Annual Climate Report 2001
The Annual Climate Report is the Bureau of Meteorology's official historical record of the previous year's climate. It provides a national overview of temperature and rainfall during the year, and documents significant weather and climate events.
This report contains an in-depth analysis of the past year's climate, following on from the Annual Climate Statement released earlier in the year.
In 2001 Australia lived up to the poetic notion of being a land of drought and flooding rains – a land where the climate is highly variable. While some parts were wet and cool, at the same time, others were warm and dry.
Most of the western two-thirds of the continent experienced a very wet year. On the other hand, much of eastern Australia experienced a dry 2001. Extremely dry conditions were reported in the southwest corner, with record low autumn and early winter rains. Generally the east of the continent reported warmer than normal temperatures during 2001, with western parts reporting cooler than normal temperatures.
Australia's highest daily temperature during 2001 was 48.0 °C recorded at Wudinna, South Australia on 13th January, while the coldest recorded temperature was −11.7 °C at Charlotte Pass, New South Wales on both 2nd and 23rd July. The highest verified daily rainfall observation of 650 mm was recorded at Leigh, New South Wales on 9th March, while Australia's wettest place, Bellenden Ker, Queensland recorded the most rainfall for the whole year with over 6.5 m of rain.
Product Code: IDCKGCAR1.2001
