Australia's warmest year on record was 2019 at 1.52 °C above average, well above the second warmest: 1.33 °C above average in 2013. Average temperature has risen about 1°C. See State of the Climate 2020 for further information. The rainfall in Sydney is significant, with precipitation even during the driest month. They were in the highest 10% of historical observations for most of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, and along the coast of New South Wales and far eastern Victoria. Precipitation here is about 1309 mm | 51.5 inch per year. Perth’s rainfall was 10 per cent below normal. January to November rainfall for 2020 was seven per cent below average. The island continent of Australia features a wide range of climatic zones, from the tropical regions of the north, through the arid expanses of the interior, to the temperate regions of the south. Weather in January » November was extraordinarily warm, with both the national mean maximum and mean minimum temperature the warmest on record for November for Australia as a whole. The second most severe flood occurred relatively recently in December 2010, which took the lives of 35 people in Brisbane and South East Queensland, and resulted in damages of over $2 billion. The interior desert sees its greatest rainfall during spring and summer. For eastern South Australia, western Victoria, and southwestern New South Wales annual mean temperatures were close to average. Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were cooler than average for the month over much of Australia. According to Köppen and Geiger, this climate is classified as Cfa. Seasonal Rainfall Patterns in Australia. However, during July several low pressure systems off the east coast of Australia and a complex low before mid-month brought periods of very heavy rain to the east coast, and above average rainfall for the month in eastern Victoria and coastal New South Wales. 2020 confirmed as one of Earth's warmest years on record 15:37 EDT https://alldownunder.com/australian-facts/rainfall-temperature-records.htm A significant heatwave affected eastern New South Wales early in the year. More than 100 houses were severely damaged, as thunderstorms produced a tornado with winds estimated to be in excess of 150 km/h. 2. By the end of 2020, Darwin's water storages and Wivenhoe in southeast Queensland had dropped to their lowest levels in 10 years, and Lake Argyle in the eastern Kimberley had dropped to its lowest level in almost 30 years. Annual mean maximum temperatures were amongst the ten warmest on record for Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. This is the third mass bleaching event to affect the reef in five years. Average maximum temperatures in the winter months (June-August) are around 16°C/61°F. The most common cause of floods in Australia is extreme rainfall, which can be caused by the La Niña phenomenon which is the natural cooling of the ocean, resulting in heavy and above average rainfall. Daytime temperatures were especially warm for Sydney, Hobart and Darwin, with the mean maximum temperature well above average. Ex-tropical cyclone Mangga combined with an upper level trough and strong cold front while approaching Western Australia on 24 May. South Australia suffered its driest year on record during 2019, the Bureau of Meteorology says, with rainfall down 65 per cent as mean temperatures rose … Extreme heat affected southeastern Australia at the start and end of January, at the start of February, and during November. Suite 2 Level 10 70 Pitt Street Sydney NSW 2000 8:30am to 5:00pm Mon to Fri, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/annual/aus/#tabs=Rainfall, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropic_of_Cancer, https://www.quora.com/Why-is-Australia-such-a-dry-continent-when-it-is-so-further-south-than-its-counterparts, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atacama_Desert, https://www.britannica.com/science/subtropical-high, http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/updates/articles/a008-el-nino-and-australia.shtml, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drought_in_Australia#Droughts_in_the_19th_century, http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2012/03/floods-10-of-the-deadliest-in-australian-history/, https://theconversation.com/climate-projections-show-australia-is-heading-for-a-much-warmer-future-36776, http://www.southwestnrm.org.au/sites/default/files/uploads/ihub/hughes-l-2003climate-change-and-australia-trends-projection.pdf, https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/OandA/Areas/Oceans-and-climate/Climate-change-information. You can access these datasets on our website. SAM during spring typically enhances the wet signal of La Niña in parts of eastern Australia, although western Tasmania is typically drier as the westerly winds which bring cold fronts and storms are suppressed. 