Australia in June 2023

In brief

• For Australia as a whole, June rainfall was 24.6% above1961-1990 average.

• Rainfall for June was above average for a broad band stretching from the north-west to the south-east of the continent and Tasmania and for parts of the southern coast of Western Australia.
• Rainfall was below average for most of central and eastern Queensland, coastal New South Wales extending inland and into far eastern Victoria, and for a large area in the west of Western Australia.
• Australia's national area-average mean temperature was 1.12 °C above the 1961-1990 average, the seventh-highest on record (since 1910) for June.
• Area-average mean maximum temperature for June was 1.25 °C above average nationally, the tenth-highest on record for June. The national mean minimum temperature was 0.99 °C above average.
• Mean maximum temperatures for June were warmer than average across Australia's north and east and the warmest on record for much of Queensland. Mean maximum temperatures were below average for most of the western two thirds of Western Australia. 
• Mean minimum temperatures were above average for the Northern Territory and Queensland away from the south-east, for western and southern New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, much of South Australia and for most of the Western Australia's Kimberley. Mean minimum temperatures were below average for large parts of the central and western Western Australia and for an area in the north-east of New South Wales.

Further information and tables of records for each state and the Northern Territory can be found in the individual regional climate summaries, published on 7 July 2023.

Temperatures

The national mean temperature was 1.12 °C  above the 1961-1990 average for June, the seventh-warmest on record. Area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 1.25 °C above average nationally, the tenth-warmest on record. The national mean minimum temperature was 0.99 °C above average.

Mean maximum temperatures for June were above average for most of Australia's north and east. Daytime temperatures were amongst the highest 10% of historical observations (compared with all Junes since 1910) for northern and eastern Northern Territory, most of Queensland, large areas in northern and eastern New South Wales and eastern Kimberley in Western Australia and for patches of eastern Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. Mean maximum temperatures for June were the warmest on record for much of Queensland excluding northern parts of Cape York Peninsula and the far western and southern parts of the state. Many stations had their highest mean maximum temperature for June on record.

For Queensland, it was the warmest June on record since observations begun, with statewide mean maximum temperature 3.13 °C above the 1961-1990 average. For the Northern Territory as a whole, June mean maximum temperature was 2.25 °C above average, the third-warmest on record and the warmest June since 1996. 

Clear skies and light winds resulted in high daytime temperatures in parts of northern and eastern Australia in June. It was warm in New South Wales and eastern South Australia between the 2nd and 4th, and in central and eastern Queensland between the 22nd and 29th when inland areas recorded daily maximum temperatures more than 6 degrees above the June average. Many stations, some with more than 50 years of observations, had their highest recorded June temperature during these periods.

Mean maximum temperatures were below or very much below average for most of the western two thirds of Western Australia. Mean maximum temperatures were in the lowest 10% of historical observations (compared with all Junes since 1910) across the South West Land Division and many sites had their lowest mean maximum temperature for June on record.

Mean minimum temperatures were above or very much above average for most of the Northern Territory and Queensland away from the south-east, for western and southern New South Wales, Victoria and much of South Australia. Mean minimum temperatures were above average for Tasmania and most of the Western Australia's Kimberley. Mean minimum temperatures were amongst the highest 10% of historical observations (compared with all Junes since 1910) for large parts of the Daly, Gregory, Barkley, Carpentaria and Arnhem districts in the Northern Territory, for a wide band extending from the North Tropical Coast and Herbert and Lower Burdekin through Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders and Central West to Channel Country in Queensland, for large parts of the Upper Western, Lower Western and Riverina districts in New South Wales and for most of Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. Some stations in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia had their highest mean minimum temperature for June on record.

For Queensland as a whole, June mean minimum temperature was 2.42 °C above average, the eighth-warmest on record, while for Victoria, state-wide mean minimum temperature was 1.77 °C above average, the equal fiveth-warmest on record and the warmest since 2014.

Mean minimum temperatures were below average for large parts of the central and western Western Australia. For Western Australia as a whole, June mean minimum temperature was 0.67 °C below average, the coolest since 2014.  Mean minimum temperatures were also below or very much below average for an area in the north-east of New South Wales.

Mean minimum temperatures were in the lowest 10% of historical observations (compared with all Junes since 1910) for much of Western Australia's Gascoyne and South West Land Division. Mean minimum temperatures for June were the coolest on record for parts of Gascoyne and some stations had their lowest mean minimum temperature for June on record.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 114 (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

For Australia as a whole, June rainfall was 24.6% above the 1961-1990 average.

For South Australia, statewide June rainfall was 145.1% above average, the seventh-highest on record (since 1900) and the highest since 2001. Victoria's June rainfall was 66.6% above average, the eighth-highest on record and the highest since 1991.

Rainfall for June was above average for a broad band stretching from around Broome in the north-west to around Melbourne in the south-east of the continent and across Tasmania, as well as for parts of the southern coast of Western Australia and pockets of the far north Northern Territory and Queensland. June rainfall was very much above average (in the wettest 10% of historical observations) in large parts of the Kimberley, Northern Interior and the south coast of Western Australia, Lasseter, Tanami and Barkley in the Northern Territory, Northern Pastoral and South East districts in South Australia, Western and Riverina in New South Wales and most of northern and western Victoria. Many stations across these areas had their highest June total precipitation on record and some received more than three times their June average.

