The Herald Sun
By: Megan McNaught, environment reporter
We may be wondering where the sun is this December, but it has been our 15th-hottest year on record, according to the world's peak weather body.
The World Meteorological Organisation yesterday released its results for the year, which showed that Australia was heading for an average temperature of 22.18C for the year, 0.37C warmer than average.
Globally, we are experiencing our 10th-hottest year on record and have an average temperature of 14.31C, which is 0.31C above average.
The hole in the ozone layer reached a maximum of 27 million sq km on September 12, lower than its peak of 29 million sq km in 2006.
Bureau of Meteorology Senior Climatologist Dr Andrew Watkins said Australia had experienced La Nina for most of the year, which brought increased rainfall and lower temperatures. Otherwise, we could have experienced even warmer temperatures.
"We know there is a warming trend, both globally and in Australia, but there is going to be variability with some cooler years,'' Dr Watkins said.
"This is our coolest year since 2000, but it is warmer than all but two years of the previous century, which is very significant.
"We know there is a warming trend in Australia and around the globe.''
Dr Watkins said Australia was on track to receive its average annual rainfall of 472mm, but this figure, he explained, could be deceptive.
"It is a very different story when we look at individual states, because we have had a real mish-mash of quite wet and quite dry areas,'' Dr Watkins said.
"It has been very wet in northern Queensland, but Victoria is experiencing its ninth-driest year on record.
"The problem in Victoria is the long-term drought. In 12 years Victoria has received the total rainfall it would expect in 10 years, and that is impacting on farmers across the state.''
Dr Watkins said that although December had been wet, it was the first month this year that some regions had received above their average rainfall.
"It is only one month out of 12, so it still means that we are heading for a very dry year,'' he said.
Dr Watkins said weather around the world had followed trends associated with global warming.
"We had extreme weather events like the tropical cyclone in Myanmar that killed 78,000 people,'' he said.
"We had three cyclones in Cuba, and it was very warm in Europe, especially northern Europe, that was 7C above average. The Arctic Sea ice is not recovering, and that is a canary (omen) for climate change, and it should be the warning we need.''
2008: a year of drought and flooding rain
AUSTRALIA
Average temp 22.18C
0.37C above average
15th-hottest year, despite cooling effect of La Nina
WORLD
Average temp 14.31C
0.31C above average
10th-warmest year on record
Southern Australia scorched in March. Adelaide had 15 consecutive days of 35C or above, nearly double the record
Australia's rainfall was 423mm, on track for average 472mm
Victoria had its ninth-driest year on record as drought continued to affect southeastern Australia
Flooding struck in eastern Australia in January and February, especially Queensland, caused by a La Nina event
Abnormally high rainfall hit central Australia in November2008: a year of drought and flooding rain