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Monday, 1 May 2006

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - WESTERN AUSTRALIA REGIONAL OFFICE

Cool and dry April in Perth

Rainfall below average: The city received 25.4 mm of rainfall over 7 days in April compared with the average of 44 mm over 7 days. Historically, April rainfall has ranged from 0.0 mm on 3 occasions to 148.8 mm in 1926. Last April Perth registered 27.8 mm on 7 days. The wettest day in April 2006 was the 26th when 12.4 mm was recorded. Total rainfall for January to April this year was 79.0 mm, whilst the average is 85 mm.

Mean daily maximum temperature well below average: Perth's mean daily maximum temperature in April was 23.3 degrees Celsius, compared with the average of 25.9 degrees. This was the lowest mean daily maximum temperature for April since the 23.1 degrees in 1980. Daily maxima ranged from a cool 17.0 degrees on the 26th to a warm 31.5 degrees on the 21st.

Mean daily minimum temperature well below average: Perth's mean daily minimum temperature in April was 11.7 degrees Celsius, compared with the average of 13.9 degrees. This was the lowest mean daily minimum temperature recorded for April at the official Perth metropolitan observation site at Mt Lawley. Minima ranged from a cool 6.1 degrees on the 18th to a mild 16.5 degrees on the 9th.

April monthly mean temperature and sunshine
Element

2006

 Long- term Average

Highest

 Year

Lowest

 Year Records Commence
Maximum
Temperature (°C)
23.3
25.9
28.2
1978/99
21.0
1968
1897
Minimum
Temperature (°C)
11.7
13.9
17.3
1978
11.6
1914
1897
Sunshine
(hours per day)
8.8
8.1
9.3
1920
4.4
1926
1898
April rainfall and rain days
Element 2006 Long-term Average Highest Year Lowest Year Records Commence
Rainfall (mm)
25.4
44
148.8
1926
0.0
3 years
1876
Rain days
7
7
19
1926
0
3 years
1876

April daily extremes
Element 2006 Date Extreme Date

Records Commence
Highest daily maximum (°C)
31.5
21/04/2006
37.6
09/04/1910
1897
Lowest daily maximum (°C)
17.0
26/04/2006
13.6
16/04/1919
1897
Highest daily minimum (°C)
16.5
09/04/2006
24.4
02/04/1913
1897
Lowest daily minimum (°C)
6.1
18/04/2006
4.1
20/04/1914
1897
Wettest 24 hours to 9am (mm)
12.4
26/04/2006
69.6
17/04/2002
1876

Climate of Perth in May

Rainfall shows a dramatic increase in May as cold fronts become more common. However, pleasantly mild days with cool nights also occur and on average there are almost seven hours of sunshine per day.

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

Records
Commence
Maximum temperature
(°C)
22.3
24.0
2003
18.7
1931/56
1897
Minimum temperature
(°C)
11.0
13.8
1972
8.8
2000
1897

Sunshine
(hours per day)
6.7
7.9
2000
3.4
1905
1898
May rainfall and rain days
Element
Average
Highest
Year
Lowest
Year
Records Commence
Rainfall (mm)
120
308.1
1879
14.1
1964
1876
Rain days
12
25
1921
5
1913
1876

May daily extremes
Element
Highest
Date
Lowest
Date
Records Commence
Maximum temperature (°C)
34.3
01/05/2002
11.5
23/05/1995
1897
Minimum temperature (°C)
20.8
01/05/1983
1.3
11/05/1914
1897
Rainfall 24 hours to 9am (mm)
76.2
17/05/1942
n/a
n/a
1876

Cold days in May: On average Perth has one cold day when the maximum temperature is 15 degrees or lower. The greatest number of such days was three in 1936. The most recent cold day Perth recorded in May was 11.5 degrees on 23 May 1995, the coldest May day on record.

Latest 30-degree day of the season: On average Perth experiences one day in May when the maximum temperature is 30 degrees or higher. The latest 30-degree day in the autumn season occurred on 9 May 1962, with exactly 30 degrees recorded.

Latest 32-degree day of the season: Hot days are very rare in May with only one in every five years on average. The latest maximum temperature of 32 degrees or greater occurred on 3 May 1907, with 32.2 degrees registered.

May top 10 hottest days
May top 10 coldest days
Position
Date
Max
Temp °C
Position
Date
Max
Temp °C
1
01 May 2002
34.3
1
23 May 1995
11.5
2
01 May 2003
32.7
2
28 May 1917
12.2
3
02 May 1907
32.4
3
31 May 1907
12.3
4
03 May 1907
32.2
4
23 May 1902
12.6
5
02 May 1980
31.8
5
18 May 1904
12.8
6
01 May 1907
31.7
6
30 May 1954
13.0
6
03 May 1928
31.7
6
31 May 2004
13.0
8
03 May 1972
31.6
8
30 May 1920
13.4
9
04 May 1928
31.5
8
24 May 1956
13.4
10 07 May 1996 31.2 10 29 May 1950 13.6
-
-
-
 10
12 April 2001
13.6

May top 10 warmest nights
May top 10 coldest nights
Position
Date
Min
Temp °C
Position
Date
Min
Temp °C
1
01 May 1983
20.8
1
11 May 1914
01.3
2
10 May 1962
20.3
2
27 May 2004
02.4
3
08 May 1959
20.2
3
29 May 1964
03.0
4
02 May 1983
20.1
3
12 May 1996
03.0
5
08 May 1998
19.6
5
26 May 2004
03.1
6
26 May 1915
19.4
6
28 May 1936
03.2
6
13 May 1971
19.4
6
14 May 2004
03.2
8
03 May 2002
19.2
8
12 May 1914
03.5
9 21 May 1918 18.9 9 20 May 1944 03.6
9
02 May 1936
18.9
9
25 May 2004
03.6
- - - 9 30 May 2004 03.6

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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