Heat is on as 2018 brought dry times

THE Bureau of Meteorology’s Annual Climate Statement, released yesterday, found Queensland recorded its fifth-warmest year on record in 2018 while rainfall was down 15 per cent.

The year started with record-breaking heat in January, in which the average Queensland temperature sat at 2.22C above the norm.

For the rest of the year, the typical Queensland day peaked at an average of 31.47C, the fourth-warmest on record.

Combined with the warmer than normal nighttime temperatures the average Queensland day was 24.58C, the fifth-warmest on record.

The hot weather was combined with a severe lack of rainfall across the country, which saw the lowest rainfall totals nationwide since 2005.

Queensland only recorded an average of 527.4mm for the year – 15 per cent below the long term average – with much of it falling in the North.

Bureau of Meteorology’s Dr Lynette Bettio said the lack of rain caused hot days and warm nights across much of the state.

“(The) drier than average conditions were largely the result of below average rainfall in the south of the state with the north of the state seeing above average rainfall,” she said.

“Queensland saw a dry start to the year and then a wet March with many flood events across the state and major flooding in the north tropical coast. It then turned dry again in April with drought affecting much of the state

“The wettest day of the year in Queensland and for Australia was 678mm in Halifax on December 16.”