{"id":251602,"date":"2023-04-07T10:15:47","date_gmt":"2023-04-07T08:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=251602"},"modified":"2023-04-07T10:18:41","modified_gmt":"2023-04-07T08:18:41","slug":"happy-easter-happy-end-of-the-2023-cyclone-season-at-the-great-barrier-reef","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=251602","title":{"rendered":"Happy Easter, Happy End of the 2023 Cyclone Season at the Great Barrier Reef"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Jennifer Marohasy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

April 7, 2023 By jennifer<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in the 1950s, it was only after<\/em> Easter each year, that resorts on Great Barrier Reef islands allowed tourists to visit and stay. It was only after Easter that it was considered safe, because that was the end of the cyclone season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology now classify the period from November to April as the cyclone season, and most years they predict an increase<\/em> in both the number and intensity of cyclones. For example, earlier this year it was announced<\/a> via The Australian Broadcasting Corporation that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

For Queensland climatologically, we see the most cyclones in February, and we also see quite a few in March as well,\u201d senior meteorologist Laura Boekel said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BOM\u2019s latest cyclone outlook, released in October, predicted more tropical cyclones that average this season.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Year on year, however, contrary to human-caused global warming theory, neither the number nor intensity of cyclones has increased at the Great Barrier Reef. The available data shows that there has been a steady decline in both the number and intensity of cyclones since the 1970s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is probably why coral cover, as measured around the perimeter of coral reefs, is reported to be so high. The most recent Australian Institute of Marine Science survey reported coral cover to be the highest in 36 years<\/a>. Cyclones can be incredibly damaging to corals, with fewer cyclones there will be more coral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The number and intensity of cyclones as published by The Australian Bureau of Meteorology, more information at http:\/\/www.bom.gov.au\/cyclone\/tropical-cyclone-knowledge-centre\/history\/climatology\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contrary to expectations, this last 2022-23 season has also been quiet, with few cyclones. The exact number will hopefully be published at the Bureau\u2019s cyclone page, that is here<\/a>. But I doubt there will be a media release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My mother lived and worked on Heron Island at the Great Barrier Reef in 1955. That was the same year Bob Endean established the University of Queensland Heron Island Research Station. He went on to become a famous marine biologist, and instrumental in the formation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) in 1975. (They apparently drank together some evening, Mum the liquor Cr\u00e8me de menthe<\/em> while Bob drank beer.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are photographs of my mother, then Joan Edith Pearce, standing knee deep surrounded by Porites coral micro atolls that are stunted and bleached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mum says no one talked about \u2018coral bleaching\u2019 back then, it was always crown-of-thorn star fish that were going to cause the imminent demise of the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mum, who is now 92, will tell you that the only mention of \u2018bleaching\u2019 back then was of the laundry, that was her responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mum migrated to Australia after the war. She took jobs that also provided accommodation; working first at a Tuberculous hospital in Melbourne before moving north to Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef, and from Queensland hitch hiking to Darwin where she meet and married my father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mum has always been adventurous. And at 92 she recently decided to packing up, and is moving again, this time to Cairns. So, she is back at the Great Barrier Reef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Joan Edith with Caroline watching the tide go out from Cairn\u2019s Harbour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a page at this website with more photographs of Mum at Heron Island, and also a link to her autobiography: https:\/\/jennifermarohasy.com\/joanedith\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

****
The feature image shows my mother amongst coral micro-atolls at Heron Island on a low tide in April 1955.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back in the 1950s, it was only\u00a0after\u00a0Easter each year, that resorts on Great Barrier Reef islands allowed tourists to visit and stay. It was only after Easter that it was considered safe, because that was the end of the cyclone season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":251607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691818099,691818101,691818100],"class_list":{"0":"post-251602","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-australian-bureau-of-meteorology","9":"tag-cyclones","10":"tag-great-barrier-reef","12":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00Feature-44.-Low-tide-on-coral-1.jpeg?fit=640%2C411&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-13s6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":258382,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=258382","url_meta":{"origin":251602,"position":0},"title":"Great Barrier Reef looking ‘as wonderful as ever\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"21\/05\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Great Barrier Reef is \u201cin wonderful shape\u201d, according to IPA Senior Fellow Dr. Jennifer Marohasy.","rel":"","context":"In \"coral cover\"","block_context":{"text":"coral cover","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=coral-cover"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00Screenshot-2023-05-21-105826.png?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00Screenshot-2023-05-21-105826.png?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00Screenshot-2023-05-21-105826.png?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00Screenshot-2023-05-21-105826.png?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/00Screenshot-2023-05-21-105826.png?fit=1200%2C630&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":317396,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=317396","url_meta":{"origin":251602,"position":1},"title":"Part 3.\u00a0 New Growth \u2013 Central Great Barrier Reef, April 2024","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/04\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"There might be 3,000 coral reefs but what makes a special reef, what makes John Brewer Reef the jewel in the crown considering the central region of the Great Barrier Reef \u2013 something of greater value amongst other valuable things?","rel":"","context":"In \"Coral reefs\"","block_context":{"text":"Coral reefs","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=coral-reefs"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0Chandaliers-UWR05330.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0Chandaliers-UWR05330.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0Chandaliers-UWR05330.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0Chandaliers-UWR05330.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/0Chandaliers-UWR05330.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":334795,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=334795","url_meta":{"origin":251602,"position":2},"title":"Denying the Reef Crest \u2013 Before and After the Cyclone","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"27\/06\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I first visited John Brewer Reef on 10th\u00a0April 2022, it was being reported in newspapers around the world as badly bleached \u2013 part of a sixth mass coral bleaching at the Great Barrier Reef.","rel":"","context":"In \"Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)\"","block_context":{"text":"Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=australian-institute-of-marine-science-aims"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0P5060072.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0P5060072.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0P5060072.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0P5060072.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/0P5060072.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":335871,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=335871","url_meta":{"origin":251602,"position":3},"title":"Cyclone Causes Increase in Coral Cover \u2013 If You Believe Their Nonsense Number","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/07\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"If you believe Bjorn Lomborg, we have record high coral cover and we can fix climate change. Both are nonsense propositions. In fact, this last year has been devastating for many reef ecosystems because of weather events that are part of natural climate cycles.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0F-P2150129-4.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0F-P2150129-4.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0F-P2150129-4.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0F-P2150129-4.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0F-P2150129-4.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":258256,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=258256","url_meta":{"origin":251602,"position":4},"title":"Coral Snapshot 2022-23, & All the Unanswered Questions","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"20\/05\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Full marks to David Mills, writing in the Courier Mail, for asking why the government tends to bury good news reports about the Great Barrier Reef.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0JB-April2022-_LEO7407.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0JB-April2022-_LEO7407.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0JB-April2022-_LEO7407.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0JB-April2022-_LEO7407.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/0JB-April2022-_LEO7407.jpeg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":335589,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=335589","url_meta":{"origin":251602,"position":5},"title":"How Things Change \u2013 the Weather and Coral Cover","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"05\/07\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"For sure the Great Barrier Reef will recover. But it is also important to acknowledge that the famous coral, that featured in our short film \u2018Cafe Latte Coral\u2019, it is important to acknowledge that earlier this year it was ripped from the reef crest, lifted-up, turned-over and drop-over the edge.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"coral cover\"","block_context":{"text":"coral cover","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=coral-cover"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0Annotated-P4190210-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0Annotated-P4190210-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0Annotated-P4190210-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0Annotated-P4190210-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0Annotated-P4190210-copy.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=251602"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251602\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":251613,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251602\/revisions\/251613"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/251607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=251602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=251602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=251602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}