In March, Australia experienced unusually warm and wet conditions nationally, with NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania experiencing abnormally dry and warm weather. The average national temperature was 1.11 degrees above the long-term average, making it the equal-10th warmest March on record since 1910. In NSW, temperatures were the fifth-highest on record at 2.11 degrees above average. The national minimum temperature was also high, being the equal-second highest on record. Queensland broke its record for the highest average minimum temperature in March at 2.49 degrees above the long-term trend.
Despite the overall wet conditions nationally, south-eastern Australia saw unusually dry weather in March. NSW had 33 millimeters of rain, 39% lower than normal, while Victoria had just 9.2 millimeters on average, 78% lower than usual. Climate scientist Dr. Andrew King stated that the contrast between the east and west coasts was unusually strong due to cyclones hitting Western Australia. In Melbourne, the dry weather was broken by 53 millimeters of rain in two hours on April 1st, indicating the impact of climate change. King explained that with climate change, more rain is expected to fall in heavy bursts rather than in drizzle-type rain, and the abrupt rainfall in Melbourne highlighted this trend.
The recent Australian summer was the third-hottest on record, based on average, minimum, and maximum temperatures for December, January, and February. Globally, 2023 was the hottest year on record, January 2024 was the hottest January on record, and February was the hottest ever February. These records are based on the ERA5 dataset managed by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Dr. King emphasized that the extreme weather events and record-breaking temperatures are clear indicators of climate change impacts. The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall and heatwaves are consistent with the predictions of climate change models.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s national data for March showed that while Australia experienced warm and wet conditions overall, there were regional variations in temperature and rainfall patterns. The month was the third wettest March on record since the national dataset began in 1900, with significant rainfall in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Queensland. However, south-eastern Australia experienced dry conditions, with NSW and Victoria receiving below-average rainfall. Dr. King noted that the anomalies in weather patterns were influenced by cyclones in Western Australia and highlighted the ongoing impacts of climate change on precipitation distribution.
The data from March reflects the broader trend of increasing temperatures and extreme weather events driven by climate change. The rising temperatures and record-breaking heatwaves are consistent with global warming patterns, which are projected to continue if emissions are not reduced. The evidence of climate change impacts in Australia and globally underscores the urgent need for action to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. As extreme weather events become more common, it is essential to prioritize climate action, resilience building, and sustainable practices to address the challenges posed by a warming planet.203
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