Climate highlights and notable events

Australia

Fifth-warmest year on record; mean temperature 0.83 °C above average
Significant heatwaves in March, October and December
October mean temperature anomaly highest on record for any month, and October–December warmest on record
Annual rainfall 5% below average
Sea surface temperatures third-warmest since 1900
Strong El Niño, comparable to 1997–98 and 1982–83, but short of records

Northern Australia
- Record March hot spell across large parts of northern and central Australia
- Severe tropical cyclones Lam and Nathan caused heavy rain and damage, particularly around the Top End, in February and March
Central Australia
- January tropical low brought heavy rain equalling the annual average in parts of Central Australia, causing areas of flooding
Eastern Australia
- Significant July cold outbreak across the southeast, with snow along the Great Dividing Range extending into southern Queensland
Southeastern Australia
- Drought increasing throughout the year across Victoria and southeast South Australia, and parts of Tasmania
Southern Australia
- Record early-season heatwave across southern Australia in early October
New South Wales
- East Coast Low in April, with severe weather, extensive flash flooding, several deaths, and natural disaster areas declared
Victoria
- Significant bushfire in October at Lancefield, north-northeast of Melbourne, destroying four houses, and in Decmeber at Scottsburn near Ballarat, destroying 12 houses, and west of Lorne, also in December, destroying 116 houses and holiday homes
Tasmania
- Snow to low levels at several times, particularly in August, including Hobart's most significant snow since July 1986
Queensland
- Persistence of drought, following an early finish to 2014–15 monsoon and slow start to 2015–16 season
- Tropical cyclone Marcia the strongest cyclone during 2015, and also the most intense landfall known so far south on the east coast, crossing near Yeppoon and causing flooding in Fitzroy, Burnett and Mary River catchments
South Australia
- Significant bushfires in the Mount Lofty Ranges in January, destroying 27 houses, and north of Adelaide in late November, destroying or severely damaging at least 87 houses
Western Australia
- Drought increasing throughout the year in South West Western Australia
- Very large bushfires around Esperance in mid-November, with four deaths