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Friday, 7 March 2003
SEASONAL CLIMATE SUMMARY - ACT METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE
Summer in ACT was warmer and windier than normal
Summer 2002-03 in the ACT was much warmer and windier than normal. December and January were
very dry, but February rainfall was close to average. Bushfires were started by lightning on
the Brindabella Ranges on 8 January and reached Canberra in extreme fire weather conditions
on the 18th, causing the loss of four lives and catastrophic damage to property. Smoke haze
was frequent and widespread in the second half of January.
Temperature: The average maximum temperature for summer at Canberra airport was
29.3 degrees Celsius, well above the long-term mean of 27.0 degrees and the fourth highest
since records began in 1939. There were 35 days with maximums of more than 30 degrees (the average
is 25 days), and 10 days of maximums of more than 35 degrees (average four days).
The average minimum temperature was 13.6 degrees, well above the long-term mean of 12.4 degrees
and the eighth highest on record. There was one frost on 7 December when the ground temperature
fell to minus 1.7 degrees.
Rainfall: Total rainfall for the summer was 84.8 millimetres, well below the long-term
mean of 168.2mm and the 12th lowest on record. Total rainfall for the first two months of
summer (December and January) was 29.6mm, the third lowest total on record for these two months.
Rainfall in February (55.2mm) was near normal. There were 11 days when thunderstorms were reported
at or near the airport, which is average.
Other: Total evaporation for summer in the ACT was 741.0mm, above the average of 703.8mm.
Sunshine averaged 9.4 hours a day, slightly above the summer mean of 9.1 hr/day. Wind run at
two metres averaged 215.9 kilometres a day, well above the long-term average of 194.5 km/day
and the second highest on record, though the length of the record for wind run at the airport
is only 16 years. There were 10 days when strong winds (10-minute mean speed of 41 km/h or more)
were observed. The average is five days. The mean air pressure (corrected to sea level) was
1014.7 hectopascals, slightly above the long-term average of 1012.5 hPa.
Summary for Canberra airport – summer 2002-03
| Mean maximum temperature |
29.3°C (av 27.0°C) |
| Highest maximum temperature |
39.8°C (30 January) |
| Lowest maximum temperature |
16.6°C (10 December) |
| Mean minimum temperature |
13.6°C (av 12.4°C) |
| Highest minimum temperature |
20.8°C (18 January) |
| Lowest minimum temperature |
3.0°C (7 December) |
| Mean daily temperature |
21.5°C (av 19.9°C) |
| Lowest grass temperature |
minus 1.7°C (7 December) |
| Total summer rainfall |
84.8mm (av 168.2mm) |
| Total summer evaporation |
741.0mm (av 704.3mm) |
| Mean daily sunshine |
9.4 hr/day (av 9.1 hr/day) |
| Mean daily pressure |
1014.7 hPa (av 1012.5 hPa) |
| Mean daily wind run (at 2 metres) |
215.9 km/day (av 194.5 km/day)
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Ends
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