20 heavy rain days per year; in the dry south-west, there are on average only 1 or 2 days heavy rain days each year. The speed and volume of runoff was likely to have increased due to the lack of vegetation. For Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) the annual mean minimum temperature was close to average, with most sites across the greater Adelaide region within half a degree of average, some warmer than average and some cooler. December saw cooler than average temperatures over large areas of the northwest and Central Australia as tropical lows during the middle third of the month brought heavy rain and cooler temperatures stretching from the Pilbara and Kimberley into South Australia. Here is the average precipitation. As can be seen above, projected by the Bureau of Meteorology and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) shows that there won’t be a general increase or decrease in rainfall across the whole of Australia, but rather varied changes across different regions. The desert town experiences only 10 days of rainfall per year. However alternate averaging periods are also used for other purposes, such as facilitating comparison to a more recent period for climate outlooks, or to the pre-industrial period for long-term climate change. The New South Wales State Emergency Service received more than 1000 calls for help and the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services received more than 1500 calls for help. One of the main causes of drought in Australia is the lack of rainfall during certain periods, such as during an El Niño phase, as mentioned previously. Fire risk has increased across the state. While short-term rainfall deficiencies for periods less than one year in length diminished across the first half of the year, and were largely removed by late winter, the multi-year deficiencies persisted with much less significant change. This data set can be viewed in a cleaner format here. Most of this warming has occurred since 1950. In the southern Basin, the total water storage was 41.2% at the beginning of 2020. La Niña became established during September, and reached moderate strength by the end of the year. The climate is variable, with frequent droughts lasting several seasons, thought to be caused in part by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. For Australia as a whole June rainfall was the third-lowest on record. A significant heatwave affected much of northwest to southeast Queensland around the middle of November. Throughout the year, there are 137.7 rainfall days, and 1281mm (50.4") of precipitation is accumulated. Another main reason has been found to be of a man-made nature, however. The annual mean maximum temperature was also above average for Perth, Canberra, and Brisbane, close to average at most sites across greater Adelaide, and close to average or slightly below average at most sites across greater Melbourne. This projected increase in average temperature under the conditions of a continuous emission of greenhouse gases is fairly close to the global average increase of between 2.6° and 4.8°. Severe drought affected large parts of the country. Another low pressure system developed off the coast of southeast Queensland in late July, with the deepening low moving south along the New South Wales coast from the 26th to 28th. Estimates of insured losses across Canberra, Melbourne, and Sydney had reached $320m in damage shortly after the event. This results in the ocean around Australia to increase in temperature, which adds extra heat to the air. It was the second-warmest year on record for Western Australia as a whole, the fifth-warmest for the Northern Territory and Queensland. Flash flooding and riverine flooding affected parts of southeast and inland Queensland and inland and coastal areas of New South Wales, extending into the second half of the month. This further declined to 36.8% in March. In Tasmania snow closed the Huon Highway south of Hobart, and a few centimetres fell in Launceston; snow settling on the ground in Launceston is very rare. Under normal conditions (left), the Pacific Ocean experiences strong winds which blow from West to East, which pushes warm water towards Australia. In the southeast of Australia April–October rainfall has declined by around 12% since the late 1990s. December 2019 had been marked by extreme heat and dangerous fire weather conditions. Half of the country receives an average of less than 300 mm per year. Accumulated heat led to very widespread coral bleaching across the Reef. Australia's seasons are at opposite times to those in the northern hemisphere. (BoM) Australia November rainfall (BoM) Extreme heat affected northern Western Australia and the Top End of the Northern Territory during August and September. As of 31 December 2020, the 2020–21 tropical cyclone season was yet to see any tropical cyclones. The southern half of the continent—particularly southern parts