Western Australia in 2023

Rainfall

  • Annual rainfall was below to very much below average in the western and far southern WA. Annual rainfall was the lowest on record since 1900 in the western Gascoyne and Central West districts.
  • The areal-averaged annual rainfall for the state was 332.3 mm, making it the driest year since 2019 (the driest year on record with 177.5 mm).
  • The South West Land Division (SWLD) annual rainfall was 312.9 mm, which was the seventh-driest year on record, and driest since 2019, which was the third-driest year on record with 295.6 mm.
  • Carnarvon Airport on the Gascoyne coast had its driest year on record with an annual rainfall total of 54 mm, which was merely a quarter (24%) of its annual average (221.6 mm). The previous record was 75.3 mm in 1966.
  • Shark Bay Airport on the Gascoyne coast had its driest year on record with an annual rainfall total of 20 mm, which was 10% of its annual average (193.5 mm). The previous record was 73 mm in 2019.
  • Kalbarri in the Central West coast had its driest year on record with an annual rainfall total of 108.9 mm, which was one third (32%) of its annual average. The previous record was 147.2 mm in 2006.
  • A slow-moving ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie brought significant rainfall across the south and west Kimberley at the end of December 2022 to the beginning of January. A number of sites recorded their highest all-time daily rainfall on record. on 2 January.

Temperature

  • Annual mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all observations since 1910) for most of Western Australia.
  • The state's annual mean maximum temperature was 1.52 °C above the long-term 1961–1990 average, which was the third-warmest year on record, warmest since 2020 (+1.55 °C, the second-warmest on record).
  • The state's annual mean minimum temperature was 0.53 °C above the long-term 1961–1990 average, the highest since 2020 (+0.91 °C, the second-highest on record).
  • The SWLD annual mean maximum temperature was 1.58 °C above the long-term 1961–1990 average, which was the second-warmest year on record, behind 2019 (+1.95 °C)
  • The SWLD annual mean minimum temperature was 0.36 °C above the long-term 1961–1990 average, the highest since 2021.
  • Marble Bar recorded a daily maximum temperature of 49.3 °C on 30 December, which was an equal highest all-time temperature in 122 years of observations.
  • Very cold daytime temperatures were recorded in the southwest WA on 6 June with maximum temperatures capped at 10 °C. Bunbury, Busselton and Bickley had their all-time coldest day on record .

Extremes in 2023
Hottest day 49.5 °C at Roebourne Aero on 31 Dec
Warmest days on average 36.1 °C at Fitzroy Crossing Aero
36.1 °C at Marble Bar
Coolest days on average 20.3 °C at Windy Harbour
Coldest day 7.8 °C at Manjimup on 6 Jun
Coldest night -5.9 °C at Eyre on 17 Jul
Coolest nights on average 8.5 °C at Wandering
Warmest nights on average 23.6 °C at Varanus Island
Warmest night 34.4 °C at Karijini North on 31 Dec
Warmest on average overall 29.1 °C at Wyndham Aero
Coolest on average overall 15.5 °C at Shannon
Wettest overall 1475.2 mm at Theda
Wettest day 300.0 mm at Charnley River on 2 Jan
Strongest wind gust 128 km/h at Rottnest Island on 2 Aug
128 km/h at Rottnest Island on 13 Sep

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall
Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures
Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures
Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window


Monthly maps
Rainfall rankMaximum temperature rankMinimum temperature rank
January Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
February Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
March Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
April Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
May Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
June Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
July Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
August Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
September Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
October Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
November Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature
December Map of Rainfall deciles Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window


Record highest daily rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Charnley River 300.0 on 2 Jan 233.0 on 5 Apr 2011 56
Busselton Aero 91.4 on 13 Sep 80.0 on 14 Jun 2000 27
Mount Winifred 132.2 on 2 Jan 100.2 on 26 Dec 2008 24
Old Mornington Homestead 207.6 on 2 Jan 147.4 on 30 Jan 2021 22



