earth this year, because our influence on the climate has <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-hot-weather-records-continue-to-tumble-worldwide-86158">greatly increased the odds of record-breaking heatwaves occurring</a>.</p> <p>Even if we start acting on climate change with more urgency, we will experience more frequent and intense heatwaves in coming years. This means we need to <a href="https://theconversation.com/adapting-cities-to-a-hotter-world-3-essential-reads-120634">build greater resilience to these extremes</a> and adapt cities and towns to a hotter world.</p> <p>Beyond 2022, we know we will see continued global warming until we stop emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. And with global carbon dioxide emissions rebounding to <a href="https://www.globalcarbonproject.org/carbonbudget/21/highlights.htm">near-record levels in 2021</a> after a brief drop in 2020 from the pandemic, we’re a long way off stopping global warming.</p> <p>Rapid decarbonisation is needed to reduce further warming of the planet. It’s not too late to <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-no-end-to-the-damage-humans-can-wreak-on-the-climate-this-is-how-bad-its-likely-to-get-166031">avoid the most dangerous climate change impacts</a>. <!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175238/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-king-103126">Andrew King</a>, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/2021-was-one-of-the-hottest-years-on-record-and-it-could-also-be-the-coldest-well-ever-see-again-175238">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: AP Photo/Michael Pappas</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Stevie Wonder snaps up lavish LA mansion

<p dir="ltr">Music legend Stevie Wonder has recently bought himself a<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2147-Ravensfield-Ln_Los-Angeles_CA_90077_M27108-95842" target="_blank">luxe mansion in Bel-Air</a>, dropping $USD 13.85 million ($AUD 19.27 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">According to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dirt.com/gallery/entertainers/musicians/stevie-wonder-house-bel-air-los-angeles-1203443140/" target="_blank"><em>Dirt</em></a>, the elaborate estate was formerly owned by Prince Mohammed bin Faisal bin Saud al-Saud, who hasn’t spent much time in the area and has apparently been renting the home for $USD 75,000 a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home was<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/stevie-wonder-reportedly-buys-wonderful-mansion-in-bel-air-for-14m/" target="_blank">first listed for sale</a><span> </span>in 2017 for a whopping $USD 25 million ($AUD 34.78 million), before the price began to nosedive.</p> <p dir="ltr">In early 2018, the price fell to $USD 23.5 million, followed by a reduction to $USD 20 million eight months later and a final discount to $USD 17.95 million at the end of the year. Still failing to find a buyer, the home was eventually floated off the market for a few years before it returned in April 2021 with a price tag of $USD 14.7 million.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was eventually snapped up by Wonder at an almost 50 percent discount off its initial price.</p> <p dir="ltr">Built in 2009, the<span> </span><em>Superstition</em><span> </span>singer’s new 1858-square-metre home includes 11 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms, high ceilings, and a mix of wood and stone floors throughout.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home also boasts a formal dining room, professional kitchen, home theatre, bar, and entertainment room with its own pool table, card table, and pinball machines, and a wine cellar that can hold up to 2550 bottles.</p> <p dir="ltr">On the second floor, the master bedroom comes with a private sitting area and a balcony that overlooks the pool.</p> <p dir="ltr">The lavish estate also includes space for guest or staff quarters, and a lift connecting all three floors.</p> <p dir="ltr">Outside, the half-acre grounds include a pool, spa and waterfall, as well as a patio and outdoor fireplace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images, Realtor.com</em></p>

Real Estate

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Adele buys Sylvester Stallone’s home at bargain price

