Wednesday January 30

MEDIA RELEASE

Climate on the agenda in Geelong

Geelong is playing host to a meeting of the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (AMOS) where recent science looking at climate and climate change are on the agenda.

The AMOS conference provides an opportunity to showcase a wide range of the latest weather, climate and ocean research. It will be held at the Deakin University Waterfront Campus in Geelong from January 29 to February 1.

“The AMOS conference is a great opportunity to bring Australian researchers together to showcase their latest research,” said Director of the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, Dr Chris Mitchell.

The AMOS conference will cover a wide range of topics including better understanding sea-level rises, coral reef bleaching, and characteristics of the recent La Niña phenomena.

Dr Mitchell said “Australian researchers have been at the forefront of climate and weather research, and the evolving science of Earth systems, for many years.”

“The AMOS conference provides a showcase for the kind of climate research that will be critical for the future of Australia and the world, ” he said.

More information about the AMOS conference is available from www.amos.org.au

Available for interview :

• Dr John Church – Understanding sea-level rise and variability – implications for the future.
• Neil Plummer – A heat wave warning service for a warming Australia.
• Dr Blair Trewin – Variability in winter/spring precipitation in the Australian alpine region.
• Dr Tom Beer – Atmospheric, oceanic, and other geophysical extremes.
• Dr Andrew Watkins – A drought during a La Niña year – what happened in 2007?
• Dr Ian Watterson – What causes the extremes of change in seasonal temperature and rainfall in climate change projections for Australia?
• Perry Wiles – June 2007 – a month of east coast lows.
• Claire Spillman – Dynamical seasonal forecasting of Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching.
• Dr Wenju Cai – What causes the late autumn rainfall reduction over south eastern Australia?

Further information:
David Grant, Media Relations Adviser, Bureau of Meteorology, mob: 0439 452 424

Ends