Temperature
Australia
Australia has experienced warmer–than–average mean annual temperatures for 17 of the 19 years from 1990 to 2008.
The mean annual temperature across Australia for 2008 was 0.41°C above the 1961–1990 average, making 2008 our 14th warmest year on record.
Australia's mean temperature for 2008 was slightly lower than the previous six years, partly due to a La Niña event that developed in late 2007 and continued into early 2008.
Over the last century, Australia has experienced an average warming trend of about 0.9°C.
Figure 1: Annual mean temperature anomalies for Australia
Source: Bureau of Meteorology, Annual Australian Climate Statement 2008
Globally
- Globally 13 of the 14 warmest years on record occurred between 1995 and 2008.
- The World Meteorological Organisation has indicated that 2008 global mean temperatures were about 0.31°C above the 19617ndash;1990 average, making 2008 the world’s tenth warmest year on record.
- It is now 23 years since the world has experienced a year cooler than the 1961–90 average.
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