MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - ACT METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE

January warmer and drier than average in ACT

Rainfall for January was 40.4 millimetres, well below the average of 61.9mm, with rain falling on seven days (average eight days). The lowest reading was at Mawson (26.4mm) and the highest at Corin Dam (83.0mm). Most stations recorded between 30 and 50mm for the month. There were five thunderstorm days (average four days).

The mean daily maximum temperature of 31.0 degrees Celsius was 3.3 degrees above the long-term average of 27.7. Maximum temperatures reached 30 degrees or more on 17 days (average 11 days), the eighth highest on record. The record of 21 days was set in 1942, 1979 and 1981. Maximum temperatures reached 35 degrees or more on seven days (average two days), the sixth highest on record. The record of nine days was set in 1947.

The highest maximum temperature for the month of 39.9 degrees was set on the 24th. It was the fourth highest temperature recorded for the airport in January and the fifth highest temperature overall.

The mean daily minimum temperature of 14.6 degrees for January was well above the long-term average of 13.0. On the four days from the 24th to the 27th, the minimum temperature was 18.0 degrees or higher, only the fourth occasion on record this has occurred in Canberra.

The mean daily temperature (average between daily maximum and minimum temperatures) of 22.8 degrees was well above the average of 20.3 but below the record of 24.1 set in 1981.

The actual average daily sunshine hours was 8.9 hours/day, below the long-term average of 9.3 hours/day. It was not as windy as normal in January. The average daily wind run was 174.7 kilometres a day (average 184.4km/day), with no strong wind days (average two days).

Evaporation was 253.2mm, just above the average of 246.5mm. No fogs (average one) and no frosts (average zero) were recorded. The average daily pressure of 1014.8 hectopascals was above the January mean of 1012.3hPa.

Summary for Canberra Airport, January 2001
Mean maximum temperature	31.0°C (av 27.7°C)
Highest maximum temperature	39.9°C (on 24th)
Lowest maximum temperature	22.8°C (on 9th)
Mean minimum temperature	14.6°C (av 13.0°C)
Highest minimum temperature	20.5°C (on 25th )
Lowest minimum temperature	8.4°C (on 11th )
Lowest grass temperature	4.1°C (on 9th )
Total monthly rainfall.	40.4 mm (av 61.9 mm)
Total monthly evaporation	253.2 mm (av 246.5 mm)
Mean daily sunshine	8.9 hours/day (av 9.3 hours/day)
Mean daily pressure	1014.8 hPa (av 1012.3. hPa)
Mean daily windrun (at 2 metres)	174.7 km (av 192.4 km)