Among the highly publicized changes in weather phenomena that are predicted to attend CO2-induced global warming are increases in the frequency and severity of various types of storms.
Storms are a concern of the residents of any coastal city, as high winds, water surges and high-energy waves carry the potential for damage via flooding and erosion. It is therefore important to examine the historical records of storms for trends, to see if the so-called unprecedented rise in atmospheric CO2 and temperature of the late-20th and early 21st century has had any measurable effect on such records. The present review addresses this issue as it pertains to the region of Australia and New Zealand.
