Australia's climate during a warm 2015

AUSTRALIA RECORDS ANOTHER WARM YEAR IN 2015:

TEMPERATURES

* 5th warmest year on record

* Mean temperature 0.83C above average

* Eight of 10 warmest years on record since 2002

* Significant heatwaves in March, October and December

* Warmest October on record

* October-December warmest on record

* Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and NSW rank in 10 warmest years on record

RAIN

* Annual rainfall 5pc below average (443.7mm)

* Rainfall below average for parts of the Top End, most of Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, southeast and western South Australia, and southwest Western Australia

* Rainfall above average for the Gascoyne and Pilbara in Western Australia, most of the central Northern Territory, northeastern South Australia, and northwestern NSW

* January wetter than average for large areas

* Drier than average across Australia for most of year; notably warm and dry end to year

DROUGHT

* Long-term drought continued in Queensland

* Drought areas increased in Victoria, South Australia and southwest Western Australia

EL NINO

* Strong El Nino, comparable to 1997-98 and 1982-83

* Warming of central and eastern Pacific Ocean that leads to major shift in weather patterns across Pacific; tends to bring drier conditions to Australia, particularly eastern Australia.

Source: Bureau of Meteorology annual climate statement.