Monday, 2 February 2004

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - TASMANIA (UPDATED)

Wet and cool - Tasmania - January 2004

January rainfall was very much above normal for most of the State, with many places recording record high totals. The bulk of the rain fell in a few days towards the end of the month. A number of locations reported record high daily rainfall in this event. Temperatures tended to be below average.

A table of State extremes, some more details, some new records, and summaries for sites across the State appear below.

Further information

Climate and Consultancy Section
Tasmania and Antarctica Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au

Extremes

Weather extremes during January 2004
Highest temperature
Hottest day		 35.0 °C Campania on 20th
Highest mean daily maximum temperature
Warmest days on average		 23.0 °C Cressy Research Station
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature
Coolest days on average		 10.3 °C Mount Read
Lowest daily maximum temperature
Coldest day		 4.7 °C Mount Wellington on 8th
Lowest temperature
Coldest night		 -3.9 °C Liawenee on 19th
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature
Coldest nights on average		 2.6 °C Mount Wellington
Highest mean daily minimum temperature
Mildest nights on average		 13.5 °C Swan Island
Highest daily minimum
Warmest night		 16.5 °C Bicheno on 3rd
and Swan Island on 3rd
Highest total rainfall
Wettest overall		 555.2 mm Gray
Highest daily rainfall
Wettest day		 234.2 mm Gray on 29th

Details

Much of the month was quite dry with scattered rain reported on only a handful of days. However widespread heavy rain started on the 27th and lasted for several days. Heaviest falls were in the north and east, with many places reporting records for daily and/or monthly rainfall. Numerous rivers and streams in that area were affected by flooding.

Apart from a couple of days at the start of the month and around the 20th (the warmest day across the State), daily maximum temperatures were generally below normal. As a result, for most places averaged maxima for the month were below the long-term average for January, in some cases by over 3 °C. They were nearer to normal along the eastern seaboard.
 
Minimum temperatures were mosly below normal, especially around the 18th and 19th.There were a few mild nights at the beginning and end of the month. Monthly averaged minima were below normal with few exceptions, typically by 1 to 2 °C.  


Records

Records are only shown for sites that have reported for at least 30 years. There were many more for sites with shorter histories.

Record Highest Daily Rainfall for Any Month

Highest daily rainfall
in January 2004 (mm) 		Previous highest rainfall
 (mm)
 Years of
record
Dunorlan 150 on 28th
 92
on 23 Sep1998
 54
Devonport
 95
on 28th
 78
on 23 Sep1988
 43
Western Creek
 156
on 28th
 95
on 4 May 1997
41


Record Highest Daily Rainfall for January

Highest daily rainfall
in January 2004 (mm) 		Previous highest rainfall
for January (mm)
 Years of
record
Frankford 105
on 28th
 57
on 2 Jan 1899
 104
St Marys
 163
on 29th
 159
on 5 Jan 2000
 98
Latrobe
 89
on 28th
 66
on 20 Jan 1942
 94
Ulverstone
 76
on 28th
 64
on 25 Jan 1991
 92
Mole Creek
 94
on 28th
 = 94
on 16 Jan 1945
 89
Waddamana
 59
on 28th
 53
on 15 Jan 1938
 79
Victoria Valley
 52
on 28th
 48
on 5 Jan 1992
 68
Tarraleah
 67
on 28th
 45
on 28 Jan 1971
 66
Lorinna
 105
on 28th
 75
on 2 Jan 1937
 50
Gray
 234
on 29th
 195
on 25 Jan 1991
 41
Barrington
 94
on 28th
 49
on 25 Jan 1991
 40
Forthside
 108
on 28th
 62
on 25 Jan 1991
 39
Gowrie Park
 79
on 28th
 70
on 10 Jan 1972
 37


Record Highest Total Rainfall for January

Total rainfall
for January 2004 (mm) 		Previous highest
for January 		Years of
record
Frankford 196 157
in 1996
 111
Latrobe 161 134
in 1938
 104
Cape Barren Island 200 150
in 1998
 86
Waddamana 186 127
in 1937
 78
Gladstone 213 194
in 1995
 77
Victoria Valley 162 143
in 1937
 67
Woodbridge 130 124
in 1997
 53
Devonport Airport 162 117
in 1979
 41
Forthside 165 155
in 1996
 39
Barrington 199 184
in 1996
 38
Gray 555 324
in 1991
 33
Scottsdale 141 134
in 1991
 32


