Wednesday 1st February, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE - QUEENSLAND REGIONAL OFFICE

Hot and dry January for parts of Queensland as monsoon brings rain to the North

The arrival of the monsoon over northern Australia brought heavy rainfall to much of the northern tropics during January, and led to the formation of Queensland’s first Tropical Cyclone (Jim) for the season. Drier conditions prevailed over the central and western inland however, with rainfall totals less than half the January average in many places.

Bollon and Windorah recorded no rainfall at all during January. Other places that were well below average include Longreach with 14mm (less than a fifth of their average of 76mm), Isisford with 19mm compared to an average of 69mm, Boulia with 22mm compared to an average of 47mm, and Charleville with 22mm compared with an average of 71mm.

Some of the higher monthly totals recorded were at Mornington Island with 924.2mm (average 322mm), Mossman 734.8mm (average 450mm), Lockhart River 733.2mm (average 401mm) and Cape Tribulation with 693mm (average 589mm).

In the southeast of the state, rainfall was close to or above average near the coast, but apart from those places that picked up some thunderstorm falls, totals were below average away from the coast.

Daytime temperatures were above average (except for the far north, where monsoon rainfall kept daytime temperatures cooler) and overnight minima were warmer than normal almost throughout. Taking the state as a whole, the January overnight minimum temperature was the warmest on record, and the mean temperature was the second warmest on record.

At the start of the month, some parts of the west recorded overnight minima of up to 10 degrees warmer than normal. Charleville had a record hot night for any month with a minimum temp of 31.2C on the 4th, and Boulia’s overnight low of 34.4C on the 5th was the warmest night in its 112 years of record.

Windorah’s average minimum of 28.9C was 4.9 degrees higher than usual, and the warmest in their 72 years of record.

Other places with new record average minimum temperatures for the month include Tambo (24C, average 20.3C), Isisford (26.7C, average 22.9C), Longreach (25.7C, average 23.0C), Winton (26.8C, average 23.4C), Boulia (27.8C, average 24.4C), Mitchell (23.3C, average 19.9C), Charleville (25.8C, average 21.7C), Cunnamulla (26.7C, average 22.1C) and Quilpie (27.7C, average 23.7C).

Although the cyclone season is off to a rather slow start, further bursts of the monsoon will be seen in the coming months. When these occur, tropical cyclones are more likely to form and seasonal rain will be more intense and widespread. With a continuation of the neutral climate pattern, at least another 2 or 3 cyclones are expected in the Queensland and Coral Sea area before the season is out. Today marks the 20th anniversary of Severe Tropical Cyclone WINIFRED impacting the north Queensland coast.

For further information, please contact Ann Farrell on (07)32398660.
After-hour enquiries should be directed to the senior forecaster on (07)32398750.

The latest temperature/rainfall maps and seasonal outlooks for Queensland are available at
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/austmaps/
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/

World Wide Web www.bom.gov.au
Weather by Fax 1800 630 100 [Free Call Directory]