Rainfall was above average and temperatures lower than the previous eight years.
National average rainfall was the highest since 2016 but very close to rainfall the previous year. Average rainfall was 542 mm or 10% above the 2000–2020 average.
Unusually, rainfall was near or above-average across the entire country. Rainfall was the highest or second-highest since 2000 along the east coast from Eastern Victoria to Brisbane and along the west coast from Geraldton to Bunbury.
Annual rainfall across Australia
Average temperatures were lower than the previous eight years, although still above-average, in line with global warming. The national average temperature was 0.18 °C below the 2000–2020 average but 0.56 °C above the 1961-1990 average.
Maximum temperatures were the lowest since 2010: the average maximum temperature was 41.0 °C or 0.89 °C below the 2000–2020 average.
Annual maximum temperatures were especially low along the central east coast. Unusually high temperatures occurred on the west coast south of Perth in December. Record warm July temperatures were measured in inland Australia, but otherwise, few records were broken.
National average number of days above 35 °C
The number of days exceeding 35 °C was the lowest since 2011. Nationally there were an average 70 hot days: 12% or 10 days less than the 2000–2020 average.
Nights were cooler than the previous year. The national average minimum temperature was 0.25 °C above the 2000–2020 average. Night frost was slightly more common than the previous year but 13% below the 2000–2020 average.
Snow cover was above average for the first time since 2017 and was 15% above the 2000–2020 average.
The absence of large bushfires and dust storms led to good air quality conditions, with NSW recording the best conditions since 2015.