Record Lowest Temperature for January

Lowest temperature
in January 2004 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for January 		Years of
record
Bushy Park 0.2
on 19th
 0.6
on 24th in 2000
 70


Summaries

Summary statistics for January 2004

Maximum temperatures
for January
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for January
(°C)		 Rainfall
for January
(mm)
Mean for 2004 Difference from normal Highest for 2004 Mean for 2004 Difference from normal Lowest for 2004 Total for 2004 Normal total
Hobart 21.1 -0.4 33.9 11.6 -0.2 6.0 72 48
Launceston 22.1 -2.0 28.0 10.9 -1.2 5.0 128 49
Burnie 20.3 -0.7 24.4 11.5 -1.1 5.2 55 44
Devonport Airport 19.8 -1.2 24.5 10.4 -1.9 5.1 162 42
Swansea 21.8 -0.4 33.1 11.2 -0.5 5.4 177 49
Strathgordon 16.5 -2.8 26.3 8.5 -1.1 3.3 235 148
King Island Airport 18.7 -2.0 24.3 11.2 -1.3 3.4 39 38
Flinders Island Airport 20.6 -1.3 31.8 12.9 -0.3 5.7 57 47
Bicheno 21.2 +0.1 27.8 11.7 -1.1 6.7 200 52
Bridport 20.6 -1.4 26.5 10.7 -2.6 4.9 124 66
Bull Bay 20.5 -0.8 33.5 11.3 -1.0 6.0 90 51
Bushy Park 22.5 -1.2 33.8 9.1 -1.0 0.2 42 41
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 17.7 -0.5 29.0 11.1 -0.2 6.6 68 62
Cape Grim BAPS 18.1 -0.9 23.0 12.4 -0.9 8.0 36 37
Dover 19.2 -1.3 32.1 9.7 -0.4 3.5 95 55
Fingal 21.6 -1.5 29.7 8.4 -1.9 2.3 137 44
Geeveston 19.3 -2.3 31.5 9.9 +0.3 2.4 107 56
Grove 20.5 -1.8 33.0 9.5 +0.2 1.1 98 47
Hobart Airport 21.7 -0.7 34.5 11.1 -0.8 5.1 57 41
Lake Leake 17.5 -1.4 26.8 6.7 -1.6 -0.3 120 55
Lake St Clair 16.1 -3.3 24.5 6.0 -0.2 2.4 207 100
Launceston Airport 21.7 -1.5 28.8 9.0 -1.2 1.2 134 44
Luncheon Hill 18.1 -2.8 26.0 8.4 -2.2 3.2 149
Maatsuyker Island 15.0 -2.2 24.7 9.8 -0.8 5.6 77 80
Marrawah 18.5 -1.5 23.8 11.2 -0.6 5.7 74 49
Maydena 19.1 -3.4 30.4 7.9 -1.0 0.9 148 59
Mount Wellington 11.1 -2.0 22.4 2.6 -2.2 -2.2 339 77
Orford 20.9 -1.0 31.5 11.3 -0.4 5.5 147 49
Port Arthur 18.2 -0.4 28.4 9.8 -1.0 5.5 146 87
Powranna 22.3 -1.6 30.0 8.6 -2.0 2.6 88 68
Ross 22.5 -1.3 30.4 8.5 -2.0 1.3 81 57
Scamander 21.4 -0.4 31.8 12.0 -0.4 6.2 213 42
Scottsdale 20.9 -1.8 26.7 9.1 -1.6 3.2 141 62
Strahan 18.7 -2.4 27.2 9.9 -0.8 4.5 124 88
Swan Island 18.9 -1.1 21.8 13.2 -1.2 9.1 209
 39
Tarraleah 16.9 -2.3 26.2 6.1 -0.9 -0.8 180 70
Wynyard Airport
 20.6 -0.4 25.4 8.7 -2.4 1.7 66 42

NB  Statistics are based on data available at 2 February 2004 and are subject to verification.

Further information

Climate and Consultancy Section
Tasmania and Antarctica Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au