Friday 1 February 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for Canberra area - Product code IDCKGC1xx0

Canberra has warm January with below average rainfall

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Details

• Below average rainfall
• Above average temperatures
• Numerous mild nights, 13 nights above 16°C
• 8th consecutive January with above average maximum and minimum temperatures
• Below average sunshine hours

 

Rainfall

Canberra Airport recorded a total rainfall of 46.8 mm during January, which is slightly below the historical average¹ of 59.5 mm. There were only 6 rain days during the month, compared to the average of 7 days. This month marks a continuation of dry Januarys in Canberra with 9 out of the last 10 Januarys recording below average rainfall. Extreme rainfall totals across the ACT ranged from a low of 34.8 mm at Kingston (Boat Harbour) to a high of 90.0 mm at Mt Ginini AWS.

Much of the rain that fell over the ACT during January was a result of moisture from the tropics associated with a low-pressure system mid-month that moved southward from Queensland through central NSW and Victoria.

Temperature

Above average temperatures prevailed over the ACT during January. The mean maximum temperature for Canberra Airport was 29.1ºC, which is above the historical average of 27.7ºC. This is now the 8th consecutive January with above average maximum temperatures. The above average temperatures in the ACT were partly due to prevailing NE-NW winds, predominantly sunny days and below average rainfall.

The average minimum temperature was 15.3ºC, well above the historical average of 13.0ºC and the 5th highest January average minimum on record for Canberra. The highest was 16.6°C back in 1981. This is now the 8th consecutive January with above average minimum temperatures in Canberra. Warm nights were plentiful with a total of 13 nights when the minimum temperature was above 16°C. Normally Canberra would expect only 6 nights above 16°C.

Extremes at Canberra Airport ranged from a high of 35.8ºC on the 11th to a low of 9.9ºC on the 23rd. Corresponding extremes for Tuggeranong ranged from a high of 35.3ºC on the 11th to a low of 10.1ºC on the 24th. The lowest temperature in the ACT was 3.0°C at Mt Ginini (elevation 1760 m) on the 22nd.

Wind

The prevailing direction over the ACT during the mornings was E-SE for about 55% of the time, more than double the normal frequency from this direction at this time. However, by afternoon the prevailing direction was W-NW for about 47% of the time which is about normal for mid-afternoon. The highest wind gust recorded was 69 km/hr at Canberra Airport on the 30th.

Other phenomena

Canberra recorded 9.1 hours of sunshine per day, which is below the historical average of 9.4 hours per day. No fogs were observed at Canberra Airport during the month (average 1 fog). Canberra's average wind run of 186.8 km per day was below the historical average of 200.9 km per day. There were no strong wind days recorded during the month (average 2).

Canberra Airport recorded 3 thunderstorm during January (historical average 4). The average air pressure of 1012.7 hPa was slightly higher than the normal of 1012.2 hPa. Canberra Airport recorded 246.2 mm of evaporation during January, slightly below the normal of 256.8 mm.

Further information

Mike De Salis
Climate Information Officer
NSW Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (02) 9296 1555
Email mikede@bom.gov.au

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Extremes for the ACT

Hottest day Highest temperature	35.8°C at Canberra Airport on the 11th
Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature	29.2°C at Tuggeranong AWS
Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature	29.1°C at Canberra Airport
Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature	18.8°C at Tuggeranong AWS on the 19th
Coldest night Lowest temperature	9.9°C at Canberra Airport on the 23rd 3.0°C at Mt Ginini AWS on the 22nd.
Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature	14.9°C at Tuggeranong AWS and 10.1°C at Mt Ginini AWS
Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature	15.3°C at Canberra Airport
Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature	20.9°C at Canberra Airport and Tuggeranong AWS on the 12th
Wettest overall Highest total rainfall	90.0 mm at Mt Ginini AWS 66.8 mm at Tralee (Melrose Farm)
Driest overall Lowest total rainfall	34.8 mm at Kingston (Boat Harbour)
Wettest day Highest daily rainfall	42.0 mm at Mount Ginini AWS on the 20th and 26.0 mm at Gungahlin (Horse Park) on the 17th.
Highest wind gust	69 km/h at Canberra Airport on the 30th

AWS = Automatic Weather Station

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Summaries for the ACT

Summary statistics for January 2008
	Maximum temperatures for January (°C)				Minimum temperatures for January (°C)				Rainfall for January (millimetres)
	Mean for January 2008	Diff from normal	Highest for January 2008		Mean for January 2008	Diff from normal	Lowest for January 2008		Total for January 2008	Normal for January	Rank of January 2008	Fraction of January normal
Canberra Airport	29.1	+1.4	35.8	11th	15.3	+2.3	9.9	23rd	46.8	59.5	normal	79%
Tuggeranong AWS*	29.2	normal	35.3	11th	14.9	+0.9	10.1	24th	47.8

* Historic averages based on short period of 11 years 1996−2007.

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Notes

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