It might come as no surprise to Australians that 2022 was wetter than normal, but the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has revealed last year’s temperatures were also warmer than average.
BoM has released a brief summary of Australia’s climate in 2022, which highlights the strong trends that will be further examined in their Annual Climate Statement next month.
Australia recorded its ninth wettest year on record, as nationally-averaged rainfall was 25 per cent above the 1961–1990 average at 582.2 mm, the report said.
“The nation’s mean temperature was 0.5 degrees warmer than the 1961–1990 average, making 2022 the equal 22nd warmest year on record since national temperature records began in 1910,” BoM said.
“The mean annual maximum temperature was above average for most of northern Australia, Tasmania, and parts of the west coast, but below average for New South Wales, southern Queensland, and parts of South Australia
“It was especially warm for the tropics, with severe to extreme heatwave conditions affecting parts of the north and the west several times during 2022.”
Water storage levels were also high across much of Australia.
Below is the report’s 2022 summary for reach state and territory.
BoM will release its full Annual Climate Report in February 2023.
State and territory summaries
New South Wales (and the Australian Capital Territory)
NSW overall had 860.24 mm rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the state, which is 54.7 per cent above average.
It was the second-wettest year on record for NSW, after 1950 where there was 915.61 mm rainfall.
The average temperature was 0.13 degrees warmer than the 1961–1990 average, while also being the coolest year for NSW overall since 1996.
Victoria overall had 872.70 mm rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the state, which is 31.6 per cent above average.
It was the fifth-wettest year on record and the state’s highest rainfall since 1974.
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The average temperature was 0.45 degrees warmer than the 1961–1990 average for Victoria.
Queensland overall had 774.27 mm rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the state, which is 24.4 per cent above average and the state’s highest rainfall since 2011.
The average temperature was 0.74 per cent warmer than the 1961–1990 annual average, while also being the coolest year for Queensland overall since 2012.
South Australia overall had 310.45 mm rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the state, which is 38.7 per cent above average and the state’s highest rainfall since 2016.
The average temperature was 0.15 per cent warmer than the 1961–1990 annual average, while also being the coolest year for SA overall since 2010.
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Tasmania overall had 1,318.75 mm rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the state, which is 2.9 per cent below average.
2022 was Tasmania’s equal-tenth warmest year on record (equal with 2005).
The average temperature was 0.57 degrees warmer than the 1961–1990 annual average, while also being the warmest year for Tasmania overall since 2018.
Western Australia overall had 413.52 mm of rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the state, which is 21 per cent above average and the state’s highest rainfall since 2017.
The average temperature was 0.49 degrees warmer than the 1961–1990 average for WA.
The Northern Territory overall had 595.31 mm of rainfall in 2022, as an area average across the Territory, which is 9.2 per cent above average.
The average temperature was 0.69 degrees warmer than the 1961–1990 average for the NT.
