As the calendar flips to December, Australians are bracing for a blistering start to summer on the heels of the nation’s hottest spring ever recorded. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), mean temperatures from September to November soared a staggering 2.08°C above the long-term average, shattering the previous record set just two years ago.
Unprecedented Spring Heat
The spring of 2024 now stands alone as the warmest in Australia’s history, with the mean temperature surpassing the 1961-1990 average by more than 2°C. This eclipses the former record-holder, the spring of 2020, which saw temperatures 2.03°C above average. Senior BoM forecaster Angus Hines emphasized the significance of this anomaly:
“We’ve got widespread temperatures several degrees above the December average through South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, NSW and the ACT.”
Queensland, in particular, bore the brunt of the spring heatwave, registering its highest mean and minimum temperatures on record. The state’s average maximum temperature ranked as the second-highest ever observed. Western Australia, too, sweltered through its warmest spring in terms of average minimum temperatures.
A Soggy September and November
Despite the oppressive heat, spring rainfall across Australia was 28% above average, with September and November both registering as wetter-than-average months. October, however, proved drier than usual. The BoM reported that rainfall was “above average to very much above average” for most of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and portions of Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia.
Summer’s Searing Start
As December ushers in the official start of summer, Australians are facing a relentless onslaught of heat and humidity. Temperatures in the 30s gripped much of southern and eastern Australia on the first day of the season, with the mercury predicted to climb 4-8°C above average in many areas.
A band of rain and thunderstorms sweeping in from central Australia is expected to provide a fleeting respite on Tuesday, dousing Victoria, most of NSW, northern Tasmania, and parts of southern and inland Queensland. However, forecasters warn that any relief will be short-lived, with temperatures set to soar again by midweek.
“We also have very high humidity values across eastern Australia. It’s not just warm – it’s warm and sticky, so it can feel muggy and oppressive.”
– Angus Hines, Bureau of Meteorology
Bracing for a Scorching Summer
With spring’s record-breaking heat serving as a grim portent, Australians are steeling themselves for what could be one of the hottest summers in memory. The BoM’s long-range outlook paints a worrying picture:
- Above average temperatures are highly likely across most of the continent
- Heatwave conditions are expected to be more frequent and intense
- Bushfire risk is significantly elevated, especially in drought-affected areas
- Nighttime temperatures are projected to remain unusually high
As the nation grapples with this unrelenting heat, experts are urging residents to take precautions to stay cool, hydrated, and safe. With climate change amplifying extreme weather events, many fear that Australia’s scorching spring may be a harbinger of even hotter summers to come.
For now, all eyes are on the thermometer as Australians brace for a summer that’s shaping up to be one for the record books. As the mercury climbs and the humidity soars, the nation is left to ponder: If spring was this hot, just how high will summer’s temperatures go?
A band of rain and thunderstorms sweeping in from central Australia is expected to provide a fleeting respite on Tuesday, dousing Victoria, most of NSW, northern Tasmania, and parts of southern and inland Queensland. However, forecasters warn that any relief will be short-lived, with temperatures set to soar again by midweek.
“We also have very high humidity values across eastern Australia. It’s not just warm – it’s warm and sticky, so it can feel muggy and oppressive.”
– Angus Hines, Bureau of Meteorology
Bracing for a Scorching Summer
With spring’s record-breaking heat serving as a grim portent, Australians are steeling themselves for what could be one of the hottest summers in memory. The BoM’s long-range outlook paints a worrying picture:
- Above average temperatures are highly likely across most of the continent
- Heatwave conditions are expected to be more frequent and intense
- Bushfire risk is significantly elevated, especially in drought-affected areas
- Nighttime temperatures are projected to remain unusually high
As the nation grapples with this unrelenting heat, experts are urging residents to take precautions to stay cool, hydrated, and safe. With climate change amplifying extreme weather events, many fear that Australia’s scorching spring may be a harbinger of even hotter summers to come.
For now, all eyes are on the thermometer as Australians brace for a summer that’s shaping up to be one for the record books. As the mercury climbs and the humidity soars, the nation is left to ponder: If spring was this hot, just how high will summer’s temperatures go?
