Australia has just set a new record for its hottest 12-month period, with the most recent March being the hottest on record. The Bureau of Meteorology confirms that temperatures in March were 2.41°C above average, beating the previous record of 2.03°C set in 2019.
According to the bureau’s data since 1910, the 12 months ending in March 2025 averaged 1.61°C above average, surpassing the previous record of 1.51°C from January to December 2019. The bureau also reports that March had the highest overnight temperatures for the month, at 2.53°C above the long-term average.
The 12-month period ending in March was particularly warm, aligning with the trend of record-breaking temperatures globally. Dr. Simon Grainger, a senior climatologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, notes that this period was warmer than the previous record by a significant margin.
Several states recorded their hottest March on record for average temperatures. Western Australia’s March set records for average temperatures, minimum, and maximum temperatures. Across the country, except for Tasmania and Victoria, records for the hottest overnight temperatures in March were surpassed, and no March has been cooler than average since 2012.
ANU climate scientist Prof. Sara Perkins-Kirkpatrick highlights the repetitive nature of these record-breaking temperatures, suggesting fatigue with the predictability and severity of such events. She also points out the significant impact of global heating and conducive weather patterns in contributing to these records.
March also saw variability in rainfall, with Queensland experiencing its third wettest March while Tasmania had its 12th driest since national records began in 1900.
