Australia in June 2022

In brief

• June rainfall was 22% below average for Australia as a whole
• Rainfall for June was below average for most of New South Wales; central to eastern South Australia excluding most of the agricultural districts; the far north-west and eastern tip of Victoria; much of the east coast of Queensland and inland areas across the base of the Peninsula; and along the west coast of the South West Land Division in Western Australia
• Rainfall was above average for much of the northern tropics, parts of southern Victoria, and southern and western Tasmania
• Australia's national area-averaged mean temperature was 0.51 °C above average for June
• National mean minimum temperature was 0.31 °C warmer than average, and the national mean minimum temperature 0.70 °C warmer than average
• Mean maximum temperatures for June were for cooler than average for large parts of the eastern mainland, and warmer or very much warmer than average for the northern tropics and large parts of Western Australia away from the south coast
• Mean minimum temperatures for June were warmer or very much warmer than average for the northern tropics, most of Western Australia, north-west South Australia, the Eyre Peninsula and south-east South Australia, south-west New South Wales, and western to central Victoria
• Mean minimum temperatures for June were cooler than average for southern Queensland and some areas around the Central Highlands and Coalfields, northern and much of eastern New South Wales, and part of north-eastern South Australia

Temperatures

The national mean temperature for June was 0.51 °C warmer than the 1961–1990 average for Australia as a whole.

The national mean maximum temperature for June was 0.31 °C warmer than average, and the national mean minimum temperature 0.70 °C warmer than average.

Mean maximum temperatures for June were for cooler than average for large parts of the eastern mainland taking in most of New South Wales away from the coastal strip; most of western, central, and southern Queensland inland of the ranges; north-western Victoria and along the border between Victoria and South Australia, and much of northern and eastern Victoria, except East Gippsland; and parts of coastal southern and eastern Tasmania.

Mean maximum temperatures for June were warmer or very much warmer than average for Queensland's Cape York Peninsula; the Top End of the Northern Territory; across the Kimberley, and western and inland southern districts of Western Australia away from the south coast.

Mean minimum temperatures for June were warmer or very much warmer than average for the northern tropics; most of Western Australia except the inland north-east, the far south-east, and part of the northern to central South West Land Division; north-west South Australia, the Eyre Peninsula and south-east South Australia, south-west New South Wales, and western to central Victoria.

Mean minimum temperatures for June were cooler than average for southern Queensland and part of central Queensland, northern and much of eastern New South Wales, and part of north-eastern South Australia.

A number of stations across northern Australia set records for their highest daily minimum temperature on record for June during the first days of the month. A few sites in the Top End also set daily records for their highest June maximum temperature on record during the first days of the month. The highest temperature observed this June, 37.8 °C at Bradshaw on the 5th, is the equal second-warmest on record for Australia in June (0.1 °C degrees cooler than the national record).

A number of stations across Cape York Peninsula and the north-eastern Top End observed their highest monthly mean minimum temperature on record for June as a whole, but mostly stations with less than 30 years of observations.

A few stations in the south of Western Australia also observed their highest monthly mean minimum temperature on record for June as a whole, also mostly at stations with less than 30 years of observations.

During the early June a strong cold front and unstable south-westerly air stream brought cool conditions to much of south-eastern Australia. The cold-air outbreak brought maximum temperatures around 2 to 3 degrees below average over large areas, with some daily records for lowest daily maximum temperature for June set in Tasmania between the 7th and 12th.

A number of stations across eastern New South Wales observed their lowest mean monthly minimum temperature on record for June, as did a few in north-eastern Victoria and south-eastern Queensland, extending as far inland as Roma. This included a number of stations with more than 30 years of observations, while a large number of other stations had their coolest mean monthly minimum temperature for June in at least 20 years.

A large number of stations across Tasmania and elevated locations in Victoria and south-eastern New South Wales observed their lowest mean monthly maximum temperature on record for June.

Further discussion and tables of records for each state and the Northern Territory can be found in the individual regional climate summaries, to be released on Tuesday 5 July 2022.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 113 (highest). A rank marked with ’=‘ indicates the value is tied for that rank. Anomaly is the departure from the long-term (1961–1990) average.