of Western Australia and South Australia, and At the same time, humidity was very high as tropical moisture drifted south, with record-high dewpoint temperatures making for exceptionally muggy and unpleasant conditions. The centre of South Australia is extremely dry, receiving as little as 100 – 200 ml per year. Hail that size is rare in April in central Queensland. Southern Australia receives winter rains from depressions associated with the west-wind zone. A large number of fires were active in southeast Queensland, eastern New South Wales, and northeastern Victoria and Gippsland at the start of the year. Precipitation in Australia averaged 38.39 mm from 1901 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 226.45 mm in January of 1974 and a record low of 5.69 mm in September of 1957. Tropical cyclone Esther made landfall close to the Northern Territory and Queensland border on 24 February. Both November and spring as a whole were warmest on record. On 14 January, Victoria had the worst air quality in the world as smoke from the East Gippsland fires spread. Climate and average weather for Darwin (Northern Territory), Australia displayed in graphs. The wettest spot is Mount Bellenden Ker in the north-east of the country records an average of 8,000 millimetres (310 in) per year… Average Weather in Sydney Australia. Perth has more sunny days annually than any other Australian capital city. Accumulation of heat in ocean waters east of Queensland during February and into March led to coral bleaching across the Great Barrier Reef. The driest year on record at Bray Park was 2019, with only 716.7mm of rain recorded (less than half the average of 1571mm). Annual mean minimum temperatures were slightly above average at most sites across greater Melbourne. In Sydney the runoff from this event was enough to almost double the amount of accessible water in Sydney's urban supply system storages. South Australia - South Australia - Climate: South Australia is the driest of the Australian states. SSTs were above average to highest on record for large areas of the western Pacific Ocean and central regions of the Indian Ocean. Snow fell in many Canberra suburbs and settled widely above 750 m, with snowfalls continuing in the Brindabella Ranges over the following days. Storms resulted in significant coastal erosion in west coast Western Australia during May. In this region of subtropical high pressures, the air that forms around the equator rises higher than usual, before eventually lowering again. Severe hailstorms during 20 January brought hail 4 to 6 cm in diameter across the southern half of Belconnen and Canberra's inner southern suburbs. Averages are for Maroochydore Airport Aws, which is 5 miles from Sunshine Coast. Mean minimum temperatures were particularly warm, coming in 0.45 °C above the previous record in spring 1998. Western Australia has a number of climate zones due to its enormous size. Heavy rainfall returned to southern Queensland in the second half of February, including severe thunderstorms over the southeast coast on 12 February, with swift water rescues, inundation of homes, and a number of roads cut or closed. It forms part of a natural cycle which involves the warming of the ocean, resulting in decreased rainfall. The average annual temperature in Sydney is 17.6 °C | 63.7 °F. Three tropical cyclones reached severe (category 3). More than 1900 calls for help were made to emergency services and more than 15 000 insurance claims were lodged. In addition to the influence of natural drivers, Australia's climate is increasingly affected by global warming and natural variability takes place on top of this background trend. Cool season tornados are typically observed once or twice a year, but it is rare that they move through populated areas—many may go unnoticed in sparsely populated areas. Fifth-warmest year on record for the Northern Territory. While water storages in the southern Murray–Darling Basin saw significant increases during 2020, storage levels in the northern Basin despite showing some increases, remained low at the end of the year. The Dampier weather radar sustained significant damage, and Karratha Airport recorded a 194 km/h wind gust on the 8th—its highest gust in 17 years of wind observations. The southern half of the continent—particularly southern parts of Western Australia and South Australia, and Rainfall anomalies were very large at longer timescales; below average rainfall over most months over much of the country between early 2017 and the end of 2019 had allowed very large deficiencies to accumulate (see Special Climate Statement Drought conditions in eastern Australia and impact on water resources in the Murray–Darling Basin). Plan ahead with this information on weather and rainfall in Australia’s capital cities. It experienced one of the worst droughts in its history between 2003 and 2012, however, has since seen an increase in average