Western Australia has just experienced its hottest summer on record but Perth has bucked the trend and posted its third consecutive summer of cooler-than-average temperatures.

Key points: Perth recorded three days over 40 degrees Celsius during the entire summer

Perth recorded three days over 40 degrees Celsius during the entire summer WA's high summer average temperature was driven by prolonged heat in the north

WA's high summer average temperature was driven by prolonged heat in the north The state escaped many of the severe weather events seen on Australia's east coast

Australia as a whole had a mean maximum temperature of about two degrees Celsius above the average, while WA's temperatures were 2.52C warmer, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

"WA exceeded the previous record of 1.99C above the average which was set in the summer of 2009–10, so it is certainly one to put into the record books," BOM spokesman Neil Bennett said.

Mr Bennett said the exceptionally high average was driven by the prolonged heat in the state's north, which smashed a number of records.

"Marble Bar, for example, recorded 32 days of temperatures at 45 degrees or above during the summer, and that exceeded a previous record set in 1909–10 when they had 30 days of 45 degrees or more.

"And that really has been the driver not just for WA, but for the rest of the country, where the heat source has been that northern part of Australia where the lack of tropical activity, the lack of clouds, has meant very hot temperatures have been recorded for a long period of time through that region."

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Perth escapes prolonged heat

It has been an entirely different story for Perth, however, with its mean maximum coming in at 30.5C which is 0.2C below the average.

The beachside suburb of Swanbourne had a mean maximum of 27.6C, making it the second coolest summer on record.

Unlike last summer, when temperatures did not exceed 38C, Perth recorded three days above 40C this summer, but most of the season was dominated by relatively mild days.

"The sea breezes that came in may well have been a little cooler than normal and we didn't have prolonged periods of hot weather, which is a key note feature of Perth summers," said Mr Bennett.

"And we also saw a very cool January period as well where an unseasonal low pressure system off the south-west capes produced very strong winds through the capes area, some heavy rainfall in the south-west as well and lead to some cool temperatures for Perth."

Summer in Perth was dominated by relatively mild days. ( ABC Radio Perth: Gian De Poloni )

No cyclones, little rain

There has been very little tropical activity in WA's north, with no cyclones crossing the coast so far this wet season.

As a result, rainfall has been scarce.

"In terms of rainfall for WA, it's been very dry — the fifth lowest on record and the lowest since the summer of 2004–05," Mr Bennett said.

"The northern wet season is very dry which is a complete contrast to what we had last season where they had one of the wettest — if not the wettest — wet seasons on record."

During the past two summers, Perth was drenched by the remnants of tropical systems in the north, recording 114 millimetres of rain in a 24-hour period in February 2017, and 96 millimetres in January 2018.

But during the entire summer that just ended Perth collected a paltry 9.2mm of rain.

"That's the driest since 2013–14. In previous summers that have been mild we've seen a lot of tropical activity and that's brought a lot of rainfall and really pulled temperatures right down," Mr Bennett said.

WA pick of the states, but not out of the woods

But while the east of Australia has experienced floods, heatwaves, cyclones, dust storms and snow, WA escaped the worst of the severe weather.

"It's fair to say WA has probably been the pick of the states with the exception of the extreme heat through the Pilbara and the Kimberley and parts of the Gascoyne and Goldfields," he said.

"Apart from that we've been fortunate to escape much of the severe weather conditions that many other parts of the country have experienced.

"But we're not out of the woods yet. March can bring tropical cyclone activity."

The Bureau of Meteorology says inland WA may receive above-average rainfall in the March to May period. ( Bureau of Meteorology )

BOM's outlook for autumn suggests it's likely to be drier than average for much of the country, but inland western WA is slightly more likely to be wetter than average.

"We are looking particularly for the Pilbara through March and April as the odds favouring above average rainfall and that would suggest that we may well see a late finish to our tropical season."

Warmer-than-average autumn days and nights are very likely for almost all of Australia.

"The outlook for the next three months for WA in terms of temperature is to maintain the odds being above average — so it's more likely to be above average than below," Mr Bennett said.