Weather records for Australia

A massive El Nino is coming. Its going to be hellishly hot!

---Kristy Lewis (Sydney)

Weather 2014: Australia's third hottest year on record
Australia has capped two years of extraordinary warmth with 2014 declared the third hottest on record just 12 months after 2013 smashed annual highs, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

SMH,

6 January, 2014

How Australia's climate is already shifting

No year since 1985 has observed a below-average global mean temperature and all of the 10 warmest years have occurred between 1998 and the present. 

Mean temperatures across the country in 2014 came in 0.91 degrees above the 1961-1990 average, behind only 2013 and 2005.

2014 was another hot year for Australia. Photo: Leigh Henningham

Melbourne posted its equal warmest year on record in 2014, while Sydney's average mean temperatures were 1.6 degrees above average, placing it behind only 2013.  

"in 2014, we had quite a few heatwaves that contributed to those very warm conditions," said Agata Imielska, senior climatologist at the bureau in Sydney. "They have been a lack of cool outbreaks."

Among the states, NSW had its hottest year for means on record last year, while Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia all posted their second warmest years. Only the Northern Territory missed out on a ranking among the four warmest years.

The past two years were the hottest on record for most of the country. Photo: BoM

"A number of prolonged and geographically extensive warm spells affected Australia during 2014, resulting in monthly records for highest temperature being set at numerous locations," the bureau said in its annual climate statement.

The unusual warmth over the past two years has come despite the absence of a full El Nino in the Pacific, a climate pattern that tends to push up temperatures across much of Australia and south-east Asia.

For 2014 alone, most of the country had 'very much above average warmth'. Photo: BoM

Climatologists say background conditions are warming as a build-up of greenhouse gases traps more of the sun's heat in the atmosphere, making it increasingly likely that heat rather than cold records get broken.

"Global warming is contributing to these heat records, and it's very unlikely that we would have seen the proliferation or the frequency of these heat records around the world without the influence of global warming," Karl Braganza, head of climate monitoring at the bureau, said.

"The climate system we live in...that's all about 1 degree warmer than it used to be," Dr Braganza said.

For rainfall, the east and far west were generally dry, while the north was wet. Photo: BoM

Warming up

Tuesday's release of the annual survey comes a day after Perth reported its hottest January day for that site, with 44.4 degrees, and fire crews in South Australia continue to battle bushfires across the state as a second heatwave in less than a week laps over the region.

With 2014 likely to be declared the warmest year on record globally, the Japan Meteorological Agency made the call this week and other agencies are expected to follow suit later this month.

"No year since 1985 has observed a below-average global mean temperature and all of the 10 warmest years have occurred between 1998 and the present," the Bureau of Meteorology said in the statement.

While last year was a warm one for most of the country, rainfall levels varied significantly. National rainfall came in at 478mm, or 3 per cent above average, thanks largely to a wet year in northern Australia.

Much of western Victoria, south-eastern South Australia, northern NSW and south-eastern Queensland were in their lowest 10 per cent of years for rainfall.

"National rainfall totals during 2014 reinforce the pattern of recent decades, with above-average rainfall during the peak of the summer monsoon season and below-average rainfall during the cooler half of the year," the report said.

The shift towards a drying out of the winter season in southern Australia is forcing farmers to alter their harvesting practices.

Victoria has been notably drier, with 15 of the past 18 years drier than the long-term average. The relatively wet years - 2000, 2010 and 2011 - were all La Nina years, when conditions in the Pacific favour rainfall and cooler conditions over eastern Australia.

Last year, 2013 - was Australia's hottest year on record

Bushfires follow Australia's third-hottest year

Australia experienced its third-hottest year on record in 2014, paving the way for an early start to the bushfire season, scientists said Tuesday as hundreds of firefighters battled blazes in three states.

7News,

6 January, 2014

The biggest concern is a huge blaze in South Australia's Adelaide Hills, with firefighters racing to contain the inferno which has already destroyed up to 38 homes ahead of worsening weather conditions.

Wildfires are also burning in Western Australia and the southern state of Victoria, officials said, as the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed 2014 was "Australia's third-warmest year since national temperature observations commenced in 1910".

"Much of Australia experienced temperatures very much above average in 2014, with mean temperatures 0.91 degrees Celsius above the long-term average," said the bureau's Neil Plummer.

The weather agency said that following Australia's warmest year on record in 2013, both maximum and minimum temperatures remained well above average in 2014, with "frequent periods of abnormally warm weather".

The years since 2002 have seen seven of Australia's 10 warmest years on record, it added.

Sarah Perkins, a research fellow at the University of New South Wales' Climate Change Research Centre, said Australia had sweltered through prolonged and extreme heatwaves in 2014 and its hottest spring on record.

"These warm conditions, particularly in spring, contributed to yet another early start to our bushfire season, and recent heatwave events have also contributed to heightened bushfire risk and poor firefighting conditions currently in South Australia," she said.

"The fact that we are experiencing such record-breaking and extreme conditions, both during consecutive years and since the turn of the millennium, is a clear sign that climate change is happening now, and here, in Australia."

Higher temperatures are not the only cause of bushfires, she said, with rainfall and winds among the other factors.

