Regional Indices of Climate Variation: Temperature and Rainfall in Queensland, Australia

Indices of temperature and rainfall are developed for Queensland, Australia as an aid to monitoring climate variation and change. The rainfall index is based on 17 stations and extends from 1890. The temperature index is based on six stations and extends from 1910. These series can be updated promptly and although based on a small number of stations appear to reflect the major climate variations in Queensland over the past century. There is no significant trend towards wetter or drier conditions in Queensland in either summer or winter. Although the State has recently suffered from an extended drought, this dry period does not appear to be particularly unusual in the 105–year record. In contrast, average and minimum temperatures and the daily temperature range show significant trends since 1910 in both summer and winter. Minimum temperatures have increased and the daily temperature range has decreased, especially in the early winter season, April–May.