Quantifying coastal freshwater extremes during unprecedented rainfall using long timeseries multi-platform salinity observations

Abstract

During 2022, extreme rainfall occurred across southeast Australia, making it the wettest year on record. The oceanic impact of extreme rainfall events in normally ‘dry’ regions is not well understood, as their effects are challenging to observe. Here, we use unique multi-platform timeseries and spatial data from 36 autonomous ocean glider missions over 13 years, and we define an extreme salinity threshold inshore of the East Australian Current. We show that the freshwater plume extended fivefold further than previously thought. The compound effect of multiple large rainfall events resulted in a newly observed stratification (‘double-stacking’) dynamic, with the stratification being largely controlled by salinity. Extreme salinity events are known to be important for species composition of local fisheries as well as detrimental for coastal water quality. Such events and their impacts may become more common as extreme rainfall events are projected to become more frequent in a changing climate. Hence, comprehensive observing strategies facilitating identification of salinity extremes are essential.