Rescuing Australia's lost weather records

Rescuing Australia's lost weather records

Author: ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather July 2, 2026 Duration: 1:11:40

Join hosts Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and Iain Strachan as they welcome historical climatologist Dr Linden Ashcroft and PhD candidate Ruchit Kulkarni, both from the University of Melbourne. This ep the panel dig through diaries, ship logs and colonial era weather stations in search of Australia's climate before the instrumental record began. What counts as a reliable weather observation from 1830? Why does a reference period matter for understanding today's extremes? And why is the Southern Hemisphere's climate history so much thinner than the Northern Hemisphere's? The episode traces how pre-Bureau of Meteorology data, from convict-era rain gauges to a lighthouse keeper's logbook on Gabo Island are rescued, digitised and quality-checked before it can be trusted.

Deadly droughts, time-series analysis, historical data in research and the beauty of stories that stood the test of time and science. All part of this cooked up ep going back in time. So dust off the family diaries and tune in as Totally Cooked goes looking for Australia's climate in the historical record — and asks what two centuries of old numbers can tell us about the droughts and floods still to come.

Iain records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation. Sarah records Totally Cooked on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and recognise their unique and continuing connection to the land, skies, waters, plants and animals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Ever feel like the weather forecast is just the opening act for a much bigger, more urgent story? That’s the space where Totally Cooked: The Climate & Weather Podcast lives. Guided by Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a climate scientist who studies extreme heat, and Iain Strachan, a journalist who translates complex science, this conversation pulls apart the daily headlines and the long-term trends. They connect the dots between a specific storm, a record-breaking heatwave, and the broader shifts in our global climate system. The discussion isn’t just about melting ice caps far away; it’s about what changing weather patterns mean for health, fitness, and daily life, particularly in the Australian context where the effects are often felt first and hardest. This podcast from the ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather moves beyond alarmism into grounded, evidence-based exploration. You’ll hear clear explanations of the physical mechanisms driving our weather, frank assessments of risks, and thoughtful conversations about adaptation, all delivered with a relatable dynamic and the occasional necessary dash of dark humour. It’s for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites and understand the real-world implications of a planet that’s, well, totally cooked.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 35

Totally Cooked: The Climate & Weather Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Why are we in a climate crisis? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:39
You’ve all heard that we’re in a climate crisis. But how do we know why we’re in a climate crisis? When did global warming start? What’s the cause of the climate crisis? And what can you do about it? In this episode of T…
How is climate change impacting our weather? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:46
How is climate change impacting our weather? As the planet gets warmer, we’re entering uncharted territory for the climate and weather. We’re already seeing temperature records broken regularly. High-impact weather is af…
How do we know climate change is caused by humans? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:09
Climate change is happening and the effects are already being felt around the world. But how do we know about global warming? How can we be sure it’s caused by human activity? And what can we do to address the problem? I…
Trailer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:42
The Climate & Weather Podcast invites listeners behind the scenes of climate science to explore the big questions shaping our future. Hosted by Professor of Climate Science Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick and science communica…