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Australia could support 300m, the population would just have to be concentrated more towards northern Australia.
Population-wise yes, but as it has already been said you shouldn't underestimate Australia's natural resources and what they've contributed to building up other countries in the past and will continue to do in the future.
It doesn't now, but the US does. The US started out about the size of Australia population wise, and look where it is now. The US has abundant natural resources that went into building the richest nation in the world. You simply cannot compare Australia providing a great country for 22M people, with the US providing a great country for most of the population of 310M people. Simply not in our league, no way no how. I don't mean that to insult, but do you seriously think you can compare a nation of 22M with one over 310M. Anyway, this is a weather forum and not a political or geography forum.
Both statements are true. LA (downtown), looking at annual averages, is 1.1°F warmer
Well, sure, if we take the very warmest part of LA and compare it with the warmest part of perth (Climate statistics for Australian locations) we find that the former is a staggering 0.4 F warmer! Note that the Perth averages in this case are for the thirty year period twenty years prior, so it may well have warmed considerably in the interim.
Of course, Perth lacks the extreme temp gradient as one goes inland that SoCal is notorious for. Hence, Perth is far warmer at the beach, to say nothing of having much warmer sea temps. So, as you rightly point out, Perth has much better beach weather than SoCal.
Hence my confusion (well, not really ) when Wavehunter expressed a strong preference for SoCal despite his oft-stated preference for good beach weather.
I think it's still true that Australia could add a great deal more people and sustain itself (don't know if much of Australia's population growth, like Canada's is coming from immigration and not just birth rate since these countries are near or below replacement fertility). I think in terms of population support, for example, a population like the UK's (which is in quite a smaller area) might be feasible at least.
There are countries with somewhat dry to tropical climates like Australia's north, which are of fair size and population density (of course those aren't often western countries). For example, Egypt is smaller than Australia and much drier and with small area to farm but has 70-something million folks (not really developed countries' standards, but they seem to have a standard of living that can feed themselves at least).
Well, sure, if we take the very warmest part of LA and compare it with the warmest part of perth (Climate statistics for Australian locations) we find that the former is a staggering 0.4 F warmer! Note that the Perth averages in this case are for the thirty year period twenty years prior, so it may well have warmed considerably in the interim.
Of course, Perth lacks the extreme temp gradient as one goes inland that SoCal is notorious for. Hence, Perth is far warmer at the beach, to say nothing of having much warmer sea temps. So, as you rightly point out, Perth has much better beach weather than SoCal.
Hence my confusion (well, not really ) when Wavehunter expressed a strong preference for SoCal despite his oft-stated preference for good beach weather.
Would you mind posting some sort of data to back up this claim that water temps in Perth are "much warmer" than San Diego. From what I can find, Perth's water temps are not "much warmer". Here is an exchange form an Australian forum about water temps in Perth. The guy actually living there states it is barely above the 70-72F temps that San Diego has in summer:
Hi,
What is the ocean water temperature (Perth area) during spring / summer / autumn ?
Warm enough to swim without a wetsuit ?
Gary
G'day
The water temp here is always cold and a wet suit is needed for extended stays in the water all year round. In winter around 17/18 is to be expected, in summer 21/22 is normal. Of course when it's over 40 outside like now 22 seems attractive but you soon get cold. We never get the warm 26 or higher that they have around Qld and Northern NSW.
Of course, Perth lacks the extreme temp gradient as one goes inland that SoCal is notorious for. Hence, Perth is far warmer at the beach, to say nothing of having much warmer sea temps. So, as you rightly point out, Perth has much better beach weather than SoCal.
Hence my confusion (well, not really ) when Wavehunter expressed a strong preference for SoCal despite his oft-stated preference for good beach weather.
it is interesting isn't it? wavehunter continually spruiks his love for the beach weather, but for some reason prefers SoCal's cooler waters and cooler air temps. When I say cooler air temps, I am referring to the immediate coast, which is cooler than Perth's coastal fringe. It seems even San Diego averages about 75 on the immediate coast in summer, compare that to the low 80's in Perth's coastal suburbs.
Would you mind posting some sort of data to back up this claim that water temps in Perth are "much warmer" than San Diego. From what I can find, Perth's water temps are not "much warmer". Here is an exchange form an Australian forum about water temps in Perth. The guy actually living there states it is barely above the 70-72F temps that San Diego has in summer:
Hi,
What is the ocean water temperature (Perth area) during spring / summer / autumn ?
