A high-quality dataset developed to monitor long-term temperature trends in
Australia has been updated. The annual mean time-series indicates that in
1998 Australia recorded its highest ever annual mean temperature since the
start of the high-quality record in 1910, The largest contribution to the r
ecord temperature came from much higher than usual minimum temperatures thr
oughout the northern half of the continent. High-quality rainfall and cloud
cover datasets have also been updated. Greater than average cloud cover du
ring 1998 contributed to milder overnight temperatures and generally wetter
than average conditions through most of the country. The result of a warm,
wet and cloudy year during 1998 is unusual in the instrumental record for
Australia as studies of interannual climate variations indicate that mean t
emperature is generally out of phase with both rainfall and cloud cover. Ho
wever, these apparent inconsistencies support the suggestion made by previo
us studies that the relationship between Australian temperature and rainfal
l changed abruptly during the early 1970s.