MEDIA RELEASE - NSW REGIONAL OFFICE

Sydney cools down after a hot, dry and smoky start to January

Sydney's rainfall in January was close to average this year, with 98 millimetres recorded at Observatory Hill. The highest suburban fall was 106mm at Merrylands. Rain and thunderstorms on the 7th eased the critical bushfire situation after houses and many hectares of bushland around Sydney were destroyed. There were thunderstorms on three days in January, with the heaviest rainfall 35mm at Homebush on the 15th.

Both average maximum and minimum temperatures were well above the long-term averages in January. The highest temperature in Sydney was 37 degrees Celsius on the 1st. There was plentiful sunshine, with the exception of a few cloudy days toward the end of the month. The average sunshine of 8.7 hours a day was the sunniest recording for Sydney since 1994.

January in Sydney	January 2002	Average	January 2001
Average maximum temperature (°C)	27.2	25.8*	27.3
Average minimum temperature (°C)	19.8	19.0*	20.5
Average temperature (°C)	23.5	22.4*	23.9
Rain (mm)	98.4	104.3#	186.4
Number of rain days	11	12	11
Average daily sunshine (hours)	8.7	7.4	6.8

* Long-term averages calculated since site change in 1947.
# Median January rainfall is 82mm.
(The median is the middle value of rainfall totals for all years and is independent of the average).

Ends

Further information:
Mike De Salis, tel: (02) 9296 1555

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