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Heat is rising around country

THE Australian Bureau of Statistics has confirmed time - the country is getting hotter.

A climate snapshot of the past 100 years has revealed a gradual increase in both temperatures and rainfall throughout Australia.

Statistics show while temperatures were relatively stable between 1910 and 1950, they have been on the rise ever since with an overall increase from 1910 to 2003 of about 0.7C.

"Overnight minimum temperatures have warmed more quickly than daytime maximum temperatures but both have increased over the entire continent with the largest increases in north-eastern Australia," the ABS's 2005 Yearbook said.

"Frequencies of frosts and other extreme low temperatures have decreased while the frequency of extreme high temperatures has increased, although at a slower rate."

Generally rainfall has increased over the past 100 years, but since 1960 there have been significant decreases in three of the country's rural regions - the south west of Western Australia, southern Victoria and the eastern coast fringe - especially south east Queensland.

All three areas have a significant agricultural industry.

The report found the region with the highest mean annual rainfall was the east coast of Queensland between Cairns and Cardwell.

Mr Greg Litfin, 58, who collects rainfall data for the weather bureau from his north Brisbane home, said he had noticed a decline in rainfall statistics in recent years.

"The report really reflects what I've seen since I've been studying the weather," he said. "The rainfall started to gradually increase some years ago but it has decreased over the last five to six years. There's been a lot of drought conditions across Australia."

Mr Litfin, who has been tracking the weather since he was in his late 20s, volunteered his services to the weather bureau in 1999.