Weather Guides & Articles
How forecasts and weather models actually work, notable storms told in full, official world records, and head-to-head comparisons.
Reading a Forecast
How forecasts, models and weather phenomena actually work.
ECMWF vs GFS: what actually separates the two forecast models
A side-by-side look at the ECMWF and GFS weather models — resolution, update frequency, forecast range, and where each one tends to pull ahead. No verdict, just the pros and cons of each.
Reading a snow forecast for the Australian Alps
Where Australian snow systems come from, what 850hPa temperature actually tells you about snow level, resort elevations across NSW and VIC, how strong the wind really gets, and the storms every Australian skier still talks about.
How far ahead should you actually trust a forecast?
Not every part of a forecast holds up the same way over time. Why temperature stays reliable further out than rain, snow or wind, and why local terrain can make even a same-day forecast miss the mark for exactly where you're standing.
When it snows at sea level in the Southern Hemisphere
Snow at sea level is rare almost everywhere in the Southern Hemisphere's populated regions. A look at when it's actually happened in Australia, New Zealand and beyond, and what it takes for the snow line to drop that far.
Flash flooding vs riverine flooding: what's the difference?
Flash floods and river floods are caused by different things, develop on completely different timescales, and demand different responses. Here's what actually separates the two.
Why Japan gets so much snow, and why it's some of the best on Earth
Sea-effect snow, a named convergence zone, and some of the highest annual snowfall totals ever officially recorded. A look at the meteorology behind Japan's famous powder.
Snow vs freezing rain: what actually decides which one falls
Snow, sleet and freezing rain can all come from the exact same storm system. What separates them is a matter of a few degrees in a narrow layer of the atmosphere, and it's one of the hardest things in weather to forecast precisely.
Notable Events
Specific storms and weather events, told in full.
The biggest UK snowstorms of the last 30 years
From the coldest December in a century to the Beast from the East, a look back at the UK's most disruptive snow events since the mid-1990s, with the depths, dates and records behind each one.
The March 2021 NSW floods: what actually happened, meteorologically
A look at the weather system behind the March 2021 NSW floods, how much rain actually fell, and why the Bureau of Meteorology called it one of the most dangerous rainfall events in national record-keeping history.
The Capracotta snowstorm: how an Italian village set a world snowfall
record
In March 2015, a village in central Italy received more snow in 24 hours than anywhere else ever recorded. Here's how much fell, why it wasn't in the Alps, and what makes this stretch of the Apennines so prone to extreme snow.
Chile's July 2026 Andes snowstorm: how much snow fell, and why it mattered
A historic atmospheric river buried the Chilean Andes in over five metres of snow in under two weeks. Here's what actually happened, how much fell, and why it was significant for a season that had barely started.
The Sydney hailstorm of April 1999: a meteorological look at Australia's
costliest natural disaster
How a thunderstorm that started south of Sydney became the country's most expensive natural disaster, with hailstones up to 11cm across, a highly unusual land-sea path, and five and a half hours of continuous damage.
Cyclone Tracy: the night Darwin was destroyed
On Christmas Eve 1974, most of Darwin was celebrating rather than preparing. By dawn, 70% of the city was gone. The story of Cyclone Tracy, hour by hour.
World Records
The official all-time extremes, by the numbers.
The highest rainfall totals ever recorded, from one minute to one year
The official world records for rainfall at every timescale, from a single minute to a full year, and the specific storms and places behind each one.
The largest hailstones ever recorded in the USA
America's biggest hailstones on record, by diameter, weight and circumference, including the 2010 South Dakota hailstone that broke two US records in one storm.
The fastest wind speeds ever recorded on Earth
From a tornado in Oklahoma to a cyclone off the Australian coast, the fastest wind speeds ever measured on the planet, and why two very different storms both hold a claim to the record.
The hottest, coldest and fastest-changing temperatures ever recorded
The official temperature extremes of planet Earth, including a disputed 1913 heat record, a satellite reading colder than anything a thermometer has measured, and a two-minute swing that cracked windows in South Dakota.
The most intense and largest tropical cyclones ever recorded
The lowest pressure and largest wind field ever measured in a tropical cyclone both belong to the same 1979 storm. A look at that record, and where Australia's own cyclones sit by comparison.
The driest place on Earth: where it almost never rains
A Chilean town went nearly 15 years without a drop of rain. A look at the Atacama Desert, its Antarctic rival for driest place on Earth, and the ocean currents that make both so extreme.
Comparisons
Two places or things, measured directly against each other.
Melbourne vs Sydney: which city is actually wetter?
Melbourne has the reputation for miserable weather, but the rainfall numbers tell a different story. A look at how much rain each city actually gets, when it falls, and why the stereotype persists anyway.
Niseko vs Hakuba: which Japanese ski region is right for you?
Niseko and Hakuba both deliver world-class Japanese powder, but the weather behind each is genuinely different. A look at snowfall consistency, snow quality, terrain and crowds.
Looking for a forecast instead? Browse city forecasts or ski resort snow forecasts.