Weather News
Canberra hotter, drier than average
Tuesday January 6, 2009 - 07:49 EDT
Canberra was hot and dry last year with 2008 the 12th year in a row where temperatures were above average.
The Bureau of Meteorology figures show 2008 was the 17th warmest year on record for Canberra.
The average daytime temperature was 20.4 degrees, almost a degree above normal.
It was also on average 0.5 degrees warmer at night.
Despite the wet end to the year, 2008 had below average rainfall.
About 530 millimetres fell in the last 12 months, almost 100mm short of the average.
Canberra experienced its wettest December since 1999 with 117mm of rain.
The figures also show there were less frosts and fogs than usual.
ACT firefighters are bracing for dangerous fire conditions as temperatures rise into the mid-30s this week.
Deputy Fire Commissioner Brian Parry says the higher than average rainfall in December has lead to an increased fire risk.
"That has brought on a prolific grass growth and that is now in the process of curing off, so there is a lot of grass fuel," he said.
"As well as that, in the timbered country there is a bit of ground fuel litter even some of the re-growth from the 2003 fire."
Today's fire danger is listed as high to very high.
"Hot temperatures and no rain will mean that certainly by February we would be in a very volatile position," he said.
"But even now if we went another week or two without rain well we would probably have some concerns about the capabilities."
- ABC
© ABC
2008
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