Rainfall

June rainfall was 22% below the 1961–1990 average for Australia as a whole.

Rainfall for June was below average for most of New South Wales; central to eastern South Australia excluding most of the agricultural districts; the far north-west and eastern tip of Victoria; much of the east coast of Queensland and inland areas across the base of the Peninsula; and along the west coast of the South West Land Division in Western Australia.

For New South Wales as a whole area-average rainfall was the lowest since 1986 and 8th-lowest on record for June compared to all years since 1900. This drier than average June marks a departure from recent conditions in New South Wales, following 7 consecutive months of above average rainfall.

Rainfall was above average for most of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland and the west of the channel country; much of the Northern Territory; the Kimberley and north-eastern Interior in Western Australia.

Rainfall for June was also above average for parts of southern Victoria, and parts of southern and western Tasmania. A series of cold fronts and low pressure troughs with strong westerly flow brought rain throughout the month.

Large areas of tropical northern Australia typically receive less than 25 mm of rainfall in total for the dry season (May to September). During June this year parts of the east coast of Cape York Peninsula and the northern Kimberley received 20 to 50 mm of rainfall for the month. Much of that rain over the Kimberley and Top End and fell during the first week of June, associated with a north-west cloud band over the Pilbara and Central Australia, while cloud again brought rain to the central Territory and north-east Top End at the end of the month. Onshore flow over the coastal northern tropics in Queensland brought rain at the start of the month and heavy rainfall around Innisfail towards the end of the month.

A number of stations across northern Australia set records for daily rainfall totals for June, including 50.7 mm during the 24 hours to 9am on 4 June at Doongan in the Kimberley (previous June record 28.0 mm on 20 June 2007, from 34 years of observations) and 84.0 mm during the 24 hours to 9am on 7 June at Rollingstone, near Innisfail in Queensland (previous June record 40.5 mm on 20 June 1983, from 50 years of observations).

A broad band of cloud associated with an upper level trough extended from the Arafura Sea across the Northern Territory at the end of the month, interacting with strong high pressure systems over southern Australia. Cool, wet, windy conditions ended the month across the Top End and central districts of the Territory. Several stations in the Top End observed a record wet day for June during the last week of the month, but mostly stations with less than 30 years of observations.

An unstable south-westerly air stream during the first week of June brought persistent rainfall across much of Tasmania and southern Victoria, extending into the New South Wales Southern Tablelands.

Some daily rainfall records for June were set across southern Australia, mostly between the 5th and 12th, mostly at sites with 30 or fewer years of observations, with most records around the Adelaide Hills and north-eastern Victoria. A few stations in southern south-east Australia, mostly in southern Victoria, set records for total June rainfall.

In South Australia, nearly all the daily records were for the 24 hours to 9am on 5 June, when a strong cold front crossing the south of the state brought heavy rainfall, flash flooding and damaging winds over Adelaide and the Mount Lofty region. However, records were mostly set at stations with less than 30 years of observations. Totals of 50 to 90 mm made 5 June Adelaide's wettest day since last winter.

In the 24 hours to 9am 6 June, totals of 60 to 80 mm were recorded in north-eastern Victoria, with Minor flood warnings issued for the Kings River. In the Alpine regions, up to 50 cm of snow was reported falling in 48 hours, with several ski resorts opening a week earlier than the usual season opening on the Queen's Birthday long weekend.

Around the middle of the month, a cold front crossed south-west Western Australia during the 17th and 18th while a complex low pressure system was present to the south, bringing heavy rain within a 2-hour window and resulting reports of flash flooding.

Further discussion and tables of records for each state and the Northern Territory can be found in the individual regional climate summaries, to be released on Tuesday 5 July 2022.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 123 (highest). A rank marked with ’=‘ indicates the value is tied for that rank. Departure from mean is relative to the long-term (1961–1990) average.

^ means the station's rainfall value on that day is estimated by disaggregation.