Temperature records in August

Temperature records fall

'Weird winter': Climate change behind Australia's record hot and dry weather

Australia had its hottest winter on record with temperatures up by two degrees celsius on average and it is related to worsening climate change, according to a leading scientific group.

Winter warm spells are lasting longer, occurring more often and becoming more intense, a report by not-for-profit group the Climate Council found.

In addition to the warmth, the nation experienced its second driest June on record and the driest winter since 2002, the Hot & Dry: Australia's Weird Winter report found.

Ecologist Professor Lesley Hughes said there were more than 260 heat and low rainfall records set throughout the season.

"Without any meaningful action to tackle climate change, we will continue to see many more hot winters, just like this, as global temperatures rise," Ms Hughes said.

"We must take meaningful action to strongly reduce Australia's emissions from fossil fuels.

"The current situation in which the government continues to not only delay real action to reduce emissions, but is actively supporting further development of coal-fired power is simply nonsensical."

The unseasonable weather has led to an earlier start to the bushfire season in many parts of Australia, especially Victoria and other southern states, she said.

Professor Hughes urged the federal government to get on with tackling climate change.

"The solution remains the same - clean, efficient and affordable renewable energy and storage technology."

Australia's average winter temperatures have increased by about one degree celsius since 1910, driven by climate change as a direct result of burning fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas, the council said.

The council was formed by Australia's biggest crowd-funding campaign after the Tony Abbott government abolished the Climate Commission in 2013.

_{Earth sweltered to 3rd hottest August, summer on record}

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday the globe last month averaged 61.5 degrees (16.43 Celsius), which was a degree-and-a-half higher than the 20th century average, but behind 2016 and 2015.

The average temperature for June through August was 61.47 degrees (16.41 Celsius).

So far the year to date has edged out 2015 and is the second hottest January through August, averaging 58.88 degrees (14.88 Celsius), behind 2016.

Records go back to 1880.

NOAA climate scientist Jake Crouch says even though records weren't broken, it's been warmer than 99 percent of the other months and a sign of long-term climate change.