BAMOS - Vol 34 No.4 Summer 2021/2022 Summer 2021/2022 | Page 14

BAMOS 2021 / 2022 Summer

14 Special Feature

2022 Australian Weather Calendar

Dust devils , supercell thunderstorms and lightning strikes are among some of the most breathtaking weather events showcased in the 2022 Australian weather calendar , on sale now .
The images within the calendar were captured by both professional and amateur photographers , and are accompanied by an explanation from meteorologists at the Bureau of Meteorology .
Each month features a different weather phenomenon from across the country , selected as part of a national photographic competition which drew more than 1,400 submissions for this year .
Take a sneak peek at some of the stunning images here , in BAMOS !
April : Asperitas clouds , Strathgordon area , Tasmania © Dotan Beck
This rare , lumpy-looking blanket of cloud is known as asperitas and it ' s a relative newcomer to classification . It was added to the World Meteorological Organization ' s International Cloud Atlas in 2017 . The cloud ' s full name is altocumulus stratiformis opacus asperitas .
The photographer said , " It was a grey and cloudy morning ... but as the sun rose these crazy clouds appeared creating waves in the sky . A small gap allowed the sun to shine directly on the mountain and I managed to capture this amazing photo . The whole scene only lasted for 2 minutes before the sky was ordinary again . If I hadn ’ t taken this photo I don ’ t think anyone would have believed what I ' d seen ."
December : Aurora australis over Davis station meteorological office , Antarctica © Barry Becker
The glowing green light shown here is a space weather phenomenon called aurora australis or the southern lights . Auroras are the result of events that begin on the Sun .
The photographer was in Antarctica working for the Bureau as Observer in Charge at Davis station when he took this photo . " I set my alarm for 3 am after seeing the Bureau predicted favourable aurora-viewing conditions . The temperature at that time of year can be anything from – 10 ° C to – 30 ° C and it ' s hard to take photos because of the thick gloves you need to wear to stay warm . Taking off my outer gloves and exposing my hands to operate the camera was the hardest part ."