January 2013 was hotter than ever in Australia.
AAP reports official figures show January was Australia's hottest month in recorded history.
The Bureau of Meteorology on Friday said the average mean temperature of 29.68C and the average mean maximum temperature of 36.92C broke previous records set in January 1932.
The Northern Territory and Queensland had mean temperatures of 31.93C and 30.75C respectively - the hottest on record for January in both the territory and state.
Alice Springs had 17 consecutive days over 40 degrees, but the town of Birdsville, Queensland, had 31 consecutive days over 40C.
The highest temperature recorded was at Moomba, in South Australia, with 49.6 degrees on January 12.
