Hottest month on record, final figures highlight climate extremes
01/02/2013
Australia recorded its hottest month on record in January 2013, with both the average mean temperature of 29.68°C and the average mean maximum temperature of 36.92°, surpassing previous records set in January 1932.
The Northern Territory recorded 31.93°C and Queensland 30.75°C, also the hottest mean temperature on record for January for both states.
The heatwave in the first half of January was exceptional in its extent and duration. The national average maximum temperature on 7 January was the highest on record. Numerous stations set records for the most days in succession above 40°C, including Alice Springs (17 days) and Birdsville (31 days).
A large number of stations set all-time record high temperatures during the January heatwave, including Sydney (45.8°C on 18 January) and Hobart (41.8°C on 4 January). The highest temperature recorded during the heatwave was at Moomba in South Australia (49.6°C on 12 January).
Late January saw extreme rainfall and flooding for coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales as a low pressure system associated with ex-tropical cyclone Oswald tracked steadily south between 22 and 29 January, before moving out to sea south of Sydney.
Many coastal areas from Sydney to Cape York received more than 200 mm of rainfall. The most extreme rainfalls were in the region between Rockhampton and Bundaberg, and in the ranges along the New South Wales – Queensland border region.
Upper Springbrook in the Gold Coast hinterland received 1496 mm in eight days, and Boolaroo Tops, southwest of Gladstone, 1426 mm.
Gladstone received 820 mm of rainfall in four days, which exceeded its previous record for a whole month, and more than the annual rainfall recorded in 2011 or 2012.
Area-averaged rainfall for the Burnett catchment on 27 January was 204 mm, exceeding the previous record by more than 80 mm. One-day catchment rainfall records were also set for the Mary, Logan-Albert, Kolan and Burrum catchments.
For further information go to Monthly summary.
