Australia in December 2024

In brief

• The national area-averaged mean temperature in December was 1.88 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the third-warmest December on record for Australia since 1910.

• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 1.87 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the fifth-warmest on record for December since 1910. The national area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 1.88 °C above average, the second-warmest on record.

• Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were above average for most of Australia.

• Australia's area-averaged December rainfall total was 36% above the 1961–1990 average.

• December rainfall was above average for most of Western Australia and Tasmania, large parts of Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory, and isolated areas in south-western and north-eastern Victoria.

• Rainfall in December was below average for parts of south-western Western Australia, south-eastern South Australia, north-eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria, and areas in western Queensland and central Northern Territory.

Further information and tables of records for each state and the Northern Territory can be found in the individual regional climate summaries, published on 7 January 2025.

Temperatures

Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in December was 1.88 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the third-warmest December on record for Australia since 1910 (following record warm Decembers in 2019 and 2018).

The area-averaged mean temperatures for all states and territories this December were in the top ten warmest on record for the respective state or territory.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 1.87 °C above the 1961–1990 average. Mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Decembers since 1910) for most of Australia. Mean maximum temperatures for December were the highest on record for an isolated coastal area of the Gascoyne district in Western Australia.

For all states and territories except Queensland and Tasmania, mean maximum temperatures this December were in the top ten warmest on record for the respective state or territory.

Mean maximum temperatures were below average for parts of Queensland's Gulf Country and Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders districts.

The national area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 1.88 °C above average, the second-warmest on record for December. Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Decembers since 1910) for most of Australia. Mean minimum temperatures for December were the highest on record for parts of the western Pilbara and Gascoyne districts in Western Australia, south-eastern Northern Territory extending into neighbouring regions, and isolated parts of Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.

The area-averaged mean minimum temperatures for all states and territories this December were in the top ten warmest on record for the respective state or territory.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 115 (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

The national area-averaged December rainfall total was 36% above the 1961–1990 average.

December rainfall was above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Decembers since 1900) for most of Western Australia and Tasmania, and large parts of Queensland and inland New South Wales. Rainfall was above average also for parts of northern South Australia, southern and northern parts of the Northern Territory and isolated areas of Victoria.

Tasmania had its wettest December since 2005.

Rainfall was below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Decembers since 1900) for parts of south-western Western Australia, south-eastern South Australia and north-eastern New South Wales. Rainfall was below average also for parts of eastern Victoria and isolated areas in western Queensland and the central Northern Territory.

Significant weather and records

Widespread rainfall across south-eastern Australia

A low pressure system that developed over southern New South Wales on 30 November, moved southwards and brought heavy rainfall to parts of southern New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania at the beginning of December. Many stations in northern and eastern Tasmania had their record highest daily rainfall for December. The highest rainfall total of 207.4 mm was recorded at Gray (Tasmania) in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 1st while Eaglehawk Neck (Jetty Road), which has 131 years of data, had 103.2 mm, its record highest daily rainfall for December. Moderate to heavy rainfall and showers brought flooding to catchments in the north and east of Tasmania.

Humid and stormy conditions over central and eastern Australia

A series of troughs and fronts combined with humid air brought thunderstorms and showers to large parts of central and eastern Australia on 3 and 4 December. Widespread daily totals of at least 5 to 10 mm were recorded, with some areas within these regions recording at least 25 to 50 mm. Across the two days, the most significant falls were across the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands district (Queensland), while the highest daily total recorded (at a Bureau gauge) was 158.0 mm at Highbury Station (Queensland) in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 4th. 

Thunderstorms brought locally heavy rainfall, flash flooding and damaging wind gusts. On the 3rd, Moomba Airport (South Australia) observed a wind gust of 124 km/h, its record highest daily wind gust for December, while a rainfall total of 28.6 mm was recorded in 30 minutes at this station and resulted in flash flooding. 

Thunderstorms across the tropical north

For most of December, low pressure troughs and high humidity resulted in thunderstorms and showers, locally heavy, that extended from northern Western Australia through the Northern Territory to northern Queensland. In the 24 hours to 9 am on the 11th, Winning (Western Australia) which has 126 years of data, recorded 58.0 mm, its record highest daily rainfall record for December, while Wandie Creek (Northern Territory) had 112.8 mm, with 85.0 mm recorded in one hour as a severe thunderstorm passed over the station. A line of thunderstorms moved over parts of central and north-eastern Queensland coast on both 11th and 12th, resulting in daily rainfall totals of more than 50 mm at many stations.

Between the 18th and 22nd, a low pressure trough across northern Queensland and an associated low pressure system triggered thunderstorms and heavy rainfall across the state's northern coast. Highest daily totals were recorded along the coasts of Herbert and Lower Burdekin, Central Coast-Whitsundays and North Tropical Coast and Tablelands districts, with many stations measuring more than 100 mm. Many areas observed flash and riverine flooding due to heavy rainfall and already saturated catchments.

Wet in eastern Queensland

Between 13 and 16 December, a low pressure trough close to the eastern Queensland coast and a humid south-easterly airflow from the warm Coral Sea resulted in persistent thunderstorms and showers over eastern and south-eastern Queensland. In the 24 hours to 9 am on the 15th, the Brisbane weather station recorded 70.2 mm, its seven-highest daily total for December, while Mansfield, in the south of Greater Brisbane, had 86.0 mm in 2 hours on the 14th resulting in flash flooding. The highest daily rainfall total to 9 am on the 17th (at the Bureau gauge) was 136.3 mm recorded at Kgan Eurong station. Heavy rain caused flooding and road closures in parts of the Sunshine Coast and Gympie region.

Thunderstorms developed again through Queensland's southeast on the 30th. Intense rainfall was recorded across the region, leading to widespread flash flooding. In the 24 hours to 9 am on the 31st, Kingaroy Airport recorded 149.4 mm, including 120.4 mm that fell in a 2-hour period.

Warm in the south-east of the country

Between 15 and 17 December, strong north to north-westerly winds ahead of a cold front and troughs dragged hot and humid air from northern Australia to the south-east. Maximum temperatures peaked on the 16th and were more than 12 °C above average for large parts of the south-eastern mainland and southern Tasmania, with the highest temperature of 47.1 °C recorded at Walpeup Research Station in north-western Victoria.

Warm conditions developed across the south-eastern Australia again between the 25th and 27th, ahead of another cold front that moved over South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. On the 26th, gusty northerly winds and hot temperatures generated Extreme fire dangers for south-eastern South Australia and western Victoria. There were significant fires in Victoria, particularly about the Grampians.  

Tropical Lows 06U and 07U

A tropical low pressure system 06U developed on 20 December along a low pressure trough that stretched across the Cape York Peninsula. It enhanced persistent heavy rainfall across northern Queensland, with some stations exceeding daily totals of 100 mm. Prosperine Airport had 243.2 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 21st, the third-highest daily total for December at this station, while Townsville Aero had 127.2 mm; this daily total exceeded the average monthly rainfall for the station (123.5 mm). The tropical low crossed the northern Cape York Peninsula and on the 22nd moved into the Coral Sea, away from Australia, weakening.

A weak tropical low (07U) developed on the 22nd in the Indian Ocean and passed close the Cocos (Keeling) Islands on the 27th, bringing enhanced shower and thunderstorm activity to the Islands. 

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 125 (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.