rainfall. Heatwaves affected parts of Australia several times during November. When El Niño occurs, on the other hand, the opposite happens, with strong winds blowing from East to West (away from Australia), resulting in cooler ocean temperatures on the Australian coast, and therefore less cloud formation and rain. All values in this statement were compiled from data available on the issue date. Rather,  varied changes across different regions are expected, as will be explained in more detail. Damaging storm surges coincided with king tides, resulting in hazardous surf conditions and major coastal erosion at numerous beaches in northeast New South Wales and southeast Queensland. SSTs were up to two degrees cooler than average in some areas of the eastern equatorial Pacific in September and in the central equatorial Pacific from October to December. Our rainfall pattern is strongly seasonal, with large year-to-year variations. In 2012, rainfall totalled 771mm. A tropical low tracked west across the Kimberley in Western Australia during the first week of February, before developing into tropical cyclone Damien on the 6th while northwest of Broome. As far as future predictions go with regards to Australian rainfall, it’s unconfirmed whether there will be a general increase or decrease across the country. January rainfall was above average for much of Western Australia away from the northeast and west coast, owing to tropical systems, including tropical cyclones Blake and Claudia. The last days of 2019 and first days of 2020 saw particularly hazardous fire weather, with further significant fires igniting while existing fires experienced renewed flares, as heatwave conditions continued into early January. In Victoria the State Emergency Services received more than 300 calls for assistance on 5 March, mostly related to flooding and building damage, while flash flooding caused disruptions to transport. Of the ten warmest years, only one (1998) occurred before 2005. Reference: Johnson, K. (1992), The AUSMAP Atlas of Australia. Widespread rainfall on 20 and 22 January helped reduce the number of uncontained bushfires. Flooding during March occurred on already elevated river levels in tributaries of the Lake Eyre and Murray–Darling basins. El Niño, therefore, has different effects on different regions of the world, but in Australia it results in less rainfall, warmer temperatures, greater natural fire tendencies, and reduced tropical cyclones, ultimately resulting in an overall drier country. Rainfall was close to average for Darwin, Brisbane, and Hobart, and close to average at most sites across greater Adelaide. Australia's climate has warmed on average by 1.44 ± 0.24 °C since national records began in 1910, with most of the warming occurring since 1950. Summer (December – February) During summer, average temperatures range from 18.6 - 25.8°C (65.5 - 78.4°F), and average humidity spikes to 65%. Australia is home to some of the driest regions in the world, while also being subject to periods of heavy rainfall and cyclones. Australia opens up more borders for domestic travel . The average annual temperature in Sydney is 17.6 °C | 63.7 °F. The north coast, where most of the population resides, is the driest place on the island with around 700mm per year. Australia has a wide variety of climates due to its large geographical size. Annual Weather Averages Near Sunshine Coast. The El Niño–Southern Oscillation was neutral during the first half of 2020. Water storage in the northern Basin had reached a record low of 5.4% of combined capacity in mid-January 2020, 7.5% lower than at any point during the Millennium Drought, and did not reach above 26% during the year before dry conditions and downriver releases saw levels decline in late spring. Following Australia's driest year on record in 2019, at the start of 2020 there were significant rainfall deficiencies in place across much of Australia. For example average yield nationally in 2002-3 was 0.91 t/ha, whereas in 2011-12 it was more than double that at 2.14 t/ha (Table 1). We also have comparison graphs and tables showing Perth rainfall for the past 4 years. Throughout the year, there are 116.9 rainfall days, and 1006.6mm (39.6") of precipitation is accumulated. The broader Australian region covers the area south of the Equator and between 90°E and 160°E, and includes Australian, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesian areas of responsibility. Larger maps, About rainfall maps. Rainfall for Australia was close to average for the nation as a whole at 483.4 mm; 4% above the 1961–1990 average of 466.0 mm. Heat built in northwestern Australia over August, with records set at a large number of stations in Western Australia during the last week of the month. The atmospheric CO2 level, measured at Cape Grim, Tasmania, was 410.6 parts per million (ppm) by the end of 2020, an increase of 2.1 ppm for the year. Buoys offshore