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Thursday, 1 September 2005

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - TASMANIA

Record highs and record lows - Tasmania in August 2005

Westerly winds and cold fronts were the main influence on Tasmania's weather during August. Record high and record low temperatures were reported, along with snow to low levels, record high rainfalls, flooding and very strong winds.

Flooding rains end the month in the north: Very heavy rain fell in the north late in the month, especially in the early morning of the 31st. Breona (on the north of Great Lake) received 250.8 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 31st. This is the heaviest August daily rainfall total recorded in Tasmania. Several other sites also received record-breaking daily rainfalls, as listed below.
The heavy rain at in the last two days of the month caused major flooding in the Meander and North Esk Rivers, moderate flooding in the Mersey and upper South Esk rivers, and very strong flows in many other northern rivers. It also ensured that many sites in the north received over 200 mm for the month, and some had their wettest ever August, as listed below.
Rainy conditions were very common in the west of the State right through August, with most sites their recording over 300 mm. In the southeast rainfall was much lighter, with totals close to 40 mm common.

Cold outbreak brings snow to sea level: A cold outbreak brought snow to sea level in the southeast on the 10th and 11th, closing several major roads. It was the most significant snowfall in Tasmania since 1994, although the depth was not great and it melted quite quickly in most areas.
Several sites had their lowest-ever August maximum temperature. The temperature did not rise above -5.0 °C on Mount Wellington on the 11th, giving it the lowest maximum temperature ever recorded in Tasmania. The lowest minimum temperature was -7.4 °C, which is still much warmer than the  -13 °C recorded at several sites in June 1983.

Record warm nights in the southeast: Many nights were much warmer than normal.
The minimum temperature at Grove (in the southeast) in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 30th was 16.1 °C. This is the highest August minimum temperature ever recorded in Tasmania. The table below shows that many sites in the southeast of the State had their warmest ever August night.

Some very warm days: Temperatures near 20 °C at the start of the month were unseasonably warm, and there was more to follow in the final week of the month. It was especially warm in the north on the 24th, and in the southeast on the 29th, with several sites registering their highest-ever August temperatures, as listed below.


Included in this summary are a table of State extremes, some more details, some new records, and summaries for sites across the State. A summary for the whole of winter 2005 is also available.

Further information

Ian Barnes-Keoghan
Meteorologist, Climate Services Section
Tasmania and Antarctica Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au

Extremes

Weather extremes during August 2005
Highest temperature
Hottest day		 23.7 °C Geeveston on 29th
Highest mean daily maximum temperature
Warmest days on average		 16.1 °C Bicheno
and Scamander
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature
Coolest days on average		 3.9 °C Mount Read
Lowest daily maximum temperature
Coldest day		 -5.0 °C Mount Wellington on 11th
Lowest temperature
Coldest night		 -7.4 °C Mount Wellington on 11th
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature
Coldest nights on average		 -1.2 °C Mount Wellington
Highest mean daily minimum temperature
Mildest nights on average		 8.8 °C King Island Airport
Highest daily minimum
Warmest night		 16.1 °C Grove (old site) on 30th
Highest total rainfall
Wettest overall		 464.6 mm Cradle Valley (Waldheim)
Lowest total rainfall
Driest overall		 30.0 mm Maria Island (Point Lesueur)
Highest daily rainfall
Wettest day		 250.8 mm Breona (Lower Haulage Road) on 31st
Strongest wind gust
154 km/h
Cape Grim at 2 pm on 31st

Records

Note: for brevity, only sites with at least 20 years of observations are shown in the tables below. Several shorter-term records were also broken.

Record Highest Total Rainfall for August

Total rainfall
for August 2005 (mm) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Westbury 201.8 181.7
in 1981
 28
Launceston 183.6 162.1
in 1981
 26

Highest Total Rainfall for 20 or more years for August

Total rainfall
for August 2005 (mm) 		Most recent higher
for August
Launceston Airport (old site)
 222.8 229.2
in 1936
Latrobe 222.8 229.4
in 1955
Frankford 249.4 297.3
in 1968
Forthside210.0 239.0
in 1970
Port Davey 350.4 379.1
in 1954
Lake Leake 146.8 162.8
in 1984
Devonport Airport 153.8 161.8
in 1984


