Experts have blamed recent droughts in Australia on the hole in the ozone above Antarctica.

The news comes via a report published in the journal Science, in which scientists said that the hole has forced rainfall and wind patterns in the Southern Hemisphere to shift, even in tropical areas.

Climate models show that the effect has been especially prominent over the Australian continent. Large portions of Australia have seen a series of major droughts recently, which has forced some farms to close whilst major cities have had to invest in desalinisation projects.

Researchers from New York’s Columbia University said they made the discovery came after they added the variable of the ozone hole into current climate models. Lead researcher Sarah Kang said that the hole created a southward shift of upper-latitude circulation whilst tropical circulation shifted southward as well.

The overall effect has meant that precipitation has moved south alongside the winds. The effect reaches places around the globe, however it is more pronounced in certain areas. Dr Kang said that whilst most places would see a change of about 10%, the figure regarding Australia- about 35% -was much more concerning.

Ozone depletion is caused by chlorofluorocarbons chemicals (CFCs), which were once commonly found in aerosols, refrigeration units and air conditioners.