Australian Cities Heat Up

Brisbane is warming faster than any other Australian state capital according to a table of climate change across the nation published by news.com.au. The average temperatures for 22 major towns and cities show all – except Albany, Western Australia – have warmed up since 1991.

Of the state capitals, Brisbane’s temperature increased most. Its most recent 16-year average, at 19.36 C, was almost half a degree warmer than between 1961 and 1990.

Australia’s average temperature is one-third of a degree higher now than what it was between 1961 and 1990.

Alice Springs had the greatest rise: it was more than three-quarters of a degree hotter between 1991 and 2006 than in the previous three decades. Cobar was next, followed by Brisbane, Port Lincoln, Perth, and Mount Isa.

Other towns with temperature rises above the national average include Canberra, Townsville, Sydney and Cairns.