Tuesday 2nd May, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE - QUEENSLAND REGIONAL OFFICE

April rainfall eludes southern Queensland while monsoon brings record falls to the North

Much of Queensland experienced well above average rainfall during April. This was due to continued monsoon activity over northern Australia with severe Tropical Cyclone Monica having a major impact over Cape York Peninsula. A number of longstanding records for April were broken including:

Burketown Post Office with 333.2mm (average 24mm, 115 years of record);
Mt Isa with 168.2 mm (average 17 mm, 40 years of record);
Cairns Aero with 644.8 mm (average 204mm, 64 years of record);
Camooweal with 239mm (average 15 mm, 113 years of record);
Gilberton with 196.3 mm (average 24 mm, 88 years of record) and
Upper Stone with 448.3 mm (average 120 mm, 66 years of record).

Some record daily rainfall totals were reported in association with severe Tropical Cyclone Monica. Mossman South recorded 240.2 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 20th April, the highest daily rainfall total for April in its 97 years of record (previous record 233 mm).

Significant rainfall continued to elude the south of the state, where rainfall totals were generally near or below average. Eumundi had its driest April in 101 years of record, after receiving a total of just 8mm, compared with an average of 153 mm.

As the wet season draws to a close, much of central and southern Queensland has experienced below average rainfall for the season, though above average rainfall was recorded in parts of the southeast, particularly in border districts.

The very active monsoon season brought above average wet season rainfall to much of the Cape York Peninsula and Gulf regions.

In those areas most affected by rainfall during April, daytime maximum temperatures were generally below average while overnight minima were warmer than normal. In southern Queensland, maximum temperatures were generally near to or warmer than average while overnight minima were near average or cooler.

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
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