Australia: The Continent That’s Also a Country! Australia is the world’s smallest continent and also the sixth largest country. It has 6 mainland states – Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria – along with one island state, Tasmania. Nearly 70% of Australia’s land is desert or semi-desert, where very few people live. That’s why more than 85% of the population lives in coastal areas, especially in the east and south-east regions around c

How do Australian climate trends compare to what’s happening around the world? The warming we’re seeing in Australia is consistent with global trends. In fact, 2015 was the warmest year on record for the globe since reliable global records began in 1880. Find out more in State of the Climate 2016: http://bom.is/41ce12. | Bureau of Meteorology

Here’s your Climate Update for June. Some highlights: 🌡 May was Australia’s first month with a below-average national mean temperature for 3.5 years. 🍂 Australia had its coolest autumn in 5 years, and the wettest autumn in 3 years. 💧 The drought-weary Murray Darling Basin had its wettest autumn in a decade. ☔️ Melbourne had its wettest autumn since 1974. What’s ahead for winter? Find out in this Weatherpulse, in partnership with the Monash University Climate Change Communication Research Hub.