Thursday, April 9, 2009

Global Warming in Australia - 1900 AD

In a report in the LA Times by Julie Cart dated 9 April 2009 noted that the drought in the Murray Darling Basin was due to AGW or climate change. (See link in title.)
When did this man-made Global Warming start, Julie?

On Jennifer Marohasy's blog she quoted a report re the year 1900 AD. (Chronicles of Australia, Ed John Ross, Legrand 1993.)

“THE oppressive heat was a major talking point of the vast and drought stricken country of Australia.

“While cyclonic winds have been lashing the coast off Townsville, the temperature today soared to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 C) in Adelaide and Broken Hill, and 104 (40C) in Melbourne.

“So dry is much of Australia that the riverboats on the Murray have come to a stand still. On a cattle station in central Queensland, it is reported that the kangaroos are too weak to hop and the kookaburras can no longer fly.

“In Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, the New Year sees these State’s battling to recover after recent bushfires. But if its not fires it would be floods, and if not floods it would be drought.

“In the north the odd cyclone adds a bit of interest by knocking down a few towns, or sinking the fishing fleet. Australians are used to having nature knock them off their feet every so often.

“The country has battled through the long droughts, and seen the downturn in the bush rush right to the doors of the city banks. But the crashes of the nineties are behind as the New Year [1900] comes near.”

Over to you, Julie, Was this the result of man-made climate change too?

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