<p dir="ltr">Pop superstar Adele has expanded her property portfolio once again, after she<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/adele-buys-sylvester-stallone-beverly-hills-mansion-for-80-million-dollars/0df9aa49-c3bd-45a3-9d4f-a08992d2093f" target="_blank">dropped $80.1 million</a><span> </span>on the deluxe mansion of<span> </span><em>Rocky</em><span> </span>star Sylvester Stallone.</p> <p dir="ltr">The sprawling Mediterranean-style estate - located in Beverly Hills - has eight bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, and sits on a 14,164-square metre block.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home boasts a variety of luxe features, including a two-storey foyer, infinity pool, movie theatre, gym, and a two-storey, two-bedroom guest house.</p> <p dir="ltr">The listing also notes that the home comes with its own putting green, cigar room, custom bar, and a master bedroom featuring its own dual bath, sauna and steam room.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though Adele has previously told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/adele-british-vogue-interview" target="_blank"><em>British Vogue</em></a><span> </span>she made the move to LA because she couldn’t afford London’s house prices and an $80 million price tag sounds quite steep, the singer actually scored herself quite a good deal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The kind of house I have in LA I could never afford in London. Ever,” she said at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I looked at houses. It’s like hundreds of millions of pounds. I don’t have that much money at all. I’d throw up.”</p> <p dir="ltr">One LA property expert even told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/01/01/adele-buying-sylvester-stallone-estate-house-steal-rocky/" target="_blank"><em>TMZ</em></a><span> </span>that the purchase was an “outright steal”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stallone first listed the home for an eye-watering $152 million in January 2021, as reported by<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/adele-buys-sylvester-stallones-mediterranean-style-beverly-hills-mansion" target="_blank"><em>Architectural Digest</em></a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">After receiving little interest, the 75-year-old dropped the price to $117.5 million in May, before Adele snapped it up with a discount of almost 50 percent this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her latest purchase comes as her fourth in LA within the last five years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/see-inside-adele-s-41-5-million-property-portfolio" target="_blank">previous three LA pads</a><span> </span>cost Adele between $9.5 and $10.5 million each, and her latest acquisition brings her total spending to $110 million.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @adele (Instagram) / Getty Images, Realtor</em></p>

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La Niña just raised sea levels in the western Pacific by up to 20cm. This height will be normal by 2050