Record highest temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Annual
average
Argyle Aerodrome 45.5 on 19 Dec 45.2 on 22 Nov 2008 30 35.0
Marble Bar 49.3 on 30 Dec = 49.3 on 27 Dec 2018 24 35.7



Record lowest daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Annual
average
Doongan 17.0 on 1 Jul 18.0 on 29 May 2004 36 33.2
Bickley 8.1 on 6 Jun 9.0 on 16 Jun 2005 30 22.6
Bunbury 10.7 on 6 Jun 11.7 on 27 Aug 2004 29 23.2
Busselton Aero 9.7 on 6 Jun 11.5 on 11 Jul 2011 27 23.1
Wandering 9.2 on 6 Jun 9.8 on 9 Aug 2017 26 23.8
Munglinup West 9.4 on 21 Jun 9.5 on 22 Jul 2003 22 23.2
Truscott 20.0 on 1 Jul 20.6 on 29 May 2004 20 32.8



Record highest annual mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Annual
average
Cape Naturaliste 22.9 22.8 in 2011 120 20.8
Dwellingup 23.7 = 23.7 in 2019 84 22.0
Perth Airport 26.2 26.1 in 2019 79 24.6
Jarrahwood 24.3 24.1 in 2015 38 22.8



Record highest daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Annual
average
Warburton Airfield 33.2 on 17 Dec 32.8 on 29 Dec 2019 39 15.1
Newman Aero 32.6 on 22 Dec = 32.6 on 31 Jan 2010 28 16.6
Roebourne Aero 32.5 on 7 Nov 32.3 on 11 Jan 2008 23 19.8



Record highest annual mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Annual
average
Pearce RAAF 19.9 = 19.9 in 2011 60 18.8
Jarrahwood 16.7 = 16.7 in 2011 37 15.7



