Moree's summer of 2016/17 smashes multiple records

Moree is currently up to its 25^th consecutive day of temperatures reaching above 35 degrees – the longest period of days over 35 ever recorded.

The previous record was set during the summer of 1981/82 when 17 consecutive days (between December 28 and January 13) were higher than 35.

Since December 27, 2016 our maximum temperature has not dropped below 35 degrees and based on the current forecast, this looks set to continue for at least another week.

Bureau of Meterology climatologist Acacia Pepler said the warm conditions are likely to continue until March.

“Our forecast is favouring that these warmer-than-normal conditions will continue for the rest of January until March,” she said.

Ms Pepler said Moree’s summer has been very hot so far, with record numbers of hot temperatures.

Already this summer, Moree has had 12 days that reached 40 degrees – the most on record during summer.

We have also had a record-breaking 10 nights that stayed above 25 degrees so far.

The previous records were set in the summer of 2005/06 when 11 days reached 40 and nine nights failed to drop below 25 degrees.

While it’s been a hot start to 2017, Ms Pepler said it’s hard to say whether this year will be among the hottest.

Last year was officially the hottest year ever recorded world-wide, while it was the fourth-warmest in Australia.

In Moree, 2016 was warmer than average and was among the top 10 hottest years we’ve had since records began in 1965.

Our hottest year was back in 2014 which was a degree warmer than 2016.

Ms Pepler said temperatures varied quite a lot throughout 2016.

“Last year Moree and Australia had the warmest autumn on record; February to May was very warm,” she said.

“The middle of the year started to cool down with above-average rainfall, so winter and spring were cooler-than average for Moree.”