The last decade was the hottest on record for Australia with the temperature almost 1C above average and one third of a degree warmer than the previous decade, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. The 10-year period from 2011 to 2020 was the hottest on record, Bettio said, with the mean temperature 0.94C above average – 0.33C hotter than the previous decade. In 2020, rainfall across the country was close to average and although this had eased drought conditions, it was not enough in most areas to reverse several years of below average rainfall, the bureau said. For individual records, the Sydney Basin had its hottest temperature on record on 4 January 2020 when 48.9C was reached at Penrith Lakes. On the same day, the ACT had its hottest day on record with 44C at Canberra Airport.

Source: The Guardian January 07, 2021 18:00 UTC