Summary statistics for 2023
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean
for
2023
Diff
from
average
Highest
for
2023
Mean
for
2023
Diff
from
average
Lowest
for
2023
Total
for
2023
Average
annual
total
Rank
of
2023
Fraction
of annual
average
North Kimberley (district 01)
Wyndham Aero 35.9 -0.2 44.3 19 Dec 22.1 -0.2 8.5 26 Jul 752.2 833.5 average 90%
East Kimberley (district 02)
Argyle Aerodrome 34.9 -0.1 45.5 19 Dec 22.2 -0.1 8.9 24 Jul 743.4 740.2 average 100%
Halls Creek Airport 33.6   46.1 19 Dec 18.9   6.0 1 Jun 543.8
Kununurra Aero 35.1 0.0 43.2 25 Dec 20.5 -0.6 8.5 1 Jun 782.0 839.3 average 93%
West Kimberley (district 03)
Broome Airport 32.4 +0.1 40.8 5 Nov 21.4 +0.1 6.4 26 Jul 1088.0 633.2 v high 172%
Curtin Aero 35.4 -0.2 44.8 15 Dec 21.0 0.0 8.5 27 Jul 1201.0 827.5 high 145%
Derby Aero 34.7 0.0 43.0 4 Dec 21.1 -0.4 7.6 25 Jul 941.4 710.2 high 133%
Fitzroy Crossing Aero 36.1 -0.1 45.6 15 Dec 19.9 -0.3 6.2 24 Jul 671.6 689.8 average 97%
De Grey (district 04)
Karratha Aero 33.1 +0.6 45.2 31 Dec 21.2 +0.2 9.0 30 Jun 173.0 294.6 low 59%
Mandora 34.5 +0.3 45.4 19 Nov 19.9 +0.4 6.2 26 Jul 338.8 377.1 average 90%
Marble Bar 36.1 +0.4 49.3 30 Dec 20.3 -0.1 6.3 24 Jun 408.8 400.3 average 102%
Port Hedland Airport 34.3 +0.9 44.1 6 Nov 20.6 +1.0 8.8 28 Jun 183.0 316.8 low 58%
Roebourne Aero 35.5 +0.6 49.5 31 Dec 19.8 0.0 7.6 31 May 170.4 280.7 low 61%
Fortescue (district 05)
Barrow Island Airport 29.6 +0.2 39.5 20 Oct 22.3 0.0 12.5 3 Jul
Karijini North 34.7   46.1 31 Dec     4.9 23 Jun 181.2
Learmonth Airport 33.3 +1.3 46.3 14 Jan 17.6 -0.1 5.0 9 Jul 80.2 251.0 v low 32%
Mardie 34.2 +0.3 44.8 7 Dec 19.3 +0.4 7.5 28 Jun 220.0 276.4 average 80%
Onslow Airport 33.2 +1.1 49.3 14 Jan 20.0 +0.8 8.3 30 Jun 144.8 303.4 low 48%
Thevenard Island 30.4 +0.4 41.4 20 Oct 22.1 +0.2 12.9 2 Jul 187.0 232.6 average 80%
West Gascoyne (district 06)
Carnarvon Airport 28.2 +0.8 43.9 16 Oct 17.2 0.0 4.0 30 Jun 54.0 221.6 lowest 24%
Shark Bay Airport 29.5 +0.4 44.7 3 Jan 16.5 +0.1 3.7 27 Jun 20.0 193.5 lowest 10%
East Gascoyne (district 07)
Newman Aero 33.1 +0.9 45.4 30 Dec 17.0 +0.4 1.1 3 Jul 232.4 321.8 low 72%
Paraburdoo Aero 34.7 +1.0 45.6 14 Jan 18.8 +0.5 3.8 4 Jul 245.6 319.1 low 77%
Murchison (district 07A)
Meekatharra Airport 31.1 +2.0 44.9 9 Feb 17.1 +1.1 1.4 27 Jun 219.2 233.8 average 94%
Mount Magnet Aero 30.4 +1.6 45.0 16 Dec 15.9 +0.6 0.6 21 Jul 152.2 244.7 low 62%
Paynes Find 29.8 +1.8 45.1 20 Feb 13.5 +0.5 -2.3 30 Jun
North Coast (district 08)
Dalwallinu 27.6 +1.2 42.6 20 Feb 11.7 0.0 0.1 3 Jul 192.8 293.2 low 66%
Geraldton Airport 27.4 +0.4 43.6 3 Feb 13.7 -0.1 2.0 23 Jul 232.2 359.1 v low 65%
Kalbarri     45.2 4 Jan 15.1 +0.4 2.4 17 Jul 108.9 337.7 lowest 32%
