What you can expect from autumn after hot, muggy summer

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Australia has experienced one of its warmest and muggiest summers on record, with the hot conditions forecast to continue for coming weeks.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the country is heading for the third-warmest summer, behind 2018–2019 and 2019–2020.

All states and territories recorded above-average daytime and night-time temperatures, except Victoria, and are likely to be in the top 10 warmest on record, the bureau said in a preliminary report on this summer.

Summer was wetter than usual for many states due to El Niño conditions.

Rainfall is tracking about 14 per cent above average for Australia overall. This is the nation’s third-highest summer rainfall total on record during an El Niño, behind 2009–2010 and 1994–1995.

In contrast, summer was much drier than usual for parts of Western Australia and Tasmania which had around 23 per cent and 18 per cent below average rainfall respectively.

Perth just wrapped up its second hottest summer on record based on daytime temperatures. The season in the city included a remarkably warm February featuring a record-breaking number of 40 degrees days.

The average maximum temperature in Perth this summer was 32.6 degrees, about 1.7 degrees above the long-term average and its highest summer maximum temperature in records dating back to 1897.

Sydney yesterday ended its third warmest summer on record with a warm and muggy day.

The mean temperature this summer will come in at around 24.1 degrees, which is just over 2 degrees above the long-term average.

It was also one of the muggiest on record for the New South Wales city, with humidity levels 7 per cent above the normal.

Brisbane also just sweated through its warmest summer on record for the minimum overnight temperatures, with the mercury reaching about 2 degrees normal.

The bureau says the autumn is forecast to be warmer than normal, with most of Australia having at least an 80 per cent chance of above average temperatures.

There is also a 60 per cent to 75 per cent chance of below median rainfall for large parts of NSW, Queensland, parts of Victoria and south-west Western Australia.

The bureau’s national summer summary will be released later today.