<p><a href="https://asiapacificreport.nz/2021/12/07/tidal-damage-cuts-swathe-across-wide-area-of-pacific/">Severe coastal flooding</a> inundated islands and atolls across the western equatorial Pacific last week, with widespread damage to buildings and food crops in the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.</p> <p>On one level, very high tides are normal at this time of year in the western Pacific, and are known as “spring tides”. But why is the damage so bad this time? The primary reason is these nations are enduring a flooding trifecta: a combination of spring tides, climate change and La Niña.</p> <p><a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/">La Niña</a> is a natural climate phenomenon over the Pacific Ocean known for bringing wet weather, including in eastern Australia. A less-known impact is that La Niña also raises sea levels in the western tropical Pacific.</p> <p>In a terrifying glimpse of things to come, this current La Niña is raising sea levels by 15-20 centimetres in some western Pacific regions – the same sea level rise projected to occur globally by 2050, regardless of how much we cut global emissions between now and then. So let’s look at this phenomena in more detail, and why we can expect more flooding over the summer.</p> <h2>These spring tides aren’t unusual</h2> <p>Low-lying islands in the Pacific are considered the frontline of climate change, where sea level rise poses an existential threat that could force millions of people to <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-seas-are-coming-for-us-in-kiribati-will-australia-rehome-us-172137">find new homes</a> in the coming decades.</p> <p>Last week’s tidal floods show what will be the new normal by 2050. In the Marshall Islands, for example, waves were <a href="https://asiapacificreport.nz/2021/12/07/tidal-damage-cuts-swathe-across-wide-area-of-pacific/">washing over boulder</a> barriers, causing flooding on roads half a metre deep.</p> <p>This flooding has coincided with the recent spring tides. But while there is year to year variability in the magnitude of these tides that vary from location to location, this year’s spring tides aren’t actually unusually higher than those seen in previous years.</p> <p>For instance, <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020EF001607">tidal analysis</a> shows annual maximum <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/projects/spslcmp/data/index.shtml">sea levels at stations</a> in Lombrom (Manus, Papua New Guinea) and Dekehtik (Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia) are roughly 1-3cm higher than last year. Meanwhile, those at Betio (Tarawa, Kiribati) and Uliga (Majuro, Marshall Islands) are roughly 3-6cm lower.</p> <p>This means the combined impacts of sea level rise from climate change and the ongoing La Niña event are largely responsible for this year’s increased flooding.</p> <h2>A double whammy</h2> <p>The latest <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/#SPM">assessment report</a> from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change finds global average sea levels rose by about 20cm between 1901 and 2018.</p> <p>This sea level rise would, of course, lead to more coastal inundation in low-lying regions during spring tides, like those in the western tropical Pacific. However, sea level rise increases at a relatively small rate – around 3 millimetres per year. So while this can create large differences over decades and longer, year to year differences are small.</p> <p>This means while global mean sea level rise has likely contributed to last week’s floods, there is relatively small differences between this year and the previous few years.</p> <p>This is where La Niña makes a crucial difference. We know La Nina events impact the climate of nations across the Pacific, bringing an <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-la-ninas-rains-mean-boom-or-bust-for-australian-farmers-172511">increased chance of high rainfall</a> and tropical cyclone landfall in some locations.</p> <p>But the easterly trade winds, which blow across the Pacific Ocean from east to west, are stronger in La Niña years. This leads to a larger build up of warm water in the western Pacific.</p> <p>Warm water is generally thicker than cool water (due to thermal expansion), meaning the high heat in the western equatorial Pacific and Indonesian Seas during La Niña events is often accompanied by higher sea levels.</p> <p>This year is certainly no different, as can be seen in sea surface height anomaly maps <a href="https://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/data/along-track-nrt-data/?page=0&amp;per_page=3&amp;order=publish_date+desc&amp;search=&amp;fancybox=true&amp;condition_1=2021%3Ayear&amp;condition_2=11%3Amonth&amp;category=204">here</a> and <a href="https://aviso.altimetry.fr/fileadmin/images/data/Products/indic/enso/Msla_MoyMens_PacTrop_latest.png">here</a>.</p> <p>From these maps, along with <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/1999GL010485">past studies</a>, it’s clear Pacific islands west of the date line (180⁰E) and between Fiji and the Marshall Islands (15⁰N-15⁰S) are those most at risk of high sea levels during La Niña events.</p> <h2>What could the future hold?</h2> <p>We can expect to see more coastal flooding for these western Pacific islands and atolls over the coming summer months. This is because the La Niña-induced sea level rise is normally maintained throughout this period, along with more periods with high spring tides.</p> <p>Interestingly, the high sea levels related to La Niña events in the northern hemisphere tend to peak in November-December, while they do not peak in the <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/clim/27/3/jcli-d-13-00276.1.xml">southern hemisphere</a> until the following February-March.</p> <p>This means many western Pacific locations on both sides of the equator will experience further coastal inundation in the short term. But the severity of these impacts is likely to increase in the southern hemisphere (such as the Solomon islands, Tuvalu and Samoa) and decrease in the northern hemisphere (such as the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia).</p> <p>Looking forward towards 2050, a further <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/#SPM">15-25cm of global average sea level rise is expected</a>. La Niña events typically cause sea levels in these regions to rise 10-15cm above average, though some regions can bring sea levels up to 20cm.</p> <p>Given the projected sea level rise in 2050 is similar to the La Niña-induced rise in the western Pacific, this current event provides an important insight into what will become “normal” inundation during spring tides.</p> <p>Unfortunately, climate projections show this level of sea level rise by 2050 is all but locked in, largely due to the greenhouse gas emissions we’ve already released.</p> <p>Beyond 2050, we know sea levels will continue to rise for the next several centuries, and this <em>will</em> largely depend on our future emissions. To give low-lying island nations a fighting chance at surviving the coming floods, all nations (including Australia) must drastically and urgently cut emissions.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173504/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/shayne-mcgregor-123851">Shayne McGregor</a>, Associate Professor, and Associate Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/la-nina-just-raised-sea-levels-in-the-western-pacific-by-up-to-20cm-this-height-will-be-normal-by-2050-173504">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Back so soon, La Niña? Here’s why we’re copping two soggy summers in a row