Record Highest Daily Rainfall for August

Highest daily rainfall
in August 2005
(mm in 24 hours to 9 am) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Frankford (Rossville) 90.5
on 31st
 66.5
on 14th in 1962
 106
Lilydale Post Office 76.2
on 31st
 61.5
on 22nd in 1954
 101
Latrobe (Coal Road) 70.2
on 31st
 63.5
on 14th in 1962
 94
Launceston Airport (old site) 84.4
on 31st
 50.8
on 5th in 1936
 75
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) 58.2
on 31st
 55.4
on 22nd in 1988
 35
Westbury (Birralee Road) 66.0
on 31st
 48.0
on 16th in 1986
 28
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 65.4
on 31st
 42.4
on 5th in 1990
 26
Campbell Town (Elizabeth River) 55.6
on 31st
 41.9
on 3rd in 1969
 24


Record Highest Mean Daily Maximum Temperature for August

Mean daily maximum
temperature
for August 2005 (°C) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Bicheno 16.1 15.7
in 1993
 31

Highest Mean Daily Maximum Temperature for at least 20 years for August

Mean daily maximum
temperature
for August 2005 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for August
Bushy Park 15.0 15.9
in 1949
Hobart Airport 15.1 16.0
in 1982
Swansea Post Office 16.0 17.0
in 1982


Record Highest Temperature for August

Highest temperature
in August 2005 (°C) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Bushy Park 23.3
on 29th
 22.5
on 26th in 1977
 70
Burnie 18.9
on 24th
 18.8
on 7th in 1982
 56
Scottsdale 18.9
on 24th
 18.7
on 26th in 1977
 26
Mount Wellington 12.0
on 29th
 11.6
on 28th in 1998
 24
Tarraleah Village 18.5
on 28th
 18.2
on 26th in 2004
 24


Record Lowest Daily Maximum Temperature for August

Lowest daily maximum
temperature
in August 2005 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for August 		Years of
record
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse 5.0
on 10th
 5.9
on 13th in 2004
 70
Mount Wellington -5.0
on 11th
 -4.4
on 2nd in 1994
 24
Wynyard Airport 8.0
on 10th
 8.3
on 1st in 2004
 20


Record Highest Mean Daily Minimum Temperature for August

Mean daily minimum
temperature
for August 2005 (°C) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Grove 5.2 = 5.2
in 1983
 49
Hobart Airport 6.4 6.2
in 1980
 48
Tarraleah Village 2.8 2.1
in 1999
 24

Highest Mean Daily Minimum Temperature for at least 20 years for August

Mean daily minimum
temperature
for August 2005 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for August
Swansea Post Office 5.7 6.0
in 1969
Flinders Island Airport 8.5 8.6
in 1982
Bushy Park 3.4 4.1
in 1983
Hobart 6.9 7.0
in 1983
Strathgordon Village 4.5 5.2
in 1983


Record Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for August

Highest daily minimum
temperature
in August 2005 (°C) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Hobart 15.0
on 30th
 14.4
on 19th in 1885
 124
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 15.0
on 30th
 13.0
on 15th in 1983
 82
Launceston Airport Comparison 11.0
on 30th
 10.5
on 29th in 1969
 66
Burnie 12.7
on 30th
 12.2
on 28th in 1969
 56
Grove 16.1
on 30th
 14.2
on 15th in 1983
 49
Hobart Airport 14.3
on 30th
 12.2
on 28th in 1994
 48
Orford 11.5
on 30th
 11.4
on 4th in 2003
 37
Marrawah 12.5
on 29th
 = 12.5
on 26th in 1977
 35
Mount Wellington 5.9
on 30th
 5.3
on 11th in 1963
 24
Tarraleah Village 10.1
on 30th
 9.5
on 16th in 1983
 24
Scamander 12.6
on 19th
 12.3
on 11th in 2002
 22
Wynyard Airport 12.4
on 30th
 11.7
on 31st in 1993
 20

Summaries

Summary statistics for August 2005


 Maximum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Rainfall
for August
(mm)
Mean for 2005 Difference from normal Highest for 2005 Mean for 2005 Difference from normal Lowest for 2005 Total for 2005 Normal total Ranking
Hobart 14.5 +1.5 22.0 6.9 +1.7 1.3 47 53 normal
Launceston 14.1 +0.4 19.2 3.8 +0.3 -3.1 184 85 highest
Burnie 13.9 +0.8 18.9 7.0 +1.0 1.4 157 112 high
Devonport
 13.4 +0.4 16.6 5.8 +0.9 0.6 154 92 high
Swansea 16.0 +1.9 23.1 5.7 +1.4 -0.2 43 44 normal
Strahan
 13.2 0 21.2 6.9 +1.1 0.8 259 170 very high
Strathgordon
 10.5 +0.6 20.5 4.5 +1.2 -1.4 404 287 high
King Island Airport 13.8 +0.3 19.5 8.8 +1.2 2.3 118 115 normal
Flinders Island Airport 14.5 +0.8 20.8 8.5 +2.0 1.7 84 76 normal
Bicheno 16.1 +1.6 21.7 6.7 +0.4 1.4 33 50 normal
Bridport 13.8 +0.1 18.3 5.7 0 -1.0 114 84 high
Bull Bay 14.2 +0.9 19.5 6.6 +0.6 0.0 51 59 normal
Bushy Park 15.0 +2.0 23.3 3.4 +1.0 -1.4 50 54 normal
Campania 15.2
20.9 5.4
-0.3 39

