Monday, 3 February 2020 - Monthly Climate Summary for Australian Capital Territory - Product code IDCKGC15L0
Australian Capital Territory in January 2020: hot with below average rainfall
January 2020 was hotter than average in the ACT, although cooler than January 2019. Rainfall was generally below average.
Rainfall generally below average
- Rainfall was below average at most sites
- Most of the rain which fell was from thunderstorms, resulting in large daily rainfall variations between sites
A hot month
- Both daytime maximum and nighttime minimum temperatures were mostly above average, although 2 to 3 °C lower than those in January 2019
- Some sites had their highest January temperature on record
Canberra Airport
- Total rainfall for Canberra Airport was 16.0 mm, which is 36% of the long-term average of 44.2 mm
- The mean daily maximum temperature for Canberra Airport was 31.7 °C, which is 3.4 °C above the long-term average of 28.3 °C. This was the equal fourth-highest mean maximum on record for January, after 2019, 2017 and 2013. The warmest day was 44.0 °C on the 4th, and the coolest day was on the 6th when the temperature reached 21.5 °C
- The mean daily minimum temperature for Canberra Airport was 15.2 °C, which is 1.9 °C above the long-term average of 13.3 °C. The coldest morning was 9.7 °C on the 13th, and the warmest morning was on the 28th when the minimum temperature was 20.5 °C
A month of extreme events
- Canberra Airport reached 44.0 °C on the 4th. This is the highest temperature ever recorded in the ACT, exceeding the 42.8 °C at Acton on 10 January 1939
- One of the most severe hailstorms recorded in the ACT occurred on the 20th. Hail of 4 to 6 cm in diameter fell across a region extending from the southern half of Belconnen through Acton to the inner southern suburbs. Extensive damage was reported to buildings and motor vehicles
- In the same storm, Canberra Airport reported a wind gust of 117 km/h, its strongest since 1996 and the second-strongest on record for January
- Extensive smoke from bushfires in neighbouring regions of New South Wales affected the ACT at times, particularly in the first half of the month. In the final week of the month a large fire burned in Namadgi National park south of Canberra
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
| Extremes in January 2020 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 44.0 °C at Canberra Airport on the 4th |
| Warmest days on average | 31.7 °C at Canberra Airport |
| Coolest days on average | 22.8 °C at Mount Ginini AWS |
| Coldest day | 13.3 °C at Mount Ginini AWS on the 12th |
| Coldest night | 3.4 °C at Mount Ginini AWS on the 13th |
| Coolest nights on average | 10.0 °C at Mount Ginini AWS |
| Warmest nights on average | 15.2 °C at Canberra Airport |
| Warmest night |
20.5 °C at Canberra Airport on the 28th 20.5 °C at Tuggeranong (Isabella Plains) AWS on the 28th |
| Warmest on average overall | 23.5 °C at Canberra Airport |
| Coolest on average overall | 16.4 °C at Mount Ginini AWS |
| Wettest overall | 65.4 mm at Mount Ginini AWS |
| Driest overall | 16.0 mm at Canberra Airport |
| Wettest day | 38.4 mm at Mount Ginini AWS on the 20th |
| Strongest wind gust | 117 km/h at Canberra Airport on the 20th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
| Record highest January temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for January |
|||
| Tuggeranong (Isabella Plains) AWS | 43.3 | on the 4th | 40.8 | on the 17th in 2019 | 24 | 29.7 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for January 2020 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for January 2020 |
Diff from average |
Highest for January 2020 |
Mean for January 2020 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for January 2020 |
Total for January 2020 |
Average for January |
Rank of January 2020 |
Fraction of January average |
|||
| Canberra Airport | 31.7 | +3.4 | 44.0 | 4th | 15.2 | +1.9 | 9.7 | 13th | 16.0 | 44.2 | low | 36% |
| Mount Ginini AWS | 22.8 | +1.7 | 33.2 | 4th | 10.0 | -0.3 | 3.4 | 13th | 65.4 | 74.8 | average | 87% |
| Tuggeranong (Isabella Plains) AWS | 31.3 | +1.6 | 43.3 | 4th | 15.1 | +0.6 | 11.4 | 2nd | 26.8 | 52.8 | low | 51% |
|
Note:
Observations for “Canberra Airport” are taken from the current site
(Bureau number 070351), which opened in late 2008.