of southeast Queensland observed waves reaching up to 10 m in height, and an 11 m maximum wave height at the Brisbane Buoy, with waves reaching up to 5 m inshore. The rainfall here is around 666 mm | 26.2 inch per year. On the 28th there were reports of large hail up to 6 cm in diameter south of Gayndah, fallen power lines in the Caboolture area, and localised flash flooding. A strong cold front brought a band of thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning and winds in excess of 100 km/h to southern central Victoria in the early hours of 20 May. The number of heavy rain days varies considerably from year to year; this explains much of the year to year variability in rainfall. As far as a prediction goes for 2090, it’s again unclear whether there will be an increase or decrease in rainfall, but significant changes in either direction are possible 17. Australia is known for a variable climate and highly variable rainfall which results in substantial variation in wheat yields. Sydney, Australia: Annual Weather Averages January is the hottest month in Sydney with an average temperature of 23°C (73°F) and the coldest is July at 13°C (55°F) with … Annual mean minimum temperatures were in the highest 10% of historical observations for much of Western Australia except the Kimberley and parts of the south and west coast; western South Australia; much of the Northern Territory; much of Queensland; eastern New South Wales and far eastern Victoria. This sometimes results in Northern Australia being subject to severe tropical cyclones, resulting in serious flooding. Most capital cities were warmer than average in 2020. The State Emergency Service received around 130 calls for help from the Geelong area, and 220 across the State. There is only one other instance of a 40 °C day during August in the observational record; 40.0 °C at Kulumburu Mission on 27 August 1970. Rainfall Records. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 47°F to 80°F and is rarely below 42°F or above 90°F.. Based on the tourism score, the best time of year to visit Sydney for warm-weather activities is from late November to early April. Combined with a lack of strong winds which would blow in some moisture from nearby storms or oceans, countries, like Australia, lying in subtropical high pressure areas remain extremely dry 6. Significant heatwaves affected much of southeast and eastern Australia in late November to early December. From mid-autumn storages in the southern Basin experienced steady increases throughout the year, and were at 68.8% at the end of November. Damien intensified to a severe system (category 3) before making landfall over the Karratha and Dampier region in the afternoon of the 8th. Significant heatwaves affected parts of Australia several times during the month, including much of northwest to southeast Queensland around the middle of the month, and much of southeast and eastern Australia towards the end of the month. in the highest 10% of historical observations) across waters around the northern half of Australia and across the northern half of the Tasman Sea. Several cold fronts associated with a complex area of low pressure brought widespread showers, isolated thunderstorms, small hail and gusty winds to southeast Australia between 21 and 26 September. During July and August much of the north and east of the Indian Ocean basin, including waters to the northwest of Australia, were warmer than average. The mean temperature for the 10 years from 2011 to 2020 was the highest on record, at 0.94 °C above average, and 0.33 °C warmer than the 10 years 2001–2010. This page includes a chart with historical data for Australia Average Precipitation. In the east of the country, generally wetter conditions from January to April saw many water storages start to recover. To put these projected increases in context: the average temperature in Australia has increased by 0.9° over the past century, since around 1910. 2020 was Australia's fourth-warmest year on record, with the annual national mean temperature 1.15 °C above average. Australia is a vast continent with a wide variety of climates. Annual Weather Averages Near Canberra. Rainfall has increased over the north and interior, declined along the west coast, and declined by about 20% over the lower south-west. Seventh-driest April–October on record for the South West Land Division. Average amount of rain a year; Days City Inches Milli­metres; 89: Launceston, Tasmania: 26.5: 674: 97: Mackay, Queensland: 60.2: 1529: 89: Maitland, New South Wales: 32.6: 829: 83: Mandurah, Western Australia: 25.6: 649: 93: Melbourne, Victoria: 23.7: 603: 99: Newcastle, New South Wales: 43.1: 1096: 82: Perth, Western Australia: 28.5: 725: 58: Rockhampton, Queensland: 29.2: 741: 83: Rockingham, … Tropical lows affected the west of the country around mid-December, bringing torrential rain there too. This was in addition to the existing multi-year