Australia Turns Up the Heat in 2017
In 2017, Australia recorded its third‑hottest year on record. The Bureau of Meteorology told reporters that the surge in temperatures shows global warming is still in full swing—even without the usual help from an El Nino heat wave.
Why 2017 was hotter
- Ocean temperatures near the Northeast coast swelled, bleaching the Great Barrier Reef for the first time in back‑to‑back summers.
- The national average spiked nearly 1 °C above normal.
- Rainfall in Southern Australia plummeted, making September the driest on record for New South Wales and the Murray–Darling basin.
The impact on farmers
Farmers are feeling the pinch. The heat shouted a polite “Hello, sea water!” and the rains hit their fields only when the harvest was starting. That’s like getting a surprise sprinkler after you’ve already cleaned up the sprinkler.
Another big problem: the country’s wheat yield shrank to its lowest in ten years, jeopardizing Australia’s status as the world’s fourth largest wheat exporter.
Matt Dalgleish, analyst with Mecardo, said, “It’s not any one year; it’s the unpredictable spells that strain our minds.” Farmers love a reliable pattern, but when the weather flips into an unexpected summer winter, it’s chaos—with real financial consequences.
The trend continues
Since 2005, seven of Australia’s ten warmest years have popped up. And 2018 is looking to outdo 2017 already. The southeast is thrashing under heatwaves; the bushfires in Victoria are getting wild; highway asphalt is melty; and a tropical storm is gestating a cyclone‑grade strike near Broome.
Global context
Globally, 2017 might rank as the second or third warmest year since 1850. It’s a clear sign that the planet is really turning up the thermostat, and Australians are feeling the burn in the fields, the reefs, and the city streets.
