Australia Weather News

Coastal communities will be affected by intense storm surges due to global warming. - ABC

The Climate Council has warned that warmer global temperatures could have a severe impact on Queensland with more storm surges and intense cyclone activity likely.

Research by scientists from space agency NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found world temperatures hit a record high for the third year in a row in 2016.

The Climate Council's Dr Martin Rice said temperature rises could have devastating consequences for humanity.

"2016 is the 40th consecutive year of above average global temperatures," he said.

"1976 was the last year where it was below average.

"It's hugely concerning, most of the heat goes into the oceans."

Dr Rice said the impact of global warming was already being felt in Queensland.

"We've already seen that with the coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef," he said.

"We can expect and we are already seeing more intense heatwaves.

"What's worrying is the overnight temperatures, we are not having that cool reprieve that we should in the evening, so that's when we start to get in trouble."

Temperature rises 'has huge implications for ecosystems'

Dr Rice said human activity was contributing to heating up the planet.

"Simply it's our burning of fossil fuels, coal, oil and gas," he said.

"We could be looking at [an increase] of up to 4 or 5 degrees Celsius by 2100.

"That has huge implications for ecosystems."

Dr Rice said the impact in Queensland will be severe, particularly in coastal areas prone to storm surges.

"The storm surges are riding on elevated sea levels and so we're going to see much more destructive storms and perhaps more intense cyclone activity in Queensland," he said.

"We have an option, we simply must reduce drastically and rapidly our emissions."

Electricity usage hits a new high

The Queensland Ambulance Service said more than half of heat-related cases treated by paramedics on Wednesday were on the Gold and Sunshine coasts.

Paramedics treated 10 people on the Gold Coast and five on the Sunshine Coast, while 26 people in Queensland were treated yesterday for heat-related incidents.

The hot weather in south-east Queensland led to a record load on Energex's network yesterday.

The load reached 4,812 megawatts in the afternoon, a 1.5 per cent increase on the previous high mark set in February 2010.

Energex spokesman Danny Donald said air conditioners are the likely cause.

"The first couple of days of a heatwave, people generally try and persevere without the air con," he said.

"But by the time the third, fourth day comes around they just go, 'Oh stuff it, I'm going to switch it on and they did'."

ABC