Australia's climate has warmed by an average of 1.51 ± 0.23 °C since national records began in 1910. Sea surface temperatures have increased by an average of 1.08 °C since 1900. The warming has led to an increase in the frequency of extreme heat events over land and in the oceans.
These findings are published in a report titled “State of the Climate 2024” released last week by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO, which is Australia’s national science agency.
This eighth biennial “State of the Climate” report draws on the latest national and international climate research, encompassing observations, analyses, and future projections to describe year-to-year variability and longer-term changes in Australia’s climate.
The report says that Australia must plan for, and adapt to, the changing nature of climate risk now and in the decades ahead. The severity of impacts on Australians and the environment will depend on the speed at which global greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced.
Other points mentioned in the report about climate in Australia are:
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In the south-west of Australia there has been a decrease of around 16% in April to October rainfall since 1970. Across the same region, May to July rainfall has seen the largest reduction, by around 20% since 1970.
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In the south-east of Australia, there has been a decrease of around 9% in April to October rainfall since 1994.
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Heavy short-term rainfall events are becoming more intense.
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There has been a decrease in streamflow at most gauges across Australia since 1970.
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There has been an increase in rainfall and streamflow across parts of northern Australia since the 1970s.
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There has been an increase in extreme fire weather, and a longer fire season, across large parts of the country since the 1950s.
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There has been a decrease in the number of tropical cyclones observed in the Australian region since at least 1982.
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Snow depth, snow cover and number of snow days have decreased in alpine regions since the late 1950s.
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Oceans around Australia are becoming more acidic, with changes happening faster in recent decades.
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Sea levels are rising around Australia, including more frequent extreme high levels that increase the risk of inundation and damage to coastal infrastructure and communities.