Comparisons are made against data from the previous site Canberra Airport Comparison (070014), which ran from 1939 to 2010, combined with the current site from March 2010 onwards. | ||||||||||||
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
| Daily maximum temperatures for January 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
| Canberra Airport | 33.2 | 33.2 | 37.8 | 44.0 | 21.7 | 21.5 | 35.0 | 34.9 | 26.1 | 39.4 | 28.3 | 22.1 | 26.9 | 32.1 | 33.2 | 29.3 | 24.8 | 25.3 | 31.3 | 27.9 | 27.6 | 34.3 | 34.9 | 28.8 | 33.7 | 34.7 | 35.9 | 34.4 | 32.0 | 37.3 | 41.9 |
| Mount Ginini AWS | 24.9 | 24.7 | 28.0 | 33.2 | 22.7 | 16.3 | 24.4 | 25.9 | 19.4 | 29.2 | 20.0 | 13.3 | 18.2 | 21.8 | 23.8 | 22.1 | 17.5 | 19.2 | 21.5 | 16.2 | 15.8 | 23.0 | 21.0 | 19.2 | 23.5 | 24.6 | 25.6 | 25.0 | 26.7 | 28.4 | 32.5 |
| Tuggeranong (Isabella Plains) AWS | 33.6 | 32.1 | 37.4 | 43.3 | 21.3 | 21.1 | 34.1 | 36.0 | 25.1 | 39.2 | 27.8 | 22.0 | 26.9 | 31.9 | 32.1 | 29.3 | 24.8 | 26.8 | 30.4 | 26.1 | 27.3 | 33.5 | 33.8 | 28.2 | 33.1 | 34.4 | 35.5 | 33.7 | 31.3 | 36.1 | 41.8 |
|
Values are the maximum temperature, usually in the 24 hours from 9 am on the day indicated, and typically occurred in the afternoon of that day. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temperatures coloured according to their difference from the long-term average for the period |
-10.0 | -9.0 | -8.0 | -7.0 | -6.0 | -5.0 | -4.0 | -3.0 | -2.0 | -1.0 | 0.0 | +1.0 | +2.0 | +3.0 | +4.0 | +5.0 | +6.0 | +7.0 | +8.0 | +9.0 | +10.0 | °C | Grey outline marks highest and lowest for the period |
||||||||
| Daily minimum temperatures for January 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
| Canberra Airport | 13.5 | 10.7 | 15.6 | 18.5 | 17.3 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 16.3 | 15.7 | 17.8 | 15.5 | 14.4 | 9.7 | 12.7 | 15.3 | 15.9 | 16.5 | 17.1 | 13.6 | 16.0 | 14.0 | 11.8 | 19.1 | 14.8 | 16.4 | 16.9 | 14.2 | 20.5 | 13.3 | 13.4 | 16.7 |
| Mount Ginini AWS | 10.2 | 10.6 | 12.2 | 18.6 | 12.2 | 4.4 | 7.2 | 12.2 | 8.3 | 9.7 | 10.6 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 7.4 | 9.8 | 11.9 | 9.7 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 9.4 | 6.2 | 8.0 | 12.6 | 6.0 | 8.1 | 12.9 | 11.1 | 13.2 | 10.5 | 13.1 | 19.1 |
| Tuggeranong (Isabella Plains) AWS | 14.2 | 11.4 | 14.7 | 17.7 | 17.6 | 13.4 | 14.5 | 15.6 | 17.0 | 17.4 | 15.0 | 13.6 | 11.8 | 12.2 | 15.0 | 16.0 | 16.7 | 17.2 | 14.4 | 15.5 | 14.5 | 12.2 | 15.6 | 13.8 | 15.7 | 18.1 | 15.2 | 20.5 | 13.7 | 13.3 | 15.2 |
|
Values are the minimum temperature, usually in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated, and typically occurred that morning. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temperatures coloured according to their difference from the long-term average for the period |
-10.0 | -9.0 | -8.0 | -7.0 | -6.0 | -5.0 | -4.0 | -3.0 | -2.0 | -1.0 | 0.0 | +1.0 | +2.0 | +3.0 | +4.0 | +5.0 | +6.0 | +7.0 | +8.0 | +9.0 | +10.0 | °C | Grey outline marks highest and lowest for the period |
||||||||
| Daily rainfall for January 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | ||
| Aranda (Bindaga St) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.2 | 6.2 | - | - | 3.8 | 22.0 | |||||||||||
| Bruce (Australian Institute of Sport) | - | - | - | → | → | 0.7 | 1.0 | - | 2.4 | 8.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | → | → | 4.6 | 8.2 | - | - | 2.8 | ||||||||
| Canberra (Australian National Botanic Ga | - | - | - | - | - | 0.1 | - | - | - | - | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | 2.4 | 4.4 | - | - | 7.0 | 12.2 | - | - | 3.6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Canberra Airport | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | - | 0.4 | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | 4.0 | - | - | 4.4 | 2.6 | - | - | 3.2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Ginninderra (Charnwood (ACT)) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | 23.2 | - | - | 1.2 | 9.4 | 0.2 | - | 2.8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Mount Ginini AWS | - | - | - | - | 0.2 | 0.8 | 3.2 | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | 5.4 | 1.0 | - | - | 38.4 | 12.8 | - | - | 3.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Torrens (Darke St) | - | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | 0.2 | - | - | - | 0.4 | - | - | - | - | 1.6 | 11.0 | - | - | 2.4 | 10.0 | - | - | 2.2 | ||||||||
| Tuggeranong (Isabella Plains) AWS | - | - | - | - | - | 0.6 | 0.2 | - | - | - | 0.2 | - | - | - | - | 0.6 | 8.4 | - | - | 1.8 | 8.6 | - | - | 6.4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
|
Most values are the precipitation in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated.
Days marked with → are part of a longer accumulation, which is shown on the final day. Values over 100 mm have been rounded to the nearest whole millimetre. Days marked with - have a rainfall report of zero; days left blank have no rainfall report (which often indicates no rain fell). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rainfalls coloured according to the amount |
0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 10.0 | 15.0 | 25.0 | 50.0 | 100 | 150 | 200 | 300 | 400 | 600 | millimetres | ||||||||||||||||||
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top
Notes
The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists the main features of the weather in Australian Capital Territory using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. More extensive discussion of significant weather events, along with later information and data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.
This summary includes data from observing sites in or near the Australian Capital Territory “Greater Capital City Statistical Area” (GCCSA). The Australian Bureau of Statistics designed the GCCSAs to “include the population within the urban area of the city, as well as people who regularly socialise, shop or work within the city, and live in small towns and rural areas surrounding the city. It is important to note that GCCSAs do not define the built up edge of the city. They provide a stable definition for these cities and are designed for the output of a range of social and economic survey data.”
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Monday 3 February 2020. 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.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
