Seasonal climate summary for the southern hemisphere (winter 2018): fifteenth-warmest and fourteenth-driest

Abstract

This is a summary of the southern hemisphere atmospheric circulation patterns and meteorological indices for winter 2018; an account of seasonal rainfall and temperature for the Australian region and the broader southern hemisphere is also provided. The climate influences from the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Indian Ocean Dipole were weak, with both demonstrating neutral conditions over the season. It was a dry and warm winter for Australia, being the fourteenth-driest and fifteenth-warmest (in terms of mean temperature) in a record of 119 and 109 years respectively. The warm and dry conditions were particularly pronounced over eastern Australia during July. Maximum temperatures were above average while minimum temperatures were below average.