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Monday, 3 June 2002
SEASONAL CLIMATE SUMMARY - ACT METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE
Autumn much drier and warmer than normal in the ACT
Autumn in the ACT this year was considerably drier than normal. Day-time temperatures were above average, while night-time temperatures were near average.
Only 89.0 millimetres of rain was recorded at Canberra Airport in autumn compared with the long-term average of 151.4mm.
This puts autumn 2002 rainfall into the lowest 30 per cent category of all recorded autumns.
March rainfall was just below average, but falls in April and May - 48.2mm in total - were considerably below average.
The number of rain days was 16, well below the average of 22. Rain days in all months were below average.
Thunderstorm activity for the season was also below average, with one day of thunder at the
airport (average four). Thunder was reported in the ACT, but not at the airport, on two occasions.
The average daily maximum temperature for autumn of 21.3 degrees Celsius was well above the long-term average of 19.8.
The average daily minimum temperature of 7.1 degrees was close to the long-term average of 7.0.
Maximum temperatures in all months were above average. Minimum temperatures were above average in April but below average in March and May.
The overall average daily temperature for the three months of autumn was 14.2 degrees, well above the long-term average of 13.5.
All months also recorded above-average sunshine. Average daily sunshine for the season was 7.8 hours a day, well above the average of 6.9.
The first frost of the year occurred on 6 April. The median date for the first frost is 8 April.
There were 18 frosts in autumn, which is average. May had 16 frosts (average 13), April two (average five) and March none (average zero).
Autumn was not as windy as normal. The average daily wind run was 133.5 kilometres a day, well below the average of 155.2.
There were no days with strong winds (average four days). All months were below average.
There were only nine fogs for the season, well below the average of 14.
There were two fogs in March (average two), three in April (average four), and four in May (average eight).
The evaporation for autumn of 347.6mm was close to the average of 347.3.
The average daily pressure of 1019.6 hectopascals was slightly above the mean of 1018.9.
Summary for autumn at Canberra airport
Mean maximum temperature: 21.3°C (av 19.8°C)
Highest maximum temperature: 34.0°C (19 March)
Lowest maximum temperature: 9.8°C (18 May)
Mean minimum temperature: 7.1°C (av 7.0°C)
Highest minimum temperature: 15.1°C (5 March)
Lowest minimum temperature: minus 3.2°C (31 May)
Mean daily temperature: 14.2°C (av 13.5°C)
Lowest grass temperature: minus 7.7°C (31 May)
Total autumn rainfall: 89.0mm (av 151.4mm)
Total autumn evaporation: 347.6mm (av 347.3mm)
Mean daily sunshine: 7.8 hours/day (av 6.9 hours/day)
Mean daily pressure: 1019.6hPa (1018.9hPa)
Mean daily windrun (at 2 metres): 133.5km/day (av 155.2km/day)
Ends
Further information:
Clem Davis, Canberra Meteorological Office, tel: (02) 6249 6269, e-mail: c.davis@bom.gov.au
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