ABC AM Bureau finds 2013 hottest on record

''DAVID JONES: Look, the primary factor in the warming is global warming, and so the enhanced greenhouse effect. You know, we've known about this effect for well over a century, and, you know, the predictions that were made all those decades ago are now being borne out.''

Bureau finds 2013 hottest on record

Tony Eastley reported this story on Friday, January 3, 2014 08:00:00

TONY EASTLEY: The Bureau of Meteorology's annual climate statement for 2013 confirms it was our hottest calendar year on record.

Average temperatures were 1.2 degrees Celsius above the long term average of 21.8 degrees. The previous record was set in 2005.

David Jones is the manager of Climate Monitoring and Predictions with the Bureau. David Jones, good morning. What does this new data tell Australians about their country and their climate?

DAVID JONES: Well, really the main story it tells us is that Australia continues to warm. So 2013 was by far Australia's hottest year on record.

TONY EASTLEY: And why?

DAVID JONES: There's a number of things going on. One is a lot of Australia had quite a dry year, so that is a natural factor. We know that droughts tend to be hotter years. 

But the other story is really one of global warming. We know Australia is getting hotter and that's really been borne out in the last year.

TONY EASTLEY: How much hotter was Australia?

DAVID JONES: So Australia overall averaged 1.2 degrees above average, which is, you know, it's a long way above the average, and about 0.2 degrees hotter than any previous year. So a very warm year indeed.

TONY EASTLEY: So was that equal to what your predictions were, or did it come as a surprise to the Bureau of Meteorology?

DAVID JONES: Well look, we are predicting when we know the globe is warming, and we know that means Australia warms. You know, not every year is hotter, but certainly in the long term the trend is clear. 

But I guess as scientists you are surprised when you break old records by such large margins. You know, we've been monitoring Australia's climate for over 100 years, and here we are breaking the old record by a quite remarkable 0.2 degrees.

TONY EASTLEY: So do you remember what was Australia's hottest day, and when, and where?

DAVID JONES: Well, pretty much the whole of January was very hot, so we saw an extended heatwave peaking at 49.6 degrees in outback South Australia. So, certainly in January we had the hottest day on record for Australia.

TONY EASTLEY: You say that what we received last year was equal to your forecast, your predictions. You are now predicting that Australia will continue to warm. How much do you think it will warm by?

DAVID JONES: Well, look we know Australia almost always has above average temperatures now. So in the last decade we've only had one year cooler than average, so, you know, the clearest thing for this year is it's almost certainly going to be another above average year. 

Will it be a record breaker? Probably not; 2013 set a very high benchmark. But one certainly couldn't rule it out.

TONY EASTLEY: What do you put down the warming to?

DAVID JONES: Look, the primary factor in the warming is global warming, and so the enhanced greenhouse effect. You know, we've known about this effect for well over a century, and, you know, the predictions that were made all those decades ago are now being borne out.

TONY EASTLEY: With your predictions, is it a fact then that Australians are just going to have to get used to a warmer climate, no matter where they live in Australia, I should say?

DAVID JONES: Look, that's clearly the case. We know last year for example, every single case that we've recorded temperatures was above average. We know every place across Australia is getting hotter, and very similarly almost every place on this planet.

So, you know, we know it is getting hotter and we know it will continue to get hotter. It's a reality, and something we will be living with for the rest of this century.

TONY EASTLEY: David Jones, thanks for joining us this morning on AM.

DAVID JONES: Look, a pleasure, Tony.

TONY EASTLEY: David Jones, the manager of climate monitoring and predictions with the Bureau of Meteorology.