5 January 2010
ANNUAL AUSTRALIAN CLIMATE STATEMENT 2009
2009 will be remembered for extreme bushfires, dust-storms, lingering rainfall
deficiencies, areas of flooding and record-breaking heatwaves
Second warmest year for Australia
Data collected by the Bureau of Meteorology indicate that Australia’s annual mean temperature for
2009 was 0.90°C above the 1961-90 average, making it the nation’s second warmest year since
high-quality records began in 1910. High temperatures were especially notable in the southeast
during the second half of the year, with Australia, Victoria, South Australia and NSW all recording
their warmest July-December periods on record.
(Left) Annual and decadal mean temperature anomalies for Australia (compared with 1961-90
average) and (right) 2009 mean temperatures compared against historical temperature records.
Record-breaking heatwaves and high temperatures
Extreme
heatwaves occurred across much of southern Australia during late January/early February
resulting in a new Melbourne maximum temperature record
of 46.4°C, new State maximum
temperature records for Victoria (48.8°C at Hopetoun) and Tasmania (42.2°C at Scamander),
and
contributing to the
Black Saturday
bushfires. An unusual winter-time
heatwave occurred during
August over large parts of inland Australia and resulted in Australia’s warmest August on record. A
third prolonged heatwave occurred during November across central and southeast Australia, leading
to a record 8 consecutive days of maximum temperatures above 35°C in Adelaide, and numerous
maximum temperature
records across southern and eastern Australia, especially in South Australia
and New South Wales.
Based on the analysis of daily (maximum and minimum) temperature data
above and below set thresholds, there are clear upward trends in the number of hot events and
downward trends in the number of cold events (over the period 1960 to date), consistent with global
warming.
Warmest decade on record
2009 ends Australia’s warmest decade on record, with a decadal mean temperature anomaly of
+0.48°C (above the 1961-90 average). In Australia, each decade since the 1940s has been warmer
than the preceding decade. In contrast, decadal temperature variations during the first few decades
of Australia’s climate record do not display any specific trend. This suggests an apparent shift in
Australia’s climate from one characterised by natural variability to one increasingly characterised
also by a trend to warmer temperatures.
2009 the 5th warmest year globally
On 8 December 2009, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) stated that 2009 is expected
to be the globe’s 5th warmest year on record (about 0.44°C above the 1961-90 average). A cooler-
than-average global mean temperature has not been recorded since 1985, with the last decade also
being the globe’s warmest on record. Increasing global mean temperatures derived from
instrumental measurements are consistent with other independent indicators of climate change, such
as reductions in sea-ice and snow cover, and record high global sea levels.
Another drier than average year in the southeast mainland
Based on preliminary data, the overall Australian mean rainfall total for 2009 was 453 mm, slightly
less than the long-term average (1961-90) of 464 mm. Above-average rainfall in January and
February, especially in the northern tropics, was followed by dry conditions from March onwards,
with the March-November total being the 10th lowest on record for Australia. A dry year in the
southeast and southwest of mainland Australia has prolonged the multi-year meteorological drought
in those regions.
During July to October 2009, serious rainfall deficiencies were experienced over large areas of
Queensland and isolated parts of NSW, consistent with the development of an El Niño event during
this time. The unusually dry and warm winter was associated with a series of dust-storms across
eastern New South Wales and southeast Queensland in September and early October.
Despite the long dry, several short-term flood events occurred in eastern Australia in 2009, the most
notable in May when daily rainfall totals exceeded previous records for the month at locations
across Queensland and New South Wales. Parts of Tasmania were affected by repeated flooding
during May to September. Timely rainfall across southern Australia in winter and early spring
resulted in record falls in southeast Tasmania and eased water shortages for some agricultural
regions and the urban water supplies of Adelaide, Canberra and Melbourne. The year ended with
further flooding in parts of NSW and Queensland.
(Left) Annual and decadal mean rainfall (mm) for Australia since 1900 and (right) 2009 rainfall
compared against historical rainfall records.
More information:
Dr David Jones
Ph: (03) 9669 4085
E-mail: D.Jones@bom.gov.au
Mr Dean Collins
Ph: (03) 9669 4780
E-mail: D.Collins@bom.gov.au
Dr Blair Trewin
Ph: (03) 9669 4623
E-mail: B.Trewin@bom.gov.au
NEWS 