Northwest cloudband activity, caused by a trough in the upper atmosphere that dragged-in tropical moisture from the Indian Ocean, contributed to significant rainfall in the last ten days of the month. 

Rainfall was below average for most of central and eastern Queensland, coastal New South Wales extending inland and into far eastern Victoria, and for large area in the west of Western Australia. June rainfall was very much below average (in the driest 10% of historical observations) for large areas of Queensland's Central, Western and Southeast, coastal parts of the Mid North Coast, Hunter, Illawarra and South Coast in New South Wales, and for south-western Gascoyne in Western Australia.

Significant weather and records

Cold, wet and windy in south-west Western Australia

A strong cold front associated with a deep low pressure system to the south of the continent, crossed south-west Western Australia during the 5th, bringing damaging winds, widespread rain, thunderstorms, hail and flash flooding to the area. Daily rainfall totals between 15 and 40 mm were recorded along the coast between Geraldton and Walpole, while daily totals between 40 and 80 mm were recorded around Bunbury and across Greater Pert. Several sites, including Perth Metro, had their highest June daily rainfall total on record on the 5th, while numerous locations had their coldest June day on record on the 6th.   

Severe storms and damaging winds in the south-east

A pair of cold fronts associated with a complex low pressure system crossed the south-east between the 7th and 9th. The primary front dragged in tropical moisture as it moved across South Australia, bringing severe thunderstorms, widespread damaging winds and heavy rainfall to parts of eastern South Australia, Victoria, southern New South Wales and northern Tasmania on the 7th and 8th. A second cold front crossed the south-eastern states on the 9th with showers, embedded storms and strong winds. Significant rainfall fell around mountainous areas of Victoria, New South Wales and northern Tasmania. Numerous sites in Victoria's north-east recorded daily rainfall totals of more than 100 mm, with highest daily total to 9m on the 8th being 147.0 mm at Whitlands, while large areas of northern Tasmania recorded rainfall totals of 50-100 mm. Many sites in northern Victoria and western New South Wales had their highest daily rainfall total for June on record. Minor to Moderate flood warnings were issued for catchments in north-east Vic and the Yarra River and Major flood warning for the King River. One minor flood warning was issued for the North Esk River in north-eastern Tasmania.

Cold mornings for eastern half of Australia

A cold airmass combined with clear skies and light winds under a sequence of high pressure systems resulting in low daily minimum temperatures across eastern Australia between the 15th and 21st. In the Northern Territory, inland Queensland and New South Wales, as well as in inland Victoria and Tasmania, many sites recorded sub-zero daily minimum temperatures and widespread frost and patchy fog formed over large parts of central and eastern Australia. On the 21st many stations in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory had their lowest daily minimum temperature for June on record. Canberra Airport recorded -7.2 °C on the 21st, its lowest June minimum temperature since 1986. Frost warnings and Sheep Grazier warnings were issued for large areas of the south-eastern Australia on multiple days.

A series of cold fronths for southern Australia

A series of cold fronts associated with a complex low pressure system to the south of the country impacted southern Australia in the second part of the month, bringing widespread showers, strong to damaging winds, isolated thunderstorms, hail and polar air in its wake. Between the 18th and 20th, more than 40 cm of snow fell at Victoria's Mount Hotham, while widespread snow was recorded across elevated areas of Tasmania.

Multiple cold fronts brought more storms, strong winds, high daily rainfall totals and snow to the south  of the country between 21st and 25th. Many sites in south-eastern South Australia had their highest daily rainfall total for June on record to 9am on the 23rd, including some sites with more than 100 years of data; this was mostly due to the interaction between the cold front and tropical moisture from the cloud band extending from the north-western Western Australia. Daily rainfall totals in the Adelaide Hills were generally 50-80 mm and flash flooding was observed across the area. Another cold front brought on the 23rd a dusting of snow to Stirling Range and some snow settled on Bluff Knoll, Western Australia, for the first time this year.

A cold front and the associated low pressure trough moved across the Australian south on the 27th and 28th, with strong winds, low to moderate daily rainfall totals and cold air in its wake. Daytime temperatures were up to 6 degrees below average throughout southern Australia. Some sites, mostly with less than 30 years of data, had record low June daily maximum temperatures during this period.

Unseasonal rain in parts of Australia's interior

During the last 10 days of June, a trough in the upper atmosphere dragged-in tropical moisture from the Indian Ocean north-west of the continent, generating cloudy skies and rainfall for large parts of Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia, and for western Queensland and New South Wales. These regions are typically drier at this time of the year, with average June totals generally less than 25 mm and average winter totals less than 50 mm.

To 9am on the 20th, parts of Pilbara (Western Australia) had daily rainfall totals between 10 and 30 mm, with the highest daily total of 70.4mm recorded at Karratha Aero. Rainfall extended further inland through Western Australia moving towards southern Northern Territory and northern South Australia, with two-day rainfall totals to 9am on the 22nd generally between 5 and 15 mm. A second cloud and rain band started to develop on the 25th across the north-west of the continent, bringing two-day rainfall totals between 50 and 70 mm to stations across southern Kimberley, south-western Northern Territory and northern South Australia to 9am on the 28th. Lighter, patchy rainfall continued until the end of the month.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 124 (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.