When Weather Matters

Driest August on record and not much relief in sight

Director of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Dr Geoff Love today announced that a number of areas of Australia, including in the vital catchments of both Perth and Melbourne, are reporting the most severe short-term rainfall deficiencies on record.

June 2006 down as one of coldest and driest months on record

he Hon Greg Hunt MP, Parliamentary Secretary with ministerial responsibility for the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, said today that data from the Bureau confirmed that many parts of Australia recorded their driest and coldest temperatures for decades - and in the case of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, set new lows for rainfall and the coldest minimum. "In terms of rainfall, the southwest of WA has been especially hard hit with most areas west of a line running from Carnarvon to Kalgoorlie, then to Perth and down to Albany having their driest June on record.

Gosford Bush Fire Update

Major backburning operations are being undertaken on the fire in the Kariong area this evening with about 200 firefighters in 50 tankers conducting backburns from Tascott, Koolewong to Kariong and in the Patonga area.

Mixed rainfall outlook for early 2006

In line with recent rainfall patterns, there are increased chances of a wetter than average March quarter (January to March) over parts of southeast Queensland, northern New South Wales and southwest WA (see map), the Bureau of Meteorology announced today. In contrast, some areas in the NT and northern WA have an increased risk of below average falls. However, the chances of ac*****ulating at least median rain during the coming three months are close to 50% across much of the country.

Second warmest December on record in Sydney

Temperatures: Sydney recorded its 2nd warmest December since records commenced in 1859. The mean temperature for the month (average of daily maximum and minimum temperatures) was 23.8 Â°C which is 2.3Â°C above the historic December average*. The warmest December was in 1990 with an monthly mean temperature of 24.4Â°C. Days were particularly warm with an average maximum temperature of 28.6Â°C or 3.4Â°C above the historic average and the same as 1990. The number of hot days (30Â°C or more) equalled the record of 11 days set in 1957. Although no minimum temperature records were broken there were 9 nights when the temperature did not fall below 20Â°C, more than twice the historic average of 4. Temperatures at Observatory Hill ranged from 39Â°C on the 7th to an overnight low of 15.3Â°C on the 20th. Metropolitan temperatures ranged from 40.1Â°C at Sydney Olympic Park on the 7th and at Penrith on 31st to an overnight low of 8.5Â°C at Badgerys Creek on the 20th.

Cool spring in Perth

Rainfall: Spring rainfall this year in Perth was near average. From September to November, Perth received 157.2 mm over 40 days compared with the average of 156 mm over 30 days. Last spring, Perth recorded 105.8 mm over 33 days. Rainfall totals for individual spring months were: September 91.0 mm (average 81 mm), October 52.8 mm (average 53 mm) and November 13.4 mm (average 22 mm). The wettest day was 6 September when 20.0 mm of rain fell.

Warm & very wet - Tasmania in Spring 2005

Spring 2005 (the three months September, October and November) was warm and wet for most parts of Tasmania. The north and east were especially wet, with several very heavy rainfall events.

Record warm at start - Tasmania in November 2005

November 2005 was a warm and wet month for most of Tasmania. Temperatures - especially early in the month - were above normal across the State, and some records were broken for high minimum (overnight) temperatures.

Wet Spring over South Australia

November rainfall
Pastoral Districts:Rainfall was near average over much of the Pastoral districts. There were, however, some areas of below to very much below average rainfall in the Far North district and also in the south-east of the Northwest district. The Northeast and Northwest districts recorded falls that were in parts above to very much above average.

Totals in the range 25 to 50 mm were reported from parts of the North West and North East districts, with an isolated highest rainfall of 63mm recorded at Koonamore, in the North East district. Totals varied widely over the remainder, from 2mm at Oodnadatta to over 20 mm at several centres.

Wet, warm November in the ACT

Rainfall: A total of 83.4 millimetres of rain was recorded at Canberra Airport over 12 days in November this year, almost 20 mm above the long-term average of 63.8 mm over 10 days. Across the region, totals ranged from 61.6 mm at Lanyon to 104.8 mm at Ginninderra. The highest daily total at Canberra Airport was 43.8 mm, which fell in the 24 hours to 9am on Tuesday 8 November. The precipitation was associated with thunderstorm activity the previous night. A severe thunderstorm late on Saturday 26 November brought heavy rain and hail to some northern suburbs of Canberra. Melba recorded 31.8 mm in the corresponding 24 hours, but there was only 3.6 mm at the airport. Thunderstorms were reported on five days in November (compared with the average of four days), while hail was reported on three (the average is one day).