2020 was Australia’s fourth hottest year on record, with the annual national mean temperature 1.15°C above average, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s Annual Climate Statement.
For Victoria, both mean annual maximum and minimum temperatures were above average.
Warmth was persistent throughout the year, with six of 12 months placing in the ten warmest on record for each of mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures for their respective months
Other points of the Statement included:
- Extreme heat and widespread bushfires in eastern Australia early in the year
- Heatwaves also affected large parts of southeastern and eastern Australia in November
- Nationally-averaged rainfall 4 percent above average for the year at 483.4mm
- The year commenced with much of Australia affected by drought
- While southern Murray–Darling Basin water storages saw significant increases during 2020, in the northern Basin water storage levels remained low
- Flooding affected eastern Australia during February and March, particularly through Queensland
- La Niña was declared in September, reaching moderate strength by the end of the year
