Jm. Lough, REGIONAL INDEXES OF CLIMATE VARIATION - TEMPERATURE AND RAINFALL IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA, International journal of climatology, 17(1), 1997, pp. 55-66
Indices of temperature and rainfall are developed for Queensland, Aust
ralia as an aid to monitoring climate variation and change. The rainfa
ll index is based on 17 stations and extends from 1890. The temperatur
e index is based on six stations and extends from 1910. These series c
an be updated promptly and although based on a small number of station
s appear to reflect the major climate variations in Queensland over th
e past century. There is no significant trend towards wetter or drier
conditions in Queensland in either summer or winter. Although the Stat
e has recently suffered from an extended drought, this dry period does
not appear to be particularly unusual in the 105-year record. In cont
rast, average and minimum temperatures and the daily temperature range
show significant trends since 1910 in both summer and winter. Minimum
temperatures have increased and the daily temperature range has decre
ased, especially in the early winter season, April-May.