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Friday, 7 March 2003
MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - ACT METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE
ACT rainfall totals return to normal in February
Rainfall in the ACT in February this year returned to near normal after very dry conditions
in December and January. Temperatures were again well above average for the month, and the
mean monthly minimum temperature at the airport was the second highest since records began
in 1939.
Rainfall: Total rainfall at the airport in February was 55.2 millimetres over seven days,
very close to the average of 56.1mm over seven days. The highest rainfall totals reported
elsewhere in the ACT were 93.2mm at Tidbinbilla and 90.0mm at Tuggeranong. There were six reports
of thunderstorms near the airport. On average, there are three days when thunder is heard at the
airport in February.
Temperature: The average maximum temperature at Canberra airport for February was
29.2 degrees Celsius, well above the average of 27.0 degrees and the 10th warmest since
records began in 1939. There were 11 days with temperatures of 30 degrees or higher
(average 7.6 days) but no days of 35 degrees or higher (average 1.1).
The mean minimum temperature was 15.4 degrees, well above the long-term mean of 13.0 degrees
and the second highest on record (after 1983). There were no frosts during February and the
average ground temperature was 13.0 degrees (average 10.5). The overall mean temperature for
February was 22.3 degrees, well above the average of 20.0 degrees and the fifth highest
on record.
Other: Total evaporation for the month was 206.2mm, close to the mean of 201.6mm. Wind
run at two metres averaged 182 kilometres a day, only slightly above the average of 173.7 km/day.
The maximum wind gust for the month was 74 km/h from the south south-west on the 7th. There were
three days on which strong winds were reported (10-minute mean speed of 41 km/h or more). The
average in February is one day. Sunshine averaged 8.6 hours a day, slightly below the long-term
mean of 9.0 hr/day. The average air pressure for January was 1015.2 hectopascals.
Summary for Canberra airport – February 2003
| Mean maximum temperature |
29.2°C (av 27.0°C) |
| Highest maximum temperature |
34.9°C (15 February) |
| Lowest maximum temperature |
19.9°C (21 February) |
| Mean minimum temperature |
15.4°C (av 13.0°C) |
| Highest minimum temperature |
19.7°C (16 February) |
| Lowest minimum temperature |
10.2°C (5 February) |
| Lowest grass temperature |
5.7°C (5 February) |
| Total monthly rainfall |
55.2mm (mean 56.1mm) |
| Total monthly evaporation |
206.2mm (av 201.6mm) |
| Mean daily sunshine |
8.6 hr/day (av 9.0 hr/day) |
| Mean daily pressure |
1015.2 hPa (av 1013.9 hPa) |
| Mean daily wind run (at 2 metres) |
182 km/day (173.7 km/day) |
Ends
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