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Monday 3 April, 2006

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - WESTERN AUSTRALIA REGIONAL OFFICE

Warm, dry March in Perth

Rainfall below average: The city received 4.6 mm of rainfall over 3 days in March compared with the average of 20 mm over 5 days. It was the driest March since the zero rainfall recorded in March 2004. Historically, March rainfall has ranged from 0.0 mm on 6 occasions to 145.2 mm in 1934. Last March Perth registered 52.2 mm. The wettest day in March 2006 was the 24th when 3.6 mm was recorded. Total rainfall for January to March this year was 53.6 mm, whilst the average is 41 mm.

Mean daily maximum temperature near average: Perth's mean daily maximum temperature in March was 30.1 degrees Celsius, compared with the average of 29.3 degrees. Daily maxima ranged from a mild 19.8 degrees on the 24th to a very hot 37.9 degrees on the 4th and 5th.

Mean daily minimum temperature near average: Perth's mean daily minimum temperature in March was 16.6 degrees Celsius, compared with the average of 16.5 degrees. Minima ranged from a cool 9.4 degrees on the 25th to a warm 24.6 degrees on the 5th.

March monthly mean temperature and sunshine
Element

2006

 Long- term Average

Highest

 Year

Lowest

 Year Records Commence
Maximum
Temperature (°C)
30.1
29.3
31.8
1978
24.4
1927
1897
Minimum
Temperature (°C)
16.6
16.5
20.0
1988
13.5
1900
1897
Sunshine
(hours per day)
9.9
9.4
10.6
2001
5.5
1927
1898
March rainfall and rain days
Element 2006 Long-term Average Highest Year Lowest Year Records Commence
Rainfall (mm)
4.6
20
145.2
1934
0.0
6 years
1876
Rain days
3
5
10
1915
0
6 years
1876

March daily extremes
Element 2006 Date Extreme Date

Records Commence
Highest daily maximum (°C)
37.9
04 & 05/03/2006
42.3
05/03/1990
1897
Lowest daily maximum (°C)
19.8
24/03/2006
16.4
27/03/1968
1897
Highest daily minimum (°C)
24.6
05/03/2006
28.3
02/03/1934
1897
Lowest daily minimum (°C)
9.4
25/03/2006
7.6
24/03/2001
1897
Wettest 24 hours to 9am (mm)
3.6
24/03/2006
77.0
09/03/1934
1876

Climate of Perth in April

Sunny and pleasantly mild days are common in April in the transition period between summer and winter. Wet weather does occur, especially later in the month, and mean rainfall and rain days are about double those of March.

April monthly mean temperatures and sunshine
Element Average Highest Year Lowest Year

Records
Commence
Maximum temperature
(°C)
25.9
28.2
1978/1999
21.0
1968
1897
Minimum temperature
(°C)
13.9
17.3
1978
11.6
1914
1897

Sunshine
(hours per day)
8.1
9.3
1920
4.4
1926
1898
April rainfall and rain days
Element
Average
Highest
Year
Lowest
Year
Records Commence
Rainfall (mm)
44
148.8
1926
0.0
3 years
1876
Rain days
7
19
1926
0
3 years
1876

April daily extremes
Element
Highest
Date
Lowest
Date
Records Commence
Maximum temperature (°C)
37.6
09/04/1910
13.6
16/04/1919
1897
Minimum temperature (°C)
24.4
02/04/1913
4.1
20/04/1914
1897
Rainfall 24 hours to 9am (mm)
69.6
17/04/2002
n/a
n/a
1876

Hot days in April: On average, Perth can expect about two hot days when the maximum temperature is 32 degrees or higher. The greatest number of such hot days in April was eight in 1991.

Latest 35-degree day of the season: The latest maximum temperature of 35.0 degrees or higher in the autumn season occurred on 22 April 1989, with 35.2 degrees.

Cold days in April: Since 1897, Perth has recorded six cold days when the maximum temperature was 15 degrees or lower. They were in 1900, 1919, 1931, 1963 and two days in 1970. The earliest cold day in the year occurred on 15 April 1900, when a maximum temperature of 14.5 degrees was recorded.

April top 10 hottest days
April top 10 coolest days
Position
Date
Max
temp °C
Position
Date
Max
Temp°C
1
09 April 1910
37.6
1
16 April 1919
13.6
2
03 April 1971
37.1
2
23 April 1963
14.0
3
05 April 1906
36.7
3
15 April 1900
14.5
4
10 April 1899
36.3
4
23 April 1931
14.8
5
04 April 2001
36.2
5
21 April 1970
14.9
6
01 April 1937
36.1
6
20 April 1970
15.0
7
07 April 1897
36.0
7
21 April 1980
15.4
7
02 April 1907
36.0
8
29 April 1922
15.9
7
16 April 1972
36.0
8
01 April 2005
15.9
7 04 April 1978 36.0 10 30 April 1904 16.0
-
-
-
 10
20 April 1926
16.0

April top 10 warmest nights
April top 10 coolest nights
Position
Date
Min
temp °C
Position
Date
Min
temp°C
1
02 April 1913
24.4
1
20 April 1914
04.1
2
09 April 1899
23.8
2
28 April 1954
04.6
3
01 April 1989
23.6
3
29 April 2000
04.7
4
14 April 1999
23.4
4
27 April 1960
04.8
5
01 April 1992
23.0
5
23 April 1939
05.2
6
07 April 1897
22.7
5
26 April 1960
05.2
6
15 April 1937
22.7
5
21 April 1996
05.2
8
07 April 1945
22.6
8
29 April 1926
05.6
9 01 April 1990 22.3 9 24 April 1931 05.7
10
12 April 1910
22.2
9
28 April 2003
05.7
10 08 April 1976 22.2 - - -
10
24 April 1987
22.2
 -
-
-

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.

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