In Tasmania, talking about the weather isn’t just small talk. It’s a shared obsession. We joke about four seasons in a day, check three fine forecasts and still pack a jacket, and know that a sunny morning can end in a soaking.

But what’s behind these wild swings? How rare is a so-called 1-in-100-year storm? And what happens when the patterns we’ve relied on start to shift?

This talk brings together experts in meteorology, climate science and agriculture to explore what drives Tasmania’s most extreme weather events and what they mean for our land, livelihoods and future.

The experts:

• Dr Paul Fox-Hughes is a research meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology in Tasmania, specialising in high-impact weather events such as severe storms and heavy rainfall. 
• Dr Annette Stellema is a climate scientist and research engineer at CSIRO in Hobart. Her expertise includes analysing climate extremes and developing models to assess the frequency and impact of extreme weather events, contributing to a better understanding of climate risks.
• Dr Steve Curnin is an Associate Professor at the University of Tasmania where he is co-director of the Disaster Resilience Research Group. His research explores strategic decision making and foresight in the context of disasters. 
• Hosted by Corey Peterson, Chief Sustainability Officer, University of Tasmania. 

This event is brought to you in partnership by the Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and the University of Tasmania for National Science Week.

Find out more:

• Want to learn more about the University of Tasmania's Island of Ideas public talks series? Catch-up on past events, register for upcoming talks or get in touch with us via our Island of Ideas webpage