Australia in January 2023

In brief

• For Australia as a whole, January rainfall was 35% above average.
• Rainfall was above or very much above average for most of Queensland away from the southern districts, most of pastoral South Australia, the southern half of the Northern Territory, most of the north and north-west of Western Australia, and some parts of western and southern New South Wales.
• Rainfall was below average for south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, the southern half of Victoria, much of Tasmania, and parts of south-west Western Australia.
• Australia's national area-average mean temperature was exactly equal to the long-term 1961–1990 average for January.
• Area-average mean maximum temperature for January was 0.30 °C below average nationally. The national mean minimum temperature was 0.28 °C above average.
• The mean maximum temperature for January was below average across most of northern Australia, and a pocket of the south coast of Western Australia; and above average for much of the South West Land Division in Western Australia, Tasmania, eastern South Australia, western Victoria, western New South Wales, parts of southern Queensland, and the New South Wales South West Slopes and Plains District.
• Mean minimum temperatures were below average for the south coast of Western Australia, across the southern Kimberley and northern Interior District in Western Australia, extending into the south-west of the Northern Territory, and for pockets of the central coast of Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales; and above average for the northern tropics, Tasmania and most of Victoria away from the north-west and northern border, inland to coastal north-west Western Australia, and a large area around north-west New South Wales, north-east South Australia, and south-west Queensland.

Further discussion and tables of records for each state and the Northern Territory can be found in the individual regional climate summaries, to be released on 3 February 2023.

Temperatures

The national mean temperature for January was exactly equal to the 1961–1990 average.

Area-average mean maximum temperature for January was 0.30 °C below average nationally, while the mean minimum temperature was 0.28 °C above average.

The mean maximum temperature for January was below average across most of northern Australia, and a pocket of the south coast of Western Australia. The mean maximum temperature was in the lowest 10% of historical observations (compared with all Januarys since 1910) for large parts of the southern half of the Northern Territory, the southern Kimberley, and pockets of Queensland on the south-west of Cape York Peninsula and inland of Rockhampton.

The mean maximum temperature for the month was above average for much of the South West Land Division in Western Australia, Tasmania, eastern South Australia, western Victoria, western New South Wales, parts of southern Queensland, and the New South Wales South West Slopes and Plains District. For Tasmania, the January mean maximum temperature was the ninth-highest on record, with maxima in the highest 10% of historical observations (compared with all Januarys since 1910) in the west of the state.

Mean minimum temperatures were below average for the south coast of Western Australia, across the southern Kimberley and northern Interior District in Western Australia, extending into the south-west of the Northern Territory, and for pockets of the central coast of Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.

The mean minimum temperature was above average for the northern tropics, Tasmania and most of Victoria away from the north-west and northern border, inland to coastal north-west Western Australia, and a large area around north-west New South Wales, north-east South Australia, and south-west Queensland. For Tasmania, the January mean minimum temperature was the 11th-highest on record, with minima in the highest 10% of historical observations (compared with all Januarys since 1910) across the state.

Some stations in New South Wales between the Sydney metropolitan region and Jervis Bay observed a record-low daily maximum temperature for January during the first week of the month or around the 19th, but mostly stations with less than 30 years of observations.

There were particularly cold days for large parts of Queensland between the 12th and 15th of January, leading to record-low daily maximum temperatures at a number of stations.

Some sites in areas between south-east Queensland and the state's east-central coast had their lowest January mean minimum temperature since either 2003 or 2001, including Brisbane.

See individual regional climate summaries (to be published on 3 February 2023) for more detail.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 114 (highest). A rank marked with ’=‘ indicates the value is tied for that rank. Anomaly is the departure from the long-term (1961–1990) average.

Rainfall

For Australia as a whole, January rainfall was 35% above the 1961–1990 average.

Rainfall was above or very much above average for most of Queensland away from the southern districts, most of pastoral South Australia, the southern half of the Northern Territory, most of the north and north-west of Western Australia, and some parts of western and southern New South Wales. A number of stations between Mackay and Mareeba in Queensland had their highest January total rainfall for at least 20 years; a few stations had their highest January rainfall total on record, but mostly stations with less than 30 years of observations.

Rainfall was below average for south-east Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, the southern half of Victoria, much of Tasmania, and parts of south-west Western Australia.

