Australia in January 2025

In brief

  • The national area-averaged mean temperature in January was 2.15 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the second-warmest January on record for Australia since 1910.

  • For Western Australia, it was the warmest January on record, with the state area-averaged mean temperature 2.13 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

  • Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 2.86 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the second-warmest on record for January since 1910. The national area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 1.43 °C above average, the fifth-warmest on record.

  • Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were above average for most of Australia.
  • Australia's area-averaged January rainfall total was 33% below the 1961–1990 average, the lowest since 2019.

  • Area-averaged rainfall total was below average for all states and territories.
  • January rainfall was below average for large parts of eastern and central Australia.
  • Rainfall in January was above average for parts of north-western and central Western Australia, most of coastal New South Wales and adjacent inland areas, and parts of the Queensland's central coast.

Further information and tables of records for each state and the Northern Territory can be found in the individual regional climate summaries, published on 5 February 2025.

Temperatures

Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in January was 2.15 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the second-warmest January on record for Australia since 1910 (following the record warm January in 2019).

For Western Australia, it was the warmest January on record, with the state's area-averaged mean temperature 2.13 °C above the 1961–1990 average, surpassing the previous record of 1.72 °C set in 2008. The area-averaged mean temperatures for Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory were in the top ten warmest on record for the respective state or territory.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 2.86 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the second-warmest on record. Mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Januarys since 1910) for most of Australia. Mean maximum temperatures for January were the highest on record for large parts of Western Australia' south, far western South Australia and central and western Queensland extending into the Northern Territory. Many stations in these areas had their record highest mean maximum temperature for January.

For Western Australia and Queensland the area-averaged mean maximum temperature was the warmest on record for January. For the Northern Territory and South Australia it was the second-warmest and fourth-warmest January on record respectively.

The national area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 1.43 °C above average, the fifth-warmest on record for January. Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Januarys since 1910) for most of Australia. Mean minimum temperatures for January were the highest on record for large parts of the western and southern Western Australia with a number of stations having their record highest mean minimum temperature for January, including Narrogin, which has 102 years of data.

For Western Australia, the area-averaged mean minimum temperature was the warmest on record for January.

 

 

1-month temperature table ending January 2025
Areal average temperatures
  Maximum Temperature Minimum Temperature Mean Temperature
  Rank
(of 116)
Anomaly
(°C)
Comment Rank
(of 116)
Anomaly
(°C)
Comment Rank
(of 116)
Anomaly
(°C)
Comment
Australia 115 +2.86 2nd highest (record +3.28 °C in 2019) 112 +1.43 5th highest 115 +2.15 2nd highest (record +2.85 °C in 2019)
Queensland = 115 +2.98 equal highest (with 1947) 104 +1.33   111 +2.16 6th highest
New South Wales 102 +2.69   89 +1.34   101 +2.02  
Victoria 97 +1.94   92 +1.48   99 +1.71  
Tasmania = 93 +1.30   76 +0.39   87 +0.85  
South Australia 113 +3.40 4th highest (record +4.64 °C in 2019) 99 +1.63   108 +2.52 9th highest
Western Australia 116 +2.63 highest (was +2.23 °C in 2008) 116 +1.62 highest (was +1.24 °C in 2011) 116 +2.13 highest (was +1.72 °C in 2008)
Northern Territory 115 +3.11 2nd highest (record +3.47 °C in 2019) = 104 +1.17   114 +2.14 3rd highest (record +3.04 °C in 2019)

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 116 (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 January rainfall total was 33% below the 1961–1990 average, the lowest since 2019.

January rainfall was below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Januarys since 1900) for most of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania, and large parts of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.

The Northern Territory and Queensland had their driest January since 1994 and 2003, respectively.

Rainfall was above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Januarys since 1900) for parts of Western Australia's Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne districts, most of the New South Wales coast and adjacent inland areas, and parts of the Queensland's Capricornia district.

Significant weather and records

Heatwaves across most of Australia

Between 3 and 6 January, low- to severe-intensity heatwave conditions affected large areas of Australia from Western Australia, through South Australia and the Northern Territory, into western Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Daily maximum and minimum temperatures were more than 4 °C above average across large parts of the country, and more than 8 °C above average for parts of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales. A total fire ban was declared for Victoria's Mallee, Wimmera, South West, Central and North Central districts, with air temperatures in the 40s.  A cool change on 6 January brought cooler conditions to the south of Australia but low- to severe-intensity heatwave conditions continued across large parts of the country's north.

From 9 to 12 January, low- to severe-intensity heatwave conditions redeveloped across large areas of southern Western Australia, central parts of the continent, western New South Wales and most of Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland. On 11 January, Mount Isa Aero and Urandangi Aerodrome (both in Queensland) had daily maximum temperatures of 44.4 °C and 46.4 °C respectively, the fourth-highest January temperature on record for each station.

Between 13 and 17 January, low- to severe-intensity heatwave conditions were experienced in parts of Queensland's inland and north-central areas and north-east tropical coast due to persistent north to north-westerly winds over the state.

From 19 January, low- to severe-heatwave conditions stared to develop again across much of Western Australia, driven by hot and dry easterly winds directed by a deepening west coast low pressure trough and Severe Tropical Cyclone Sean off the Pilbara coast. The higheast temperatures occured on 20 January in Western Australia, including:

  • 48.3 °C at Kalbarri, the annual highest daily maximum temperature record for the station,
  • 49.3 °C at Geraldton Airport, the equal-highest daily maximum temperature on record for the composite site,
  • 43.8 °C at Donnybrook, the record highest daily maximum temperature for January for this station with 118 years of data.