Cape Bruny Lighthouse 13.0 +1.2 19.4 7.4 +1.2 1.6 141 93 high
Cape Grim
 12.8 0 16.4 8.6 +0.2 3.0 85 86 normal
Cressy 13.1
18.1 3.3
-2.3 170

Dover 14.1 +1.1 22.6 5.8 +2.1 0.1 102 89 normal
Eddystone Point 14.8 +1.3 17.7 7.5 +0.4 0.8 42 72 low
Fingal 14.1 +1.0 19.8 1.6 +0.6 -3.9 76 59 high
Friendly Beaches 16.0
23.5 7.2
1.0 33

Geeveston 13.8 +0.9 23.7 5.6 +3.1 0.2 110 99 normal
Grove (old site)
 14.4 +1.4 23.5 5.2 +2.6 -1.9 68 78 normal
Grove
 14.1
22.7 4.7
-2.2 69

Hartz Mountain 6.7
16.2 1.7
-4.4 104

Hobart Airport 15.1 +1.8 21.3 6.4 +1.9 -0.1 33 48 low
Lake Leake 10.1 +0.8 16.9 1.8 +1.3 -4.8 147 77 very high
Lake St Clair8.7 +0.6 16.7 1.2 +1.3 -4.0 284 243 normal
Launceston Airport 13.4
19.3 3.4
-3.6 213

Launceston Airport (old site)
 12.7 +0.7 18.3 4.1 +1.1 -3.2 223 79 very high
Liawenee 6.9
14.4 -0.4
-6.4 176

Low Head 13.2
15.5 8.2
3.0 131

Luncheon Hill 11.0
17.9 5.0
-0.7 243

Maatsuyker Island
 11.3 +0.1 19.7 6.9 +0.5 1.3 201 124 very high
Maria Island 14.3
18.9 7.9
1.8 30

Marrawah 13.0 +0.3 17.2 8.0 +1.1 2.5 149 130 normal
Maydena12.4 +0.4 22.1 3.7 +1.4 -1.6 149 155 normal
Melton Mowbray 13.4
21.3 4.7
-1.3 45

Moogara 10.3 +0.8 19.0 3.1 +1.1 -2.6 92 106 low
Mount Read 3.9
12.0 0.0
-5.0 428

Mount Wellington 4.0 +1.6 12.0 -1.2 +0.7 -7.4 32 80 low
Orford 14.9 +1.0 20.4 5.3 +1.2 -1.0 45 62 normal
Ouse14.7
22.2 3.6
-1.9 56

Powranna 13.0 +0.6 18.4 4.2 +1.5 -2.0 156 66 highest
Ross 12.9 +0.5 17.9 3.3 +1.3 -2.3 123 49 highest
Scamander 16.1 +1.5 22.2 5.8 +0.8 0.5 63 61 normal
Scotts Peak Dam 10.0
19.5 4.1
-1.2 257

Scottsdale 13.0 +0.5 18.9 3.9 +0.1 -3.8 183 120 high
Sheffield11.8
17.7 4.1
-1.0 191

Smithton
 13.6
16.6 5.9
-1.5 142

St Helens
 15.0
20.9 5.6
-0.6 64

Swan Island 13.7
17.6 8.4
2.6 64

Tarraleah
 10.4 +1.0 18.5 2.8 +2.1 -5.0 132 124 normal
Tasman Island 12.1
16.7 6.8
-0.2 87

Tunnack11.1
15.9 3.0
-3.0 53

Warra 10.0
20.3 3.8
-2.2 219

Wynyard
 13.9 +0.9 17.6 4.4 +0.5 -2.4 162 109 high

Note

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11 am on Thursday 1 September 2005. Although many checks have been done, it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

"Normals" are based on all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site . Sites without normals shown do no have sufficient record for them to be calculated reliably.

The "Ranking" indicates about where rainfall this time ranks in the climate record for the site.

Further information

Ian Barnes-Keoghan
Meteorologist, Climate Services Section
Tasmania and Antarctica Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au


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