Across Australia during the summer of Dec 2025 to Feb 2026, communities experienced 'climate whiplash' – a phenomenon in which climate flips between extremes at accelerating speed. The report finds record global levels of coal, oil and gas pollution are overtaking natural climate drivers like El Niño and La Niña – accelerating these events. It warns that even a cooling La Niña couldn’t prevent record heat and catastrophic fires across Australia this past summer. 

Key findings

• This summer Australia’s climate flipped between extremes at accelerating speed - a phenomenon scientists call climate whiplash.
• Climate pollution is now overpowering natural climate cycles like El Niño and La Niña.
• Record ocean heat is intensifying rainfall, floods and tropical cyclones with compounding damage across regions.
• Insurance companies paid out $4.5 billion per year on average between 2019 and 2024, more than double the average annual costs over the previous 30 years. 
• Without far deeper and faster cuts to climate pollution, the extreme heat, flash flooding and catastrophic fire danger experienced this summer will continue to worsen in the years ahead.

Key climate whiplash events (Dec 2025 – Feb 2026)

• Victoria – a week after catastrophic fire weather warnings, communities along the Great Ocean Road saw cars washed out to sea in flash floods, before extreme heat returned 10 days later.
• Western Australia – the Eyre Highway – Perth’s supply route to eastern states – closed due to fires in 45°C heat, only to be cut off again two days later by floodwaters.
• South Australia – Marree, near Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, recorded five consecutive days above 48°C. Just over a week later, a two-day rain event dumped 10 times the town’s normal February monthly rainfall, followed a fortnight later by eight consecutive days of rain that cut all roads into the town.
• Northern Territory – Alice Springs recorded more than 30 summer days above 40°C  (almost twice its average of 17), before intense rainfall triggered flash flooding on February 12.
• Tasmania – Strong winds fanned almost 30 bushfires on December 4 with Hobart recording its windiest summer day (98kmh). Three weeks later, daily snow fell between December 23 and 26.