"But certainly when it's hotter, things dry out more quickly, particularly if we have a very intense heatwave... which increases the risk of intense bushfire weather," she told AFP.

Will Steffen from the Climate Council said it was no surprise that 2014 was the third hottest year behind 2013 and 2005.

"The impact of climate change on these trends is very clear. Climate change is making Australia hotter and more prone to bushfires," he said.

The Adelaide Hills bushfire, in scrubland of Sampson Flat northeast of the city, has left 167 buildings damaged or destroyed since Friday, including up to 38 homes, officials revealed Tuesday.

In the worst-affected town of Kersbrook, 12 homes were lost or badly damaged.

In total 23 people were hospitalised due to the blaze, but all but two had since been released. One man is in a serious condition after he was injured by a falling tree.

The state's Country Fire Service has warned higher temperatures and windier conditions are expected on Wednesday.

University of Melbourne climate scientist David Karoly said the high temperatures across Australia in 2014 indicated a need to address the amount of greenhouse gas pollution blamed for climate change.

"Unless there are rapid, substantial and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in Australia and globally, Australia will experience more heatwaves and bushfires as in 2014," he said.

This is almost 24 hours ago

For context, I think that is 112F

Perth swelters through third hottest January day on record

Perth is experiencing its third hottest January day on record, as fire authorities continue to mop up after a bushfire which burned through the night in the city's east.

ABC,

5 January, 2015

The mercury soared to 44.4 degrees Celsius by 1:51pm, making it the hottest January day on record since 1991, when it hit 45.8C.

Firefighters brought a blaze at the Araluen Estate in Roleystone under control after spending the night fighting the fire in hot dry conditions.

A Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) spokesman said teams had been formed at high-risk bushfire areas Mt Helena, Two Rocks and Roleystone due to risks from current weather conditions.

He said the terrain in Roleystone meant "wet" fire breaks had to be created using water bombers, rather than earth breaks.

"If the wind does pick up there is potential for those breaks to be exposed," he said.

Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Callum Stuart said strong north-easterly winds were bringing hot temperatures down from the coast.

"A surface trough is sitting offshore, which is preventing the sea breeze from coming in early and strongly, so it's a weak and late sea breeze today," he said.

Speed restrictions have been imposed on the Transperth train network because of extreme temperatures.

With temperatures above 39 degrees, Transperth said trains would travel about 20 kilometres an hour slower than usual for safety reasons.

Walk trails in the Yanchep National Park have been closed.

Health authorities have warned people to take precautions to avoid heat stress, particularly the elderly and very young.

State Health Coordinator Gail Milner said people should ensure they have supplies of non-alcoholic cool drinks and good sun protection.

Residents have crowded into air-conditioned shopping centres and hit swimming pools and beaches to escape the heat.

Others have come up with more creative ways to keep cool.

"Made a pool in the garage with a tarp, pedestal fan and box of VB, 1980's cassettes on the tape player," Ralph Nield wrote on the ABC 720 Perth page.

Many shared photos of themselves, kids and dogs at the beach.

Hottest days in Perth in January on record:

Year	Day	Max Temp (Highest)
1991	31	45.8
1978	12	44.7
1956	29	43.7
1961	18	43.5
1934	12	43.4
1969	5	43.4
2014	11	43.3
1984	31	43.2
1991	30	43.2
2010	17	42.9

Hottest days on record in Perth (prior to today):

Year	Month	Day	Max Temp (Highest)
1991	February	23	46.2
1991	January	31	45.8
1978	January	12	44.7
1933	February	8	44.6
1997	February	26	44.5
1933	February	7	44.3
2007	December	26	44.2
1982	February	4	44.0
1940	February	8	43.8
1956	January	29	43.7
1985	February	25	43.7

(Source: Bureau of Meteorology)

2014 Tasmania's second hottest year on record

Tasmania has recorded its second hottest year on record.

ABC

26 November, 2014

The Bureau of Meteorology annual climate statement says Tasmania was drier and warmer than normal during 2014, with the statewide mean temperature 0.8 degrees Celsius above average, the second-highest since records began in 1910.

Hobart, Launceston and Devonport all experienced their highest average daytime maximum temperatures on record.

The hottest day last year was in Bushy Park, at 40.2 degrees Celsius on January 14.

The mean daytime temperature was a record 1.09C above average.

"Even though there was snow occasionally and all those sort of wintry things, it was really that persistence of warm weather, not a great deal of rain," Climatologist Ian Barnes-Keoghan said.

"There was certainly some cold weather, but the warm weather dominated.

"When we average that out across the year the mean temperature across the state[was the] second warmest on record, about 0.8 degrees above average."

2014 was also Tasmania's 12th driest year on record, with especially dry conditions on parts of the state's east coast.

Mr Barnes-Keoghan said around the state rainfall was 16 per cent below average, and several weather stations came close to recording their driest year on record.

"Reduced rainfall in the east, which has been going on now for about 12 or 13 months, combined with the high temperatures means that area, in the lower east coast especially, is really primed as something to look out for bushfires this coming season," he said.

Even the traditionally wetter areas of the state suffered.

"We've actually seen areas in the west and north-west also coming up as relatively dry," he said.