Hot days were followed by very warm nights and some stations in Western Australia had their annual record highest daily minimum temperature on 21 and 22 January.

In the days that followed, low- to severe-heatwave conditions, extended across southern parts of the Northern Territory, and much of Queensland and New South Wales. Daily maximum and minimum temperatures were up to 4 °C above average across large areas, and up to 8 °C above average for parts Western Australia, southern parts of the Northern Territory, western, central and south-eastern Queensland, and parts of New South Wales.

Thunderstorms in eastern Australia

Inland low-pressure troughs that extended from Western Australia into south-eastern Queensland combined with high moisture levels, directed against the east coast by persistent easterly winds, triggered severe thunderstorms in some areas. On 8 January, heavy rain, hail and damaging winds were observed at many stations in southern Queensland, with large hailstones (3 to 4 cm in diameter) reported in an area to the north-east of St George, hailstones 2 to 3 cm in diameter observed outside of Roma, and Queen Mary Falls receiving 50.0 mm of rainfall in 30 minutes.

Between 11 and 13 January, the inland low pressure trough extended further south, triggering thunderstorms and rainfall in parts of New South Wales, Victoria and most of Tasmania. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 11 January, Bega (New South Wales) had 155.0 mm, its second highest daily rainfall total on record for January, while to 9 am on 12 January, Mount Ginini AWS (ACT) had 72.2 mm, its highest daily total on record for January, with most of the rain falling over 2 hours, resulting in flash flooding.

A squall line across New South Wales and Victoria

An upper-level low pressure trough that crossed south-eastern Australia on 15 and 16 January interacted with a cold front, a surface low pressure trough and warm and humid air, creating a squall line (line of thunderstorms) across eastern New South Wales and Victoria and bringing scattered showers, strong winds and hail, flash floods and downed trees and power lines. On 15 January, many stations in New South Wales observed wind gusts in excess of 100 km/h, and some had their highest daily wind gust for January on record. The strongest wind gust recorded during this event was 120 km/h at Trangie Research Station and Williamstown RAAF. Hailstones of around 4 cm diameter were observed near the town of Wellington, while intense rainfall was recorded in many areas, resulting in flash flooding, including at Tumbarumba and Argalong, which recorded 23.8 mm and 31.6 mm respectively, in 30 minutes. On 16 January, thunderstorms continued through parts of eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland, clearing after the low pressure trough moved into the Tasman Sea.

Low pressure system off northern New South Wales coast

On 17 January, a low pressure system developed off the north coast of New South Wales bringing heavy rain, damaging winds and dangerous surf conditions. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 18 January, many stations in the state's Mid North Coast district had daily rainfall totals of more than 100 mm. The highest daily total was 281.0 mm at Careys Peak (Barrington Tops), which was a record highest daily rainfall for any month for this station. On 18 January, the low pressure system weakened and moved offshore. A moderate Flood Warning was issued for the Wiliams River.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Sean

A tropical low 11U formed on 17 January over the Indian Ocean, off the west Kimberley coast (Western Australia). It reached tropical cyclone strength on 19 January while located to the north of Exmouth on the Pilbara coast (Western Australia) and was named Tropical Cyclone (TC) Sean. Late on 20 January, TC Sean peaked at Category 4 intensity with 10-minute sustained winds of 165 km/h while located offshore to the west of the Pilbara. It was the second tropical cyclone in the Australian region during the 2024–25 season.

Severe TC Sean tracked south-westwards offshore along the Pilbara coast. It did not make landfall, but its proximity brought heavy rain, storms, flash flooding and gale-force winds to the Pilbara coast. Heavy rainfall led to the closure of multiple roads and power outages in the Exmouth region.

High daily rainfall totals were measured along the Pilbara coast, including at De Grey, which had its record highest January daily total of 160.0 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on 19 January. Karratha Aero had its annual highest daily rainfall total of 274.4 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on 20 January.

On 21 January, TC Sean started to weaken and by 22 January it was downgraded to a tropical low (11U) as it moved to the south-south-west, well off the Western Australian coast.

Wet in north-eastern Queensland

Heavy rainfall was recorded along Queensland's north-east coast between 27 and 31 January, due to a low pressure trough and an embedded tropical low (13U) in the Coral Sea. Daily rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm were recorded across the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands, and Herbert and Lower Burdekin districts. Four-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 31 January) exceeded 400 mm at many stations, with the highest total of 939 mm recorded at Mt Sophia. Heavy rainfall led to flash and riverine flooding and flood warnings were issued for several catchments.

1-month rainfall table ending January 2025
Area-average rainfall
  Rank
(of 126)
Average
(mm)
Departure
from mean
Comment
Australia 24 54.1 −33%  
Queensland 26 78.0 −38%  
New South Wales 64 47.9 −28%  
Victoria 39 25.9 −34%  
Tasmania 14 38.7 −48%  
South Australia 14 3.6 −83%  
Western Australia 73 57.1 −1%  
Northern Territory 22 64.2 −48%  
Murray-Darling Basin 35 28.3 −50%  

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 126 (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.

Australian weather extremes during January 2025
Hottest day 49.3°C Geraldton Airport (WA) on the 20th
Coldest day 7.3°C Mount Read (Tas.) on the 1st
Coldest night -1.9°C Liawenee (Tas.) on the 29th
Warmest night 34.3°C Laverton Aero (WA) on the 25th
Wettest day 392.0 mm Mt Sophia (Qld.) on the 29th

Creative Commons By Attribution logo Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence

Climate