Contemporary resources

The National Library has a large collection of contemporary resources about weather and climate. There is also a wide range of reputable sources about weather and climate available online. You will find a selection of these resources below.

Print resources

The National Library’s reference collection is available in the Main Reading Room. It contains a range of encyclopaedias and general reference material about weather and climate, including the Encyclopaedia of World Climatology and The Encyclopaedia of Weather and Climate Change: A Complete Visual Guide.

The National Library’s print collection also includes a range of other material about weather and climate including books that offer a general explanation about the science of weather and climate like Understanding the Earth System and the Physics of the Atmosphere and Climate. Other material in the collection focuses more closely on the climate of Australia and its region such as The Australian Weather Book: Understanding our Climate and How it Affects us, The Weather and Climate of Australia and New Zealand, A Change in the Weather: Climate and Culture in Australia and Australian Climate Law in Global Context.

For advice on how to access these materials, see Searching for weather and climate.

Non-print resources

The National Library’s collection contains material about weather and climate in a diverse range of formats, including special collections like oral histories, pictures and ephemera. For example, the Water and Shifting Cultural Values oral history project, photographs from the School Strike 4 Climate rally in Melbourne on the 21^st May 2021, a variety of music compositions for and about climate and weather maps.

For advice on how to access these materials, see Searching for weather and climate.

Online resources

There are many reputable weather and climate resources available online.

• The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government agency dedicated to scientific research. CSIROs website offers access to a range of Educational Resources, including datasets and teaching tools, and information about their research projects, including projects related to natural environments and environmental impacts. The CSIRO also has a range of Citizen Science Projects for Australians to take part in.
• The CSIRO’s research publications are searchable online. To access and read full-text articles, use the ‘Advanced Search’ option and select the ‘full text’ box.
• The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) provides a range of information about weather and climate in Australia, including weather forecasts across the country. They have information about long-range weather and climate available on their website, as well as information about climate change and weather extremes.  
  • The BoM offers access to a range of Indigenous Weather Knowledges in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and Monash University’s Centre for Indigenous Studies. This site has detailed traditional weather and climate knowledge from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, with seasonal information displayed in an interactive map.
  • The National Meteorology Library is maintained by the BoM and holds a specialised collection of information related to the study of weather and climate. You can search their collection using the search bar on their website home page.
• Climate Change in Australia is a joint initiative of the CSIRO and the BoM. It brings together a range of resources and information about climate change including data, projection tools, the National Climate Statement, communication resources and learning tools.
• The Australian Academy of Science provides access to a variety of articles, videos and publications about a wide range of scientific topics, including content about climate and environmental sciences.
• The Federal Department of Industry, Science and Resources provides a range of resources, including publications about climate change, greenhouse gases and energy.
• CoastAdapt offers resources to help understand the changing climate in coastal regions. Information is presented in a variety of ways, including interactive maps, infographics, case studies and manuals.
• The Climate Council brings together a range of resources about weather and climate on their website.
• The World Meteorological Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations dedicated to understanding global weather and climate trends and coordinating international responses to climate. Their website provides access to a wide range of information and resources about weather and climate from across the globe.
• The Federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water provides a range of information and resources on climate change, energy, environment, water, parks, heritage, science and research.