ABC’s Meteorologist Tom Saunders is reporting that the record for Australia’s highest ever recorded air pressure was broken at 10:30am this morning in Sheffield, Tasmania – with a pressure of 1,044.6 hectopascals (hPa) being officially observed.
The large and slow-moving high-pressure system is likely to stick around for the next few days, with another peak in air pressure expected on Saturday morning. The ABC reports that the weather system has contributed to low overnight temperatures in the south-east, prolonged periods of showers on the eastern seaboard, and light winds and dry surface air in the southern states.
Mean Sea-Level Pressure Chart as at 10am AEST this morning, shows the large high-pressure system south of the Australian mainland.
Source: BOM
We’ve seen extreme weather affect the NEM significantly throughout this quarter, as we’ve noted on WattClarity, with cold temperatures, several wind lulls and dry weather all impacting the energy system in recent months.
Editor’s Note: The BOM on late Friday afternoon reported a miscalculation in the air pressure data at the Sheffield weather station. ABC’s Tom Saunders later confirmed that the highest actual pressure observed in Tasmania on Thursday was slightly lower than first reported – 1,043.9hPa at Ouse weather station. This fell short by 0.5hPA from breaking the previous record from 1967.
We are seeing more anomalies like this due to the weakening magnetic field, shift of the magnetic poles and being near the peak of the 11 year solar cycle.