SEASONAL CLIMATE SUMMARY - ACT METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE

Record February rains make for a wet summer in ACT

Rainfall: At Canberra airport, 252.6 millimetres of rain fell over summer, with rain on 21 days. This compares with an average of 168.3mm on 23 days. But this figure is deceptive because of the record February rainfall total of 211.0mm. December rainfall was only 15.4mm (average 53.1mm), and January had 26.4mm (average 61.9mm). The heaviest 24-hour rainfall for summer was 77.8mm to 9am on 5 February. It was also the highest daily rainfall for February on record (previous record 69.4mm in 1974). There were 15 thunderstorm days for the season (average 11 days) - three days in December, five days in January and seven days in February. On two of these occasions (2 and 16 February) severe thunderstorm activity and heavy rain was reported. Small hail was reported on 2 February.

Temperatures: The mean daily maximum temperature for summer was 26.8 degrees Celsius, which is close to the long-term average of 26.9 degrees. Maximum temperatures in December (av 26.8 degrees) and January (av 28.8 degrees) were just above average. February (24.5 degrees) was considerably below average. The temperature reached 30.0 degrees or more on 20 days over the summer (average 25 days), with December recording eight days (average seven), January 11 days (average 10), and February one day (average eight). There were no days of 35.0 degrees or more (average four days). The highest temperature for summer was 34.8 degrees on 20 December and 6 January. The coldest day was 15.2 degrees on 4 February.
The mean daily minimum temperature for the season was 12.7 degrees, just above the average of 12.4 degrees. December (11.2 degrees) was average, while January (13.3 degrees) and February (13.6 degrees) were above average.
Overall, the average daily temperature for summer 2001-02 was 19.8 degrees, just above the long-term mean of 19.6 degrees.

Sunshine: The average daily sunshine of 9.0 hours a day was below the long-term average of 9.3 hours/day. While December and January were above average, February was well below average.

Winds: The average daily wind run for summer of 216.0 kilometres a day was well above the long-term average of 191.5. It was the second windiest summer on record (records since 1969). The record is held by the summer of 1997-98, when the average daily wind run was 224.4 kilometres a day. There were eight strong wind days for the season (average five), with four strong wind days in December and two in both January and February. There was also one day of gales on 1 January.

Evaporation: Summer's evaporation of 716mm was just above the long-term average of 693.9mm because of windier and warmer conditions in December and January. However the cooler and wetter conditions in February resulted in below average evaporation for that month.

There were no fogs for the summer (average three) and one frost (average zero) on 27 December. The mean daily pressure of 1009.8 hectopascals was well below the average of 1012.5.

Ends

Further information:
Clem Davis, Canberra Meteorological Office, tel: (02) 6249 6269.

Summary for Canberra airport, summer 2001-02