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2018 likely to be Sydney's fifth hottest year on record

Graeme Brittain, Sunday December 30, 2018 - 15:57 AEDT

Using the combined running average maximum and minimum temperature, 2018 is expected to be Sydney's 5th hottest on record.

Although not yet official until tomorrow's temperature observations are included, there is little chance that 2018 will move ranking, given the forecast minimum and maximum temperature.

This means that six out of the top 10 hottest years on record in Sydney have occurred in the last decade.

Alongside a background warming trend, the year was characterised by climate drivers tending towards a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Nino, both of which tends to reduce cloud cover over the region, allowing more sunlight and warmer days.

In terms of the individual running average maximum and minimum temperature for the year, the values are within a fraction of several other years, so how this year ranks based on these two measures is too close to call at this stage.

- Weatherzone

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