Morawa Airport 29.6 +1.3 44.0 9 Jan 13.1 +0.2 -0.3 28 Jun 135.6 283.5 lowest 48%
Central Coast (district 09)
Badgingarra Research Stn 26.8 +0.9 41.8 21 Nov 12.6 +0.6 3.1 27 Jun 314.0 533.4 v low 59%
Bickley 23.3 +0.7 38.6 25 Nov 11.7 +0.4 1.9 26 Jun 901.8 1081.4 low 83%
Garden Island HSF 23.4 +0.7 39.7 23 Nov 15.1 +0.1 4.7 16 Jul 508.4 612.5 low 83%
Gingin Aero 26.5 +0.8 41.0 21 Jan 11.2 +0.1 -2.4 27 Jun 409.8 611.1 lowest 67%
Jandakot Aero 25.5 +0.8 39.6 21 Jan 12.6 +1.0 -0.9 27 Jun 595.4 812.1 v low 73%
Millendon (Swan Valley) 26.4   40.2 25 Nov 12.5   -0.5 27 Jun 477.8
Pearce RAAF 26.8 +1.5 41.3 21 Jan 12.9 +0.6 0.0 27 Jun 420.0 651.2 v low 64%
Perth Airport 26.2 +1.6 40.7 21 Jan 12.9 +0.7 -0.6 27 Jun 554.4 757.2 v low 73%
Perth Metro 25.6 +0.8 39.5 21 Jan 13.4 +0.5 0.7 27 Jun 596.4 730.8 v low 82%
Rottnest Island 22.8 +0.5 38.4 23 Nov 16.0 +0.2 7.5 26 Jun 351.0 562.6 v low 62%
Swanbourne 24.4 +0.3 40.2 23 Nov 14.5 +0.5 4.5 26 Jun 618.6 735.3 low 84%
South Coast (district 09A)
Albany     33.5 8 Oct 13.1 +1.3 3.7 15 Jul 853.1 924.7 average 92%
Albany Airport 21.2 +0.2 38.9 10 Jan 10.8 +0.1 0.7 2 Jul 801.8
Bridgetown     38.3 5 Feb 8.9 +0.2 -2.5 1 Jul 585.4 724.1 low 81%
Bunbury 23.8 +0.6 37.8 30 Jan 11.9 +0.8 0.8 27 Jun 716.4 729.9 average 98%
Busselton Aero 24.0 +0.9 38.1 23 Nov 10.4 +0.1 -0.4 15 Jul 557.6 677.7 low 82%
Cape Leeuwin 20.6 +0.8 30.6 25 Oct 15.0 +0.9 7.1 1 Jul 599.8 950.4 v low 63%
Cape Naturaliste 22.9 +2.1 36.7 23 Nov 13.2 +0.5 4.5 26 Jun 595.2 796.3 v low 75%
Collie East 24.1 +0.8 38.7 23 Jan 8.7 +0.2 -3.3 2 Jul 462.2 712.7 v low 65%
Dwellingup 23.7 +1.7 38.0 21 Jan 10.4 +0.8 -0.9 27 Jun 954.8 1221.3 low 78%
Esperance 22.0 +0.1 43.9 21 Feb 12.5 +0.4 4.4 16 Jul 566.4 617.1 average 92%
Esperance Aero 22.6 +0.3 43.1 21 Feb 11.3 0.0 3.1 15 Jul 529.4 570.1 average 93%
Hopetoun North 21.8 -0.2 44.9 21 Feb 11.9 +0.3 3.0 15 Jul 333.2 481.4 v low 69%
Jarrahwood 24.3 +1.5 39.2 23 Jan 9.0 +0.3 -2.3 30 Jun 557.0 917.1 v low 61%
Mandurah 23.9 +0.5 39.6 25 Nov 15.0 +0.2 5.5 4 Aug 430.2 634.8 v low 68%
Manjimup 21.9 +1.4 37.1 5 Feb 10.3 +0.6 1.6 7 Sep 827.8 983.4 low 84%
North Walpole 20.6 +0.3 32.6 4 Feb 11.9 +0.2 2.9 7 Sep 1091.4 1075.5 average 101%
Rocky Gully 21.3 +0.4 36.7 25 Dec 9.9 +0.2 0.2 7 Sep 729.6 729.4 average 100%
Shannon 20.8 +0.4 34.6 25 Dec 10.2 +0.4 0.5 7 Sep 970.4 1019.7 average 95%
Windy Harbour 20.3 +0.1 32.0 27 Nov     2.0 1 Jul 950.4 1069.3 low 89%
Witchcliffe West 21.7   37.6 23 Nov 11.5   1.4 1 Jul 661.0
North Central (district 10)
Cunderdin Airfield 26.9 +0.8 42.1 25 Dec 10.2 -0.3 -2.5 4 Aug 267.2 306.7 low 87%
Merredin 26.5 +1.3 43.0 24 Jan 11.8 +0.3 -1.0 17 Jul 195.7 325.0 v low 60%
York 26.6 +0.9 41.2 25 Dec 9.7 +0.1 -3.0 16 Jul 345.8 400.9 low 86%
