Tuesday, 31st December 2002
Sydney Climate Summary - NSW REGIONAL OFFICEMoist end to a very dry year 2002 in Sydney.December 2002The highest daily total for December was 49.2mm recorded in the 24hrs to 9am on the 11th. Falls of 40-70mm were recorded throughout the Metropolitan area on this day. This was the first time since early February that the majority of the Metropolitan area had received widespread rainfall of this quantity. An onshore weather system between the 22nd and 26th, brought showers to the Sydney area with falls of 20mm recorded during this time. Rain fell on 10 days in December, and there was only 1 thunderstorm reported in the Sydney area during the month, well below the average of 4 thunderstorms. Temperatures: Temperatures during December were slightly above average. The hottest day in December was 35.7°C on the 4th, as fires raged to the South and North of the city. The coldest day was on the 10th, when the temperature reached a chilly 16.1°C, the coldest December day in 78 years, and the 8th coldest December day on record. Year 2002The year 2002 in Sydney will be remembered as a very dry year and also a very warm year. Rainfall: Year 2002 was the 19th driest year on record with 860mm of rain (70% of the average, 1223.6mm). Rainfall in February of 348mm, saved the 2002 yearly total from being amongst one of the ten driest years since records began in 1858. The year was highlighted by the severe rainfall deficiencies of the period June to November, when only 132mm (24% of the June to November average, 593mm) was recorded during those 6 months. This was the driest June to November six month total for Sydney. Rain fell on 119 days, well below the average of 137 days. Temperatures: For the second year in succession Sydney recorded a mean temperature of 18.9°C, the equal second warmest year on record alongside 2001 and marginally behind 1988. The average maximum temperature for the year was 23.1°C and is the equal highest on record alongside 2001. The average minimum temperature for the year was 14.6°C. Sydney recorded the least number of days below 20°C ever with 93 days, surpassing the 98 days recorded in 2001. The highest temperature for the year was 37.9°C recorded 2 days in a row on the 25th and 26th of November. The coldest temperature was 4.3°C on the 12th of July, the lowest since 1995. Hours of sunshine were slightly above average, the highest since 1994. Thunderstorms: There were 15 thunderstorms reported at Observatory Hill during 2002. Major damage to western Sydney was sustained by a thunderstorm on the 16th of February with torrential rain and severe winds the main cause. The highest wind gust recorded in the Sydney area was at Bankstown with 96km/h during the thunderstorm on the 16th of February. Climate summary for Sydney,
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December | Year 2002 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Average | 2001 | 2002 | Average | 2001 | |
| Average maximum
temperature (°C) |
25.5 | 25.3* | 26.2 | 23.1 | 22.1* | 23.1 |
| Average minimum
temperature (°C) |
18.0 | 17.8* | 18.5 | 14.6 | 14.1* | 14.7 |
| Mean
temperature (°C) |
21.8 | 21.6* | 22.4 | 18.9 | 18.1* | 18.9 |
| Rain
(mm) |
75.0 | 78.3# | 40.0 | 860.0 | 1223.6+ | 1358.6 |
| Number of
rain days |
10 | 12 | 9 | 119 | 137 | 133 |
| Average daily
sunshine (hours) |
8.0 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 7.1 |
* Long-term temperature averages calculated since 1947.
# Median December rainfall is 56.3mm.
+ Median Yearly rainfall is 1175.2mm.
Graph showing percentage of average monthly rainfall for 2002 in Sydney
Further information:
Neal Moodie, Climate and Consultancy Section, tel: (02) 9296 1555,
e-mail: reqnsw@bom.gov.au
Use Weather by Fax for updates and other products:
NSW Directory 1800 061 439
Sydney Monthly Weather Summary 1902 935 225