State of the climate 2014

This third biennial report focuses primarily on climate observations and monitoring carried out by the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO in the Australian region. It discusses the long-term trends in Australia’s climate and provides a summary of observations and analysis of the factors that influence it. It intends to contribute to deliver critical research to underpin national benefit in areas such as weather prediction, hazard prediction and warnings, ocean prediction, climate variability and climate change, responses to weather and climate related health hazards, water supply and management, and adaptation to climate impacts.

It shows further warming of the atmosphere and oceans in the Australian region, as is happening globally. This warming has seen Australia experiencing more warm weather and extreme heat, and fewer cool extremes. There has been an increase in extreme fire weather, and a longer fire season, across large parts of Australia. Global mean sea level and rainfall averaged have slightly increased since 1900, which resulted in floods in Australia.