<p>Last month was Australia’s <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-weather-australia-records-wettest-november-in-122-years-more-rain-to-come-in-summer/4f2d7ce6-5547-4949-b947-b9aaf51e4271">wettest November</a> on record, and summer in Queensland and parts of New South Wales is also expected to be soggy for the second consecutive year. So why is our summer parade being rained on yet again?</p> <p>Weather systems bring rain all the time. And from November to March, the monsoon occurs in northern Australia which adds to the wet conditions.</p> <p>But this year, three climate phenomena also converged to drive the Big Wet over Australia’s eastern seaboard: a negative Indian Ocean Dipole, a positive Southern Annular Mode, and a La Niña.</p> <p>So will this summer be the wettest and wildest on record for Australia’s southeast? It’s too early to say, but the prospect can’t be discounted.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437370/original/file-20211213-25284-165mf1c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="man in front of flood waters and flood warning sign" /> <span class="caption">Three climate phenomena have converged to bring the current wet conditions.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Stuart Walmsley/AAP</span></span></p> <h2>La Niña: the sequel</h2> <p>You’ve probably heard about the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/">La Niña</a> that’s emerged in the Pacific Ocean for the second year in a row. This event often brings overcast conditions, above-average rainfall and cooler temperatures.</p> <p>A La Niña occurs when the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become cooler than normal, due to an interaction between the atmosphere and the ocean.</p> <p>During La Niña, atmospheric pressure increases in the east of the Pacific and lowers in the west. This pressure difference causes trade winds to strengthen. The Pacific waters north of Australia become warmer than normal, as the central and eastern Pacific cools.</p> <p>The warm ocean around Australia increases moisture in the atmosphere and enhances the chance of rainfall for the northern and eastern parts of the country. It also increases the likelihood of tropical cyclones.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437382/original/file-20211213-25-9bnwpl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437382/original/file-20211213-25-9bnwpl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">A schematic showing interactions between the atmosphere and ocean that produce a La Niña.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bureau of Meteorology.</span></span></p> <p>La Niña and its opposite drying phenomenon, <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/updates/articles/a008-el-nino-and-australia.shtml">El Niño</a>, are together known as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). When each occur, they generally develop during winter and spring, mature in early summer and finish by autumn.</p> <p>We saw that autumn finish in March this year, when the tail end of the last La Niña brought extreme rain and floods to the NSW coast and other regions.</p> <p>So why are we seeing it back so soon? It’s actually not uncommon for La Niña to occur in two consecutive years. In fact, since 1958, about half of La Niña events reoccurred the following year, as the below graph shows.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437383/original/file-20211213-19-uxzzbt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437383/original/file-20211213-19-uxzzbt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Graph showing La Niña events since 1950.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Authors provided. Data at https://origin.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/ensostuff/ONI_v5.php</span></span></p> <p>These repeat events are far more common for La Niña than El Niño. That’s because after an El Niño, strong air-sea interactions cause the equatorial waters of the Pacific to rapidly lose heat. These interactions are weaker during La Niña, meaning the Pacific sometimes retains cool water which enables a second La Niña to occur.</p> <p>We saw this in the <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/history/ln-2010-12/">consecutive</a> La Niña events of 2010-11 and 2011-12. The first of these was an extreme La Niña, bringing heavy rain and the devastating Brisbane floods.</p> <h2>La Niña is not acting alone</h2> <p>La Niña is not the only phenomenon driving the wet conditions. This year, after the wet autumn in NSW, an event known as a negative “Indian Ocean Dipole” (<a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/history/ln-2010-12/IOD-what.shtml">IOD</a>) developed.</p> <p>An active negative IOD tends to change wind patterns and rainfall conditions over Australia’s southeast during spring, setting the scene for more wet conditions in summer.</p> <p>Adding to this, the Southern Annular Mode (<a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/sam/">SAM</a>) has been in its positive phase for a few months. The SAM refers to the position of westerly winds in the mid-latitudes of the southern hemisphere.</p> <p>When the SAM is in a positive phase, mid-latitude storms move poleward, away from Australia, as onshore winds to eastern Australia enhance. This increases moisture and rain to the continent’s southeast.</p> <p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437375/original/file-20211213-31407-1tphns9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="cars and pedestrian traverse wet road" /> <span class="caption">The negative phase of an IOD typically brings wet weather from Western Australia to southeast Australia.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dean Lewis/AAP</span></span></p> <h2>What about next year?</h2> <p>The Bureau of Meteorology’s <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/outlooks/#/rainfall/median/seasonal/0">seasonal outlook</a> shows an increased chance of rain this summer (January to March) over parts of Queensland and the NSW coast, but not much for the rest of Australia.</p> <p>So while it’s unlikely to be the wettest ever summer in Australia overall, we can’t yet rule that out for the east coast. Safe to say, the climate conditions are ripe for extreme wet weather over the next few months.</p> <p>But rest assured that a third consecutive La Niña, while possible next year, is unlikely. Since 1950, three consecutive La Niñas have occurred only twice: in 1973-75 and 1998-2000. These were preceded by extreme El Niño events, which tend to induce La Niña events.</p> <p>And while the rain might disrupt your summer plans, it’s worth remembering that just three years ago southeast Australia was in the midst of severe drought. The successive La Niñas have brought water and soil moisture back to the Murray Darling Basin – and in that sense that’s a very good thing. <!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173684/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrea-s-taschetto-169429">Andréa S. Taschetto</a>, Associate Professor, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/agus-santoso-123850">Agus Santoso</a>, Senior Research Associate, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/back-so-soon-la-nina-heres-why-were-copping-two-soggy-summers-in-a-row-173684">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Dan Himbrechts/AAP</em></p>

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