Tuesday, 1 May 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for Canberra - Product code IDCKGC25R0

Canberra in April 2012: Dry conditions return to the ACT

• Below average rainfall
• Close to average temperatures
• Warmest start to April since 1998

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Canberra Airport recorded 17.6 mm of rain during April, well below the historical average of 46 mm but higher than April 2011 (8.8 mm). There were 8 rain days during the month, close to normal for April, but only one day recorded more than 2 mm (average 4 days), the fewest since 2005. Most of the rain was recorded on the 19th, with 11.8 mm at the airport. Around the ACT, the wettest period fell between the 18th and 21st as easterly winds triggered rain and isolated thunderstorms, with the heaviest falls reaching 35.8 mm at Nicholls on the 20th.

Temperature

The average maximum temperature at Canberra Airport during April was 20.2 °C, 0.2 °C above the historical average. Temperatures were particularly warm at the beginning of the month, with six consecutive days above 23 °C, reaching 26.4 °C on the 4th. This was the warmest start to April since 1998, and the 5th warmest on record. During the remainder of the month, temperatures were generally close to normal, with a particularly cold day reaching just 11.7 °C on the 24th, the coldest April day since 11.1 °C on 27 April 2009.

Minimum temperatures were slightly below average during April, with an average of 6.2 °C at Canberra Airport, 0.5 °C below average. There were six nights below 2 °C during the month, above the average of 4 nights, including two nights below 0 °C. However, 8 nights exceeded 10 °C during the month, above the April average of 6 nights, reaching 14.1 °C on the 19th, while Tidbinbilla recorded its equal warmest night on record with 15 °C on the 6th.

The mean temperature at Canberra Airport was consequently 13.3 °C, average for April.

Some sites had their warmest April night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Wind

The prevailing wind direction at Canberra Airport during April was N-WNW, forming 36% of 9am winds and 67% of 3pm winds, normal for April. There were 2 strong wind days, with a maximum wind gust of 61 km/hr on the 25th. The strongest wind gust anywhere in the ACT was 78 km/hr at Mt Ginini AWS on the 18th.

Other phenomena

Canberra Airport recorded an average of 6.2 hours of bright sunshine during April, below the historical average of 7.3 hours and the least sunshine since 6.2 hours in April 1992. There were no thunderstorms reported at the airport, with three storms anywhere in the ACT. Six fogs were reported at the airport, above the April average of four fogs and the most fogs since April 2000.

Further information

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Further information