Monday, 2 October 2006

MEDIA RELEASE - QUEENSLAND REGIONAL OFFICE

Some record rainfall during September in the north east of Queensland

A combination of an upper trough moving northward from the southern interior, and moist onshore winds from a high located in the Tasman Sea produced widespread rain and scattered showers in the first week of the month. This developed first in the south, then extended north to affect all eastern districts.

As a result, parts of the south east coast, Capricornia coast, Herbert and north tropical coast received some record daily rainfall totals for the month of September. Some of these include:

Babinda Post Office, with 292mm on 4th (previous record 174.2mm, 94 years of record);
Daintree Tea, with 105mm on the 4th (previous record 95.4mm, 40 years of record);
Upper Stone Exelby, with 151.8mm on the 4th (previous record 53.3mm, 66 years of record);
Ingham Composite, with 133mm on 3rd (previous record 99.8mm, 38 years of record);
Cardwell Marine Pde, with 174.4mm on the 2nd (previous record 96.5mm, 134 years of record);
Paluma Ivy Cottage, with 124mm on the 2nd (previous record 120.5mm, 36 years of record);
Elphinstone Pocket, with 97.2mm on the 2nd (previous record 80.6mm, 50 years of record);
Byfield Childs Road, with 78mm on 1st (previous record 49.5mm, 77 years of record);
Heron Island Res Stn, with 91.8mm on the 1st (previous record 77mm, 46 years of record);
Mt Tamborine Fern St, with 84.8mm on the 1st (previous record 67.4mm, 105 years of record);
Hinze Dam, with 72.2mm on the 1st (previous record 57.5mm, 31 years of record).

A number of stations also broke monthly rainfall records in the northern Peninsula and north tropical coast in September.

Bamaga, with 72mm (average 5.9mm, 29 years of record);
Meringa Sugar Exp Stn, with 130.5mm (average27.8mm, 72 years of record);
Cardwell Marine Parade, with 336mm (average 35.9mm, 134 years of record);
Upper Stony Exelby, with 386.8mm (average 21.8mm, 66 years of record);
Paluma Ivy Cottage, with 366.5mm (average 47.9mm, 36 years of record);
Ingham Composite, with 231.2mm (average 34.2mm, 38 years of record);
Elphinstone Pocket with 250.8mm (average 30.3mm, 50 years of record).

The south west of the state received below to very much below average rainfall for the month, with the remainder of the state receiving average rainfall.

Maximum and minimum temperatures were cooler than average in the north due to heavy cloud cover and rain periods during the month. Average to above average maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded in the south of the state.

For further information, please contact 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/

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