AUSTRALIA had its hottest month on record in January. The average mean temperature of 29.68C and the average mean maximum temperature of 36.92C were the hottest in 81 years, passing previous records set in January 1932.

Queensland had 30.75C, its hottest mean temperature on record. The Northern Territory also clocked up a record with 31.93C.



Weather bureau figures show the January heatwave was exceptional in extent and duration. The national average maximum on January 7 was the highest on record.



Birdsville had 31 days in succession above 40C, the most it has ever recorded.

The highest temperature recorded in the heatwave was at Moomba in South Australia with 49.6C on January 12.



After the heat came the rain. Upper Springbrook, in the Gold Coast hinterland, had 1496mm in eight days and Boolaroo Tops, southwest of Gladstone, 1426mm.



Gladstone had 820mm of rain in four days, which exceeded its previous monthly record and was more than the annual rainfall recorded in 2011 or 2012.



The Burnett catchment had 204mm on January 27, beating the previous record by 80mm. One-day records were set for the Burrum, Mary, Logan-Albert and Kolan catchments.



It comes as a review of rainfall data at 8000 world weather stations finds that extreme rainfall intensity is increasing across the globe and is linked to warming.



Adelaide University environmental and mining engineer Seth Westra found a 7 per cent increase in rainfall for every 1C increase in global atmospheric temperature.



``This could mean very substantial increases in rainfall intensity as a result of climate change,'' Dr Westra said.

Originally published as Heat and rain smash records