It was warmer than normal and rainfalls were well down on average at most locations except for the 117mm recorded at Moree and the 89mm at Narrabri.

January 2020 was not as hot as January last year (2019), nevertheless, it was the fifth successive warmer than average January at Coonabarabran and at other centres.

The records show there were six successive warmer than average Januaries from 1884 to 1889. There were big rains which started in April 1889 and ran to as far as April 1894 over most of the Albury-Wodonga region.

The mean minimum temperature of 20.0 degrees at Coonabarabran was nearly five degrees above the long-term normal for January and the second-highest behind the 20.8 reading in January of last year.

Other high readings were in 1946, 1981 and 2017.

February has started off very hot, with maximum temperatures exceeding 40 degrees at most places.

In addition, there have been record warm nights for February at many places -including places in North East Victoria.

Forbes recorded a minimum temperature of 32.6 degrees, breaking a record for February which had stood since 1906.

Coonabarabran also had its warmest February night on record with 27.4 degrees, breaking the old February record of 25.7 in 1973, when the atmosphere was clean after so much rain during January 1973.

Walgett almost broke the February 1884 record this month.

Canberra has certainly had a very torrid and uncomfortable summer to date, with the hottest two days 41.9 and 42.7 in succession on record, just breaking the 1968 record.

It also clocked up the hottest ever night in 81 years of records, with the overnight minimum temperature of 26.7.

The previous hottest ever night was 26.0 in both November 1946 and March 1983. The widespread smoke haze, which has persisted for more than two months in the Albury-Wodonga region, has obviously contributed to so many record warm nights and possibly caused less rain to fall during times of convective activity.

Thunderstorms cannot form properly if the atmosphere is all smokey up to a high level.

Widespread heavy rain has fallen in the central inland of South Australia on Saturday, February 1. Coober Pedy recorded 68mm and Yudnapinna recorded 103mm and this was the heaviest daily rainfall for February since 1938.

Port Augusta had 67mm and Mt.Gambier had 66mm. The widespread heavy rain event of February 1938 in SA did not reach this area.