Weather is what the air is like at a particular place and time: its temperature, rainfall, wind and cloud. Climate is the usual pattern of weather in a place over many years.

Weather scientists, called meteorologists, use instruments to measure the weather and computers to make forecasts.

Extreme weather is weather that is much more severe than usual. It can damage homes, crops and habitats and put people in danger.

Thunderstorms form when warm, moist air rises quickly. They can bring lightning, thunder, hail, strong winds and heavy rain.

Tropical cyclones are huge spinning storms that form over warm tropical oceans. They bring destructive winds, heavy rain and high seas.

Floods happen when water covers land that is usually dry, often after very heavy rain. Droughts are long periods with much less rain than usual. Heatwaves are several days in a row of unusually high temperatures.

Monthly rainfall in Hillview (mm)

Month 1: 80 · Month 2: 95 · Month 3: 10 · Month 4: 5 · Month 5: 0 · Month 6: 320

The usual rainfall for each of these months is between 60 mm and 100 mm.