Australian Weather Calendar

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Thunderstorm at Port Hedland, Western Australia, 26 February 2009.

Picture: KATIE DAVIS

2012 edition looks at the Bureau’s role beyond meteorology

THE theme for the 2012 edition of the Australian Weather Calendar is the Bureau of Meteorology’s new, more modern environmental perspective. Once it focused solely on understanding weather, and issuing warnings and forecasts. But 100 years after its establishment, the Bureau’s focus has widened to include space weather, the oceans and rivers, and a range of other environmental information. As usual, the weather calendar also features 13 stunning photographs of Australia’s land, sea, rivers and skies.

Format

The weather calendar is a full-colour, spiral-bound wall calendar. It is available in the traditional large format (A2), and a compact, small format (A4).

Each month features ...

  • Main photograph: A large photo featuring clouds, thunderstorms, lightning, rainbows, tornadoes and other events with a meteorological theme. Each photograph has been donated for use in the calendar by the photographer.
  • Month-to-a-page calendar: The calendar has large squares for each day and lists public holidays, daylight saving, moon phases, and solstices and equinoxes. Each week starts on a Monday, placing Saturday and Sunday side-by-side to the right of the calendar, allowing weekend activities to be more easily recorded.
  • Climate averages: Each month has a table of average weather conditions for 12 Australian cities and towns. The table includes elements such as average maximum temperature and rainfall.
  • Theme: Beyond meteorology The calendar has information and images related to the Bureau of Meteorology’s new, more modern environmental perspective. The Bureau’s focus has widened to include space weather, the oceans and rivers, and a range of other environmental information.

In its 28th year

The weather calendar has been produced each year since 1985 by the bureau and the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society. About 50,000 copies are sold each year, making it the most popular bureau publication. About 10,000 complimentary copies are sent to the bureau’s volunteer and co-operative weather observers, heads of emergency services, Australian Missions overseas, and heads of other national weather services. It is a not-for-profit publication.

Start of sales

The calendar goes on sale in early November each year, and customers are often alerted to the start of sales by the media. The 2011 edition appeared in the following outlets:

Photo competition

The photographic competition for the 2013 Australian Weather Calendar began on 1 July 2011 and will close on 31 March 2012. Please visit the contest page before entering.

Feedback

Links for cloud enthusiasts

Cloud Appreciation Society: http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/
Contact: Gavin Pretor-Pinney, e-mail gavin@cloudappreciationsociety.org