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Melbourne University climate scientist Dr Andrew King said in the next few decades Melburnians would probably experience its first 50-degree summer day.
“We know that our summers are getting hotter, we are getting more heatwaves, but it’s still in the background, in the context of background variability,” he said.
Sydney also experienced its wettest summer in 30 years, with torrential rain this week delivering more than 120 millimetres in two days.
Another driver of the above-average rainfall was the marine heatwave off the Tasman Sea, which increased sea-surface temperatures. Parts of the NSW coastline recorded sea temperatures inching towards record-breaking highs, driven by the broader effects of climate change, La Nina, and the East Australian Current.
Thunderstorms have eased in Sydney but the wet weather is expected to continue for the rest of the week.Credit:Jessica Hromas
Happily, the risk of widespread coral bleaching across the Great Barrier Reef subsided after cloud and rain caused “substantial cooling” of heat-stressed corals.
But this cooler, wetter influence has not extended to Western Australia, which is buffered from the effects of La Nina.
Perth sweltered through its hottest January on record, and the Pilbara town of Onslow surpassed 50C to equal the nation’s highest temperature.
Perth also had a record-breaking number of days above 40, with 13 so far this summer. The previous record was 7, in 2015-16.
South-western Western Australia also experienced severe bushfires, including near Denmark and Bridgetown.
The heatwave builds over Australia’s west and north. Credit:Weatherzone
Central Australia also had record-breaking rains this season, bringing to life the seasonal rivers in western Queensland, the Todd River in the Northern Territory and Lake Eyre.
La Nina peaked in January and is now weakening, though it is likely to persist into the start of autumn, when it will likely return to a neutral pattern, though this won’t be certain until autumn is underway.
“One of the most remarkable things has been seeing how the landscape has responded, with large areas of the interior going from red earth to green vegetation,” Mr Domensino said.
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Global warming meant temperatures in Australia were now, on average, 1.4 degrees warmer than 110 years ago, said Dr Linden Ashcroft, a climate scientist at Melbourne University.
“Even though this summer might not be in the top 10 hottest summers on record, it’s still going to be warmer than the long-term average, and may be the coolest summer that we see for a long time”.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s official summer climate summary will be launched next week.