| Monday, 30 September 2002
MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - TASMANIA
A wet and windy September in Tasmania
September 2002 was wet and windy for most of Tasmania, Bureau of Meteorology
figures show. Westerly winds and cold fronts were the dominant influence,
and it was these that brought near-record rainfalls to the western highlands
and widely fluctuating temperatures during the month.
Rainfall
Almost the whole of Tasmania received more rain than usual in September.
This was particularly true on the central plateau and the southern and western
highlands, where rainfall totals were among the highest ever recorded in
a September. This follows on from a wet winter in those areas. With many
September totals exceeding 300 millimetres, a number of sites in the western
highlands have received more than 1500 mm in the last four months.
Despite this, there were some patches of the State which were not especially
wet. The eastern coastal strip, especially southern parts, had a September
where rainfall was close to or even below normal.
Rainfall was spread across most of the month, with more wet days than usual
in most places. There were a few dry spells, but they were short lived.
Mount Read, in the western highlands, received over 495 mm of precipitation
during September (some of this was as snow, and so the figure may not be
reliable). This compares with a meagre 25 mm at Orford Post Office. But even
at Orford there were 17 days with some rain, compared to the long-term average
of around 12 days.
Maximum Temperature
As is typical of spring, there were wide fluctuations in temperature during
September. This was most apparent with a very warm surge which peaked on
the 15th. On that day, temperatures across the State were higher than normal,
by 10°C or more in the southeast, and a number of locations exceeded
25°C. This was followed by a marked cold outbreak, and by the 19th temperatures
were almost 5°C below normal and snow was settling to low levels.
The averages show inland stations mostly a little cooler than the long-term
average, and coastal sites mostly a little warmer than normal.
The highest temperature recorded in Tasmania during the month was 26.7°C
at Maydena Post Office, on the 15th. On the 19th, the temperature on the
summit of Mount Wellington peaked at a miserable minus 4.1°C.
Minimum Temperature
The wide variations seen in daytime temperatures were also evident in minimum
(overnight) temperatures. Although many nights were relatively mild (especially
around the 4th and again around the 15th), there were a few chilly ones
as well.
Over much of the State, the average minimum temperature was lower than
normal by a few tenths of a degree. The main exception was the southeast
and the inland, where it was a shade above normal.
The lowest temperature recorded was atop Mount Wellington (at an elevation
of 1260 metres), at minus 5.6°C during the cold outbreak on the 19th.
Just a few nights earlier, the temperature had stayed above 15.7°C at
Flinders Island Airport.
Scamander recorded its coldest-ever September night, with minus 0.2°C
on the morning of the 20th.
Wind
September is often a windy month in Tasmania, but in 2002 it was even windier
than normal. Reliable long-term statistics are hard to come by for wind,
but a check of a few key sites shows very windy days were much more common
than usual. The highest recorded wind gust was 168 km/h at Maatsuyker Island
on the morning of the 9th. A number of other locations also recorded gusts
in excess of 100 km/h.
Summary statistics for selected sites
|
Maximum temperatures for September
(°C)
|
Minimum temperatures for September
(°C)
|
Rainfall for September (mm)
|
|
Mean for 2002
|
Difference from normal
|
Highest for 2002
|
Mean for 2002
|
Difference from normal
|
Lowest for 2002
|
Total for 2002
|
Normal total
|
|
Hobart
|
15.3
|
+0.3
|
25.3
|
6.9
|
+0.6
|
1.9
|
97
|
51
|
|
Launceston
|
15.1
|
-0.5
|
22
|
5.0
|
-0.2
|
-1
|
99
|
63
|
|
Burnie
|
14.3
|
+0.1
|
20.2
|
7.3
|
+0.7
|
1.8
|
107
|
88
|
|
Devonport
|
14.1
|
+0.1
|
19
|
6.4
|
+0.5
|
2
|
76
|
75
|
|
Swansea
|
17.0
|
+1.1
|
25.6
|
6.9
|
+1.2
|
0.4
|
49
|
41
|
|
Liawenee
|
8.0
|
-1.2
|
16.2
|
-0.3
|
+0.2
|
-5.5
|
226
|
103
|
|
Strahan
|
14.4
|
0.0
|
26.6
|
6.7
|
+0.4
|
2.3
|
214
|
151
|
|
Strathgordon
|
10.9
|
-0.7
|
23.9
|
4.1
|
-0.2
|
0.2
|
485
|
267
|
|
King Island Airport
|
14.4
|
-0.2
|
22.0
|
8.2
|
-0.1
|
2.9
|
119
|
87
|
|
Flinders Island Airport
|
15.4
|
+0.4
|
23.1
|
8.7
|
+1.3
|
1.6
|
82
|
65
|
Extracted from preliminary figures only.
"normals" are based on all available years of record; this varies from
only 7 at King Island Airport to 116 at Hobart.
Further Information
Ian Barnes-Keoghan
Climate and Consultancy Section
Tasmania and Antarctica Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2042
Email mailto:climate.tas@bom.gov.au - climate.tas@bom.gov.au
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