This past summer will always be remembered for bushfires, but in terms of temperatures and heatwaves, it was up there too.

But luckily for those still hanging out for rain there is more rain on the forecast as ex-cyclone Esther makes its way across the country over the next few days.

The Bureau of Meteorology's seasonal review declared it the second-hottest summer on record in terms of maximum, minimum and mean temperatures — only summer 2018-19 was hotter.

Rainfall was below average for the nation as a whole but was highly variable in terms of location and date.

The east coast's big wet did thankfully dampen the fires, but it was not enough to turn around the nation's water stores.

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