Tuesday 4th July, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE - QUEENSLAND REGIONAL OFFICE

June weather summary for Queensland

With June usually being one of the drier months of the year in Queensland, there were few surprises in the rainfall recorded across the state during the month.

Rainfall amounts were generally low, with a few exceptions along the coastal fringe and southern interior. In the far west, many places received little or no rain.

Rainfall totals of between 150mm and 200mm were recorded in many coastal areas from the Capricornia to the Southeast Coast, which is between 2 to 4 times the average. Rainfall amounts tended to decrease rapidly away from the coast.

In the far north, above average rainfall was reported along the coast between Cairns and Ingham, with places in the Innisfail to Babinda area reporting the highest totals in the state. These include 376.3mm at Babinda, 383mm at Daradgee and 349mm at Innisfail. The long-term June average rainfall is about 200mm in this area.

One of the more significant rain events was associated with an upper trough system, which produced some record daily rainfall totals for June in the 24 hours to 9am on the 11th. These included Rockhampton with 85.5mm (wettest June day in 68 years of record), Rosedale with 149.4 (108 years of record) and Rockley with 103mm (67 years of record).

Palmerville on Cape York Peninsula recorded 66mm on the same day, which is the highest June daily rainfall total in its 117 years of record, and more than 5 times the average June rainfall total of 12mm.

While the monthly rainfall totals of between 50 and 80 mm recorded in parts of the Central Highlands and Warrego were above average for June, this was insufficient to remove the rainfall deficiencies since the start of the year for much of this area.

Rainfall for the first 6 months of the year was above average over most of the tropics, but remained below average in the south with severe rainfall deficiencies over this period in parts of the Wide Bay/Burnett and Channel Country.

Mean maximum and minimum June temperatures were mostly within 1 degree of average across the state.

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]