rainfall deficiencies in the region for the period commencing in early 2018. This section also experiences extreme heat and dangerous UV index levels, along with periods of drought. What is the weather like in Sydney? La Niña conditions remained weaker than at the same time of year during the 2010–11 event throughout 2020. The IOD reached values indicative of a negative IOD for a number of weeks during late winter and early spring, but these values were not sustained long enough (a minimum of eight weeks) to be considered an IOD event. Rainfall for the year was below average for parts of southeastern and east coast Queensland, the west and southwest of Western Australia, and western Tasmania. There is significant rainfall throughout the year in Melbourne. Following further rainfall around mid-February, all fires in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania were declared contained by the end of February. Widespread severe weather resulted over much of the west of Western Australia between the 24th and 26th, including strong and gusty winds, abnormally high tides and storm surges. Australia's climate has warmed on average by 1.44 ± 0.24 °C since national records began in 1910. Mapped analysis uses AWAP temperature data and AWAP rainfall data up to 2019. A cold front and associated trough crossed Victoria during 27 August, resulting in squally westerly winds across southern and mountain districts; Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse reported a wind gust of 157 km/h (85 kts). While the long-term trend line suggest annual rainfall has been rising in southern Australia between 1900 and 2019, average rainfall during the wet season was 246.07mm — 4 per … West Roebuck, just east of Broome, reached 41.2 °C, a national record for August, on the 23rd, a day after Yampi Sound (75 km northeast of Derby) reached 40.7 °C on the 22nd. Storms also affected the Sydney region, with more than 4000 insurance claims arising from strong winds, lightning, and hail in the Sutherland Shire and northern beaches. September was a warm month for all of Australia, with both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures very much warmer than average over much of the continent. February and March followed a similar trend, experiencing slightly more rain than usual. A cold front brought cold, wet and windy conditions to Victoria and southern New South Wales between 21 and 23 August, with some alpine areas receiving more than 50 cm of snow. As can be seen in the graph below, January was an extremely wet month for Australia in 2017. The national rainfall dataset commences in 1900. Annual rainfall exceeds 400 mm (15.5 in), and it's more abundant along the northernmost and the eastern coasts, where it exceeds 1,200 mm (47 in). December to February is summer; March to May is autumn; June to August is winter; and September to November is spring. Below average rainfall over the southern half of Australia around the middle of the year is a reflection of this pattern. Though Australia national rainfall index fluctuated substantially in recent years, it tended to decrease through 1972 - 2001 period ending at 717 mm per year in 2001. A complex low pressure system and cold front crossing southern Australia brought heavy rainfall and a significant cold outbreak to the southeast of the country during the first week of August. Here is the average precipitation. Australia has been subject to spouts of drought for hundreds of years, with records showing that since the 1860s, severe drought occurs in the country on average every 18 years. A strong cold front which crossed Victoria on 3 April brought a sharp decrease in temperatures and considerable rainfall to parts of Victoria and the southeast between the evening of the 3rd and 5th. ©Bureau of Meteorology Northern wet season (October–April) rainfall deciles for the last 20 years (2000–01 to 2019–20). Annual rainfall was above average for large parts of New South Wales and parts of South Australia between the Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre / Kati Thanda, and also for much of northern and eastern Western Australia, and large parts of the Northern Territory away from the Top End and the far south. Annual rainfall was above average across large parts of New South Wales, parts of South Australia between the Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre / Kati Thanda, and much of northern and eastern Western Australia, and much of the Northern Territory. Storages in the northern Basin remained below 25% capacity at the end of December. The extreme heat continued into the first days of December. Half of the country receives an average of less than 300 mm per year. Heavy rain fell over coastal New South Wales and much of Gippsland, resulting in localised flooding in several areas, including Newcastle, the Lower Hunter, and the South Coast District. 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