South Central (district 10A)
Beverley 26.8 +1.3 41.6 25 Dec 10.3 0.0 -2.2 16 Jul 311.6 416.2 low 75%
Brookton 25.3 +0.9 40.5 10 Jan 9.6 -0.1 -2.5 16 Jul 379.1 447.6 low 85%
Hyden 26.2 +1.0 42.5 21 Feb 9.9 -0.1 -3.4 15 Jul 240.2 339.9 v low 71%
Jacup 22.4 +0.3 41.5 21 Feb 9.4 +0.1 -0.9 7 Sep 375.2 452.4 low 83%
Katanning 22.7 +0.2 38.5 25 Dec 9.7 +0.1 -0.3 15 Jul 309.2 436.8 v low 71%
Lake Grace 24.2 +0.6 40.3 21 Feb 10.2 -0.2 -2.2 15 Jul 250.2 329.8 low 76%
Narrogin 24.0 +1.5 38.8 25 Dec 9.9 +0.4 -1.5 15 Jul 361.2 490.2 low 74%
Newdegate Research Station 24.3 +0.8 41.5 21 Feb 8.6 -0.1 -3.0 15 Jul 268.8 365.1 low 74%
Ravensthorpe 23.0 +0.2 41.5 21 Feb 10.8 +0.3 2.5 4 Aug 250.0 426.0 v low 59%
Wandering 24.3 +0.5 39.9 5 Feb 8.5 -0.1 -3.1 16 Jul 533.4 521.6 average 102%
Eucla (district 11)
Eucla 23.5 +0.7 46.8 22 Feb 12.6 +0.3 1.3 21 Jul
Eyre 24.1 +1.0 44.8 19 Feb 10.4 -0.3 -5.9 17 Jul 239.8 314.9 low 76%
South East (district 12)
Bulga Downs 30.2 +1.2 44.8 19 Feb 14.2 +0.5 -3.1 21 Jul 114.8 233.3 low 49%
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport 26.7 +1.3 44.2 19 Feb 12.6 +0.8 0.0 1 Jul 164.0 263.4 low 62%
Laverton Aero 28.7 +1.4 44.2 16 Dec 14.9 +0.8 -0.6 22 Jun 152.4 271.6 low 56%
Leonora Aero 29.2 +0.9 44.6 19 Feb 15.0 +0.5 -1.1 21 Jul 113.4 234.9 v low 48%
Munglinup West 23.6 +0.4 43.8 21 Feb 10.2 -0.3 2.1 15 Jul 278.6 439.7 v low 63%
Norseman Aero 25.8 +0.6 42.4 21 Feb 10.2 +0.2 -2.4 15 Jul 222.8 281.6 low 79%
Salmon Gums Res.Stn. 24.8 +1.3 42.2 14 Feb 8.8 -0.3 -2.2 5 Aug 217.6 353.6 v low 62%
Southern Cross Airfield 26.9 +0.9 42.8 21 Feb 11.1 +0.5 -2.8 19 Jun 197.8 298.3 low 66%
North East (district 13)
Carnegie     45.9 5 Dec 15.8 +0.4 -0.5 15 Jun 274.0 245.1 average 112%
Giles Meteorological Office 30.9 +1.4 43.9 6 Dec 16.3 +0.4 1.3 25 Jun 182.6 289.2 low 63%
Telfer Aero 34.9 +0.7 46.1 29 Dec 20.1 +0.5 5.8 28 Jun 347.0 363.8 average 95%
Warburton Airfield 31.2 +1.2 45.9 4 Dec 16.5 +1.4 -1.2 14 Jun 87.0 241.7 v low 36%
Wiluna Aero 31.0   45.1 18 Feb 15.9   -1.6 21 Jul 228.6
Offshore Islands
Varanus Island 29.1 0.0 38.5 20 Oct 23.6 0.0 16.7 27 Jun 83.8 232.2 low 36%

Notes

The Annual climate summary, lists the main features of the weather in Western Australia using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 3 pm on Wednesday 7 February 2024. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.

Averages for individual sites are long-term means based on observations from all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of long-term average rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.

Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.


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Climate