Tuesday, 1 May 2007 - Monthly Climate Summary for Canberra rainfall extremes - Product code IDCKGC1xx0

Canberra has warm April with welcome late rain

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Summary

• Warm month with above average temperatures
• Sunnier than normal
• Below average rainfall but wettest April since 2000

Canberra Airport received a total of 27.6 mm of rainfall during April, which is the wettest April since 2000 when 61.8 mm was recorded.  Although it was below the historic average 46.7 mm it was still within the normal variability of rainfall.  There were 5 rain days which is below the historic average of 7 rain days. Most of the rain fell over the last few days of the month when a low-pressure system and associated north-west cloud band brought widespread rain to the region followed by showers.  No rain fell at Canberra Airport during the first 23 days of the month, the 4th longest rainless spell on record for April. There was a moderate variation in April rainfall across the ACT with the lowest totals recorded in the north and the highest in the west. April totals ranged from 56.6 mm at Stirling (Weston Creek) to 24.8 mm at Ginninderra.

Generally warm conditions prevailed in Canberra throughout April, except for the last 8 days when maximum temperatures were all below average. The average mean temperature (the average of daytime and night-time temperatures) was 14.9°C, well above the historic average¹ of 13.3°C. The average maximum temperature at Canberra Airport was 22.1°C or 2.2°C above the historic average¹ of 19.9°C. Canberra generally experienced mild nights during April with an average minimum temperature of 7.8°C, well above the historic average¹ of 6.8°C.

Extremes of temperature at Canberra Airport ranged from a high of 26.5°C on the 15th to a low of 3.6°C on the 20th.  Corresponding extremes at Tuggeranong ranged from 27.4°C on the 15th to a low of 2.9°C on the 26th.

There were no thunderstorms recorded during April (historic average 1). Average sunshine for April was 7.6 hours per day, slightly above the historic average of 7.3 hours per day.  Generally light winds prevailed in Canberra during April which is fairly typical of Autumn. The wind run was 133km per day, well below the historic average wind run of 150 km per day and no strong wind days were recorded during the month (average 1).  There were 3 fogs recorded at Canberra Airport (historic average 3). These occurred on the 5th, 10th and 21st with visibility as low as 700 metres on the 5th.  Fog patches were also recorded on the 9th, 12th, 17th and 21st.   Air pressure was above average at 1021.0 hPa (historic average 1019.5hPa).  The total evaporation of 108.8 mm was close to the historic average evaporation of 109.4 mm.