Friday 1st September, 2006

MEDIA RELEASE - QUEENSLAND REGIONAL OFFICE

Winter weather summary for Queensland

August rainfall totals were below average over much of the state, with little or no rainfall recorded in western Queensland. Rainfall late in the month led to totals of close to or above average over the southeast, while some modest falls led to above average totals on Cape York Peninsula at this normally dry time of year.

Winter rainfall totals varied across the state. While rainfall winter rainfall averages are generally low for much of Queensland, above average totals were recorded in the northern tropics, much of the Central and Southern coastal fringe and in the far southwest. Parts of western Queensland, the Maranoa and Warrego, the Darling Downs and Granite Belt recorded below average totals.

August maximum temperatures were lower than average over Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf. Elsewhere maximum temperatures were above average, reaching almost 4 degrees higher than normal in parts of the Darling Downs and Maranoa. Winter maximum temperatures were warmer than normal in most parts, though lower than average daytime temperatures were recorded over the Cape, the Gulf and the northwest of the state.

A number of places recorded their highest mean maximum temperatures on record for August. These included:

Cape Moreton Lighthouse with 21.1 C (average 19.7C, 94 years of record);
Mitchell Post Office with 24.4 C (average 21.6 C, 87 years of record);
Taroom Post Office with 26.5 C (average 22.8, 54 years of record);
Brigalow Research Station with 26.1 C (average 23.7 C, 38 years of record); and
Applethorpe with 17.8 C (average 15.3 C, 37 years of record).

New record warm mean maximum temperatures for winter were recorded at:

Taroom Post Office with 23.9 C (average 21.7 C);
Monto Township with 23.3 C (average 21.4 C, 33 years of record);
Cape Moreton Lighthouse with 20.6 C (average 19.4 C); and
Brian Pastures with 24.8 C (average 22.7 C, 34 years of record).

Croyden reported the lowest mean maximum temperature for both August and winter in its 82 years of record. (August mean maximum temperature 29.1 C, average 31.2 C; winter mean maximum temperature 28 C, average 29.9 C)

Overnight minimum temperatures were mixed, with the most significant variations from average occurring in the central and southwest, where overnight temperatures were typically 2 degrees warmer than average, and in the northwest of the state with pockets recording about 2 degrees cooler than normal.

For further information, please contact Ann Farrell on (07)3239 8660 or Tamika Tihema on (07)3239 8662.
After-hour enquiries should be directed to the senior forecaster on (07)3239 8750.

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]