Warm enough to swim without a wetsuit ?
Gary
G'day
The water temp here is always cold and a wet suit is needed for extended stays in the water all year round. In winter around 17/18 is to be expected, in summer 21/22 is normal. Of course when it's over 40 outside like now 22 seems attractive but you soon get cold. We never get the warm 26 or higher that they have around Qld and Northern NSW.
I think you'd agree it's a significant difference. Granted, it's not like Alaska vs. Hawaii, but considering that temps in both locations are relatively cool I think Perth's additional degrees may be critical for swimming comfort.
it is interesting isn't it? wavehunter continually spruiks his love for the beach weather, but for some reason prefers SoCal's cooler waters and cooler air temps. When I say cooler air temps, I am referring to the immediate coast, which is cooler than Perth's coastal fringe. It seems even San Diego averages about 75 on the immediate coast in summer, compare that to the low 80's in Perth's coastal suburbs.
Clearly he is not biased and parochial
Exactly, it needs to be said. In the past I just let it slide for the most part. But then I thought that some people might actually rely on these forum posts for info, so it's important to provide some counterbalance to his nonsense.
For the record, I think both SoCal and Perth offer excellent climates. As for my choice, I think it's pretty much a coin toss, both having roughly equal pros and cons.
I don't like SoCal's cool SSTs and fog days. But I also don't like Perth's wet and relatively gloomy winters and summer heatwaves.
I think you'd agree it's a significant difference. Granted, it's not like Alaska vs. Hawaii, but considering that temps in both locations are relatively cool I think Perth's additional degrees may be critical for swimming comfort.
Did you read my post #33. Do you dispute the info I posted from the Rottnest swim and what water temps to expect in February? Everything I read points to an avg water temp in Perth in the low 70's in February.
Sorry, but I just don't think those links above are very accurate. The data is all coming from that surfline website that uses satellite imagery or who knows what. I looked at that site last summer and it was 5F off from what Atlantic City Steel Pier was reporting. So today the water in Perth is 74F. Is that the average every summer? Not from what I've read.
The table I posted was from NOAA data. Do you dispute that water temps in Perth average 72F in summer? Post data from the BOM. The fact is that San Diego water temps reach 70F to 72F on Imperial and Coronado beach in an average summer. Yes, some La Nina years it will be cooler, but some El Nino years the water reaches 75F. Perth water temps in summer are usually in the low 70's, as posted from a guy that actually lives there, and not in New Zealand: Ocean temperature
Hardly the diff you posted. Your post was hyperbole. I've already stated that Perth has better beach weather than San Diego. And San Diego water (actually north of there) can reach 74F. And this is from real buoy data:
Did you read my post #33. Do you dispute the info I posted from the Rottnest swim and what water temps to expect in February? Everything I read points to an avg water temp in Perth in the low 70's in February.
Sorry, but I just don't think those links above are very accurate. The data is all coming from that surfline website that uses satellite imagery or who knows what. I looked at that site last summer and it was 5F off from what Atlantic City Steel Pier was reporting. So today the water in Perth is 74F. Is that the average every summer? Not from what I've read.
The table I posted was from NOAA data. Do you dispute that water temps in Perth average 72F in summer? Post data from the BOM. The fact is that San Diego water temps reach 70F to 72F on Imperial and Coronado beach in an average summer. Yes, some La Nina years it will be cooler, but some El Nino years the water reaches 75F. Perth water temps in summer are usually in the low 70's, as posted from a guy that actually lives there, and not in New Zealand: Ocean temperature
Hardly the diff you posted. Your post was hyperbole. I've already stated that Perth has better beach weather than San Diego. And San Diego water (actually north of there) can reach 74F. And this is from real buoy data:
Man, I really don't know as I don't live in either place. I can only judge based on the data available online, which suggests that Perth has SSTs significantly higher than San Diego.
I've looked far and wide, and everything I find has Perth as significantly warmer than SD. Just learn to deal with it.
If you find different data I'd be interested in hearing about it.
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) when Wavehunter expressed a strong preference for SoCal despite his oft-stated preference for good beach weather.