Significant weather and records

Tropical cyclone Ellie and monsoonal rainfall

Tropical cyclone Ellie was a category 1 system that began as a tropical low north of Australia and formed as a named storm on 22 December 2022 before decaying below tropical cyclone strength, but as a tropical low it spent two weeks over the Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia, where it generated enormous rainfall, leading to significant flooding on the Fitzroy River which continued into January 2023, with significant damage to transport infrastructure.

A protracted monsoon burst affected northern Australia starting from around 22 December 2022, with strong monsoonal flow persisting until about 8 January after a temporary easing between 24 and 28 December. Widespread, heavy rainfall was observed across many parts of northern Australia during this period, including that associated with ex-tropical cyclone Ellie, with flooding experienced in the Kimberley region of Western Australia (WA), central parts of the Northern Territory (NT), and several regions across northern Queensland.

Multiple sites in the Kimberley region observed 12-day rainfall accumulations (to 8 January) in excess of 500 mm, including a peak observation of 841.4 mm at Dimond Gorge. Parts of Far North Queensland, particularly the western Cape York Peninsula, also observed very high rainfall accumulations over the same period. Several sites in the region recorded 12-day rainfall totals of more than 600 mm, with Southwell Station, south of Weipa, seeing the highest observation of 729.6 mm.

Storms cause flooding in northern Queensland

Several days of locally heavy falls of rain and thunderstorms affected many areas of Queensland at the start of January, including the Gulf Country, Peninsula, northern interior, and the tropical east coast, with daily rainfall totals generally in the range of 20 to 70 mm, and isolated falls of more than 100 mm over the southern Cape York Peninsula.

Major flooding resulted along the Georgina River between Roxborough Downs and Glenormiston. The Leichhardt River was also flowing, with flooding along the road from Normanton to Doomadgee/Burketown. Burketown, Doomadgee, and Gregory remained isolated into mid-January due to the high levels of the Nicholson/Gregory and Leichhardt river systems.

Storms in New South Wales and Victoria

On 2 January severe storms were observed across parts of Victoria, including around Maryborough and Bendigo. Large hail around 4 cm in diameter was reported south of Bendigo, with large quantities of small hail covering the ground in Bendigo.

Storms and heavy rain swept across parts of Victoria on the 14th, bringing down trees, damaging properties, and cutting power. Significant storm damage was reported to multiple buildings in Benalla, including roofs torn off.

On the 17th the SES received 237 requests for assistance following thunderstorms and heavy rain across Victoria as a cool change crossed the state at the end of a hot day, leading to fallen trees, cut power lines, and building damage.

On the 22nd thunderstorms across parts of New South Wales, particularly in the east, and caused localised flash flooding. In Wagga Wagga, the local State Emergency Service (SES) responded to 30 requests for assistance.

On the 24th Sydney, the Central Coast, and Wollongong were hit by storms, strong winds, rain, and hail. Suburbs on the south-west outskirts, like Razorback and Douglas Park, reported hail the size of golf balls while flash flooding trapped a car in Kingswood. The SES responded to 160 incidents across New South Wales, including 70 in Penrith and Blacktown. 

Severe storms also affected Victoria on the 24th, with a Severe Weather Warning issued for heavy rainfall and damaging winds. While many areas were affected, particularly intense rainfall caused flash flooding in Geelong and surrounds, with the SES responding to 116 requests for assistance in the area.

On the 26th a low pressure trough produced thunderstorms with strong winds and heavy rain over eastern New South Wales. 

Flooding continues on inland rivers in south-eastern Australia

Moderate to major flooding continued along the Murray–Darling river system, with major flooding along the Darling River continuing well into January 2023.

A Special Climate Statement on the ongoing floods is being prepared and will be published in due course.

Fires in south-west Western Australia

On 9 January lightning ignited spot fires across a large area of the Shire of Donnybrook–Balingup in south-west Western Australia. Multiple fire brigades in Brunswick Junction were called out to "a large number of fires" for several hours during the night, with more than 30 trucks responding to the unfolding emergencies. On the 12th the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) issued a Bushfire Emergency Warning for Glen Mervyn, Mumballup, and Noggerup in the Shire of Donnybrook–Balingup.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 124 (highest). A rank marked with ’=‘ indicates the value is tied for that rank. Departure from mean is relative to the long-term (1961–1990) average.