Australian Government - Bureau of Meteorology Home | About Us | Contacts | Help | Feedback |

Global | Australia | NSW | Vic. | Qld | WA | SA | Tas. | ACT | NT | Ant. |
Weather & Warnings | Hydrology | Climate | Numerical Prediction | About Services | Learn About Meteorology | Registered User Services |

Wednesday, 1 February 2006

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - WESTERN AUSTRALIA REGIONAL OFFICE

A cool January for Perth

Rainfall above average: The city received 28.4 millimetres of rainfall over 6 days in January compared with the average of 9 mm over 2 days. Historically, January rainfall has ranged from 0.0 mm on 12 occasions since 1876, to 139.0 mm in 2000. Last January Perth registered no rainfall.

Mean daily maximum temperature well below average: Perth's mean daily maximum temperature in January was 28.8 degrees Celsius, which is the lowest mean daily maximum temperature since the 28.1 degrees in 1990, compared to the average maximum temperature of 30.6 degrees. Daily maxima ranged from a mild 21.6 degrees on the 12th, the lowest daily maximum temperature for Perth in January since 2000, to a hot 37.9 degrees on the 6th.

Following the record low December mean maximum temperature in Perth, the continuing below average temperatures in January have made this the coolest first two months of summer (December-January), in terms of maximum temperatures, since 1922/23.

Mean daily minimum temperature near average: Perth's mean daily minimum temperature in January was 17.0 degrees Celsius, compared with the average of 17.8 degrees. Minima ranged from a cool 12.1 degrees on the 1st to a warm 22.6 degrees on the 24th.

Mean daily sunshine hours well below average: Perth's mean daily sunshine hours in January was 10.1 hours, the least sunshine for January since the 9.6 hours in 2000, compared with the average of 11.7 hours.

January monthly mean temperature and sunshine
Element

2006

 Long- term Average

Highest

 Year

Lowest

 Year Records Commence
Maximum
Temperature (°C)
28.8
30.6
34.4
1962
26.3
1939
1897
Minimum Temperature (°C)
17.0
17.8
20.9
1978
15.6
3 years
1897
Sunshine
(hours per day)
10.1
11.7
12.6
1974
8.3
1920
1898
January rainfall and rain days
Element 2006 Long-term Average Highest Year Lowest Year Records Commence
Rainfall (mm)
28.4
9
139.0
2000
0.0
12 years
1876
Rain days
6
2
8
1916/90
0
12 years
1876

January daily extremes
Element 2006 Date Extreme Date

Records Commence
Highest daily maximum (°C)
37.9
06/01/2006
45.8
31/01/1991
1897
Lowest daily maximum (°C)
21.6
12/01/2006
19.7
19/01/1939
1897
Highest daily minimum (°C)
22.6
24/01/2006
27.8
21/01/1989
1897
Lowest daily minimum (°C)
12.1
01/01/2006
8.9
25/01/2001
1897
Wettest 24 hours to 9am (mm)
15.0
13/01/2006
104.0
22/01/2000
1876

Climate of Perth in February

Like January, February in Perth is typically sunny and warm to hot, though day-time temperatures are slightly higher than those in January on average. A mean of 12 mm of rainfall occurs over two days during the month.
February monthly mean temperatures and sunshine
Element Average Highest Year Lowest Year

Records
Commence
Maximum temperature (°C)
31.2
35.1
1985
26.5
1926
1897
Minimum temperature (°C)
18.0
22.7
1985
15.6
1931
1897

Sunshine
(hours per day)
11.1
12.0
3 years
7.7
1955
1898
February monthly rainfall and rain days
Element
Average
Highest
Year
Lowest
Year
Records Commence
Rainfall (mm)
12
166.3
1955
0.0
17 years
1876
Rain days
2
8
3 years
0
17 years
1876

February daily extremes
Element
Highest
Date
Lowest
Date
Records Commence
Maximum temperature
(°C)
46.2
23/02/1991
19.0
17/02/1914
1897
Minimum temperature
(°C)
29.3
* 3 years
8.7
01/02/1902
1897
Rainfall 24 hours to 9am (mm)
120.6
09/02/1992
n/a
n/a
1876

* Denotes the highest February minimum temperature on record occurred on the following dates: 6 February 1898, 8 February 1933 and 3 February 1962.

Very hot days in February: On average, Perth can expect one day when the maximum temperature is 40 degrees or higher. The highest number of very hot days in February was four in both 1933 and 1985. The last time Perth recorded a very hot February day was on 15 February 2005 when 42.0 degrees was recorded.

Hot days in February: On average, Perth can expect 12 days when the maximum temperature is 32 degrees or higher. The highest number of hot days in February was 23 in 1996. That year also saw the second highest mean maximum temperature for February: 34.6 degrees.

February top 10 hottest
February top 10 coolest
Position
Date
Max
temp °C
Position
Date
Max
temp°C
1
23 February 1991
46.2
1
17 February 1914
19.0
2
08 February 1933
44.6
2
10 February 1917
19.6
3
26 February 1997
44.5
2
15 February 1955
19.6
4
07 February 1933
44.3
4
07 February 1929
19.8
5
04 February 1982
44.0
5
17 February 1897
19.9
6
08 February 1940
43.8
5
25 February 1908
19.9
7
25 February 1985
43.7
7
14 February 1982
20.0
8
25 February 1934
42.7
8
14 February 1955
20.3
8
20 February 1977
42.7
9
25 February 1991
20.4
8
01 February 1997
42.7
 10
15 February 1919
20.5

February top 10 warmest nights
February top 10 coolest nights
Position
Date
Min
temp °C
Position
Date
Min
temp°C
1
06 February 1898
29.3
1
01 February 1902
08.7
1
08 February 1933
29.3
2
01 February 1913
09.4
1
03 February 1962
29.3
2
18 February 1914
09.4
4
26 February 1997
29.0
2
25 February 1935
09.4
5
20 February 1948
28.9
5
02 February 1927
09.5
6
21 February 1955
28.5
6
16 February 1919
09.7
7
04 February 1982
27.7
7
16 February 1922
10.0
7
17 February 2004
27.7
8
18 February 1897
10.1
9
14 February 1985
27.5
8
03 February 1938
10.1
10
25 February 1985
27.3
 10
07 February 1908
10.2
-
-
-
 10
08 February 1929
10.2

Note: Official Perth observations have been recorded at several different sites with varying instrumentation over the years, and these changes can affect the continuity of the climate record. For the current Mt Lawley site, the most significant changes of this kind relate to temperature and rain days. For that reason, current mean temperature and rain-day data quoted here are based only on readings from the Mt Lawley site, which commenced observations in 1993. Sunshine recordings are from Perth Airport and for similar reasons current means use only Perth Airport data, which commenced in 1993.

Further information:
John Relf (JR), or John Cramb tel: (08) 9263 2222 on weekdays.

Home | About Us | Learn about Meteorology | Contacts | Search | Help | Feedback
Weather and Warnings | Climate | Hydrology | Numerical Prediction | About Services | Registered Users
© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia 2009, Bureau of Meteorology (ABN 92 637 533 532)
Please note the Copyright Notice and Disclaimer statements relating to the use of the information on this site and our site Privacy and Accessibility statements. Users of these web pages are deemed to have read and accepted the conditions described in the Copyright, Disclaimer, and Privacy statements. Please also note the Acknowledgement notice relating to the use of information on this site. No unsolicited commercial email.