Wednesday, 1 April 2009 - Monthly Climate Summary for Sydney - Greater Sydney - Product code IDCKGC25L0

Warm and sunny March for Sydney

Summary

After a wet February, below average rainfall returned to much of the Sydney region during March. However, thunderstorms in the northern suburbs caused locally heavy rainfall. Daytime maximum temperatures were warmer than normal.

  • Mostly below average rainfall
  • Warm days, above average maximum temperatures
  • Mild nights, above average minimum temperatures along coast
  • Sunny month with above average sunshine

An archive of previous monthly summaries for Sydney - Greater Sydney is also available, as are summaries for other states and many other climate summaries and diagnostics.

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Rainfall

Rainfall was mostly below average over much of the Sydney metropolitan area during March. Observatory Hill received a total of 60.6 mm, which is well below the historical average of 130 mm. The rain fell on 9 rain days, well below the historical average of 13 days. Most of the month's rainfall occurred on the 9th when moist easterly winds and local convergence caused moderate falls along the coast and heavy falls in elevated northeastern suburbs. The wettest single day was on the 9th with 116.8 mm recorded at North Turramurra (Dryden Rd).

Rainfall distribution varied significantly over Sydney with monthly totals exceeding 100 mm in some northern suburbs to less than 40 mm in the far southwest. The wettest suburb was Berowra with 165 mm for the month followed by 143.8 mm at St Ives. The lowest total was 34 mm at Camden Valley in the far southwest. A ridge of high pressure over NSW for most of the month brought the generally stable weather to the Sydney region.

Generally below average rainfall was recorded over the Warragamba Dam catchment area during March with most totals below 30 mm. A few isolated storms enhanced the rainfall over the lower catchment where totals exceeded 70 mm for the month. Sydney's storage level decreased during March and was at 58% of capacity at the end of the month. Recent rainfall and current levels in Sydney's water catchments can be found on the Sydney Catchment Authority web site http://www.sca.nsw.gov.au/dams/rainfall.html

Temperatures

Sydney experienced mild to warm days with little variation in the day to day maximum temperature throughout the month. Sydney Observatory Hill recorded an average maximum temperature of 25.4 °C, which is 0.7°C above the historical March average. It was a couple of degrees warmer in the western suburbs but still only slightly above the March average. The warm conditions were partly due to slow moving high pressure systems in the Tasman Sea directing NE winds over NSW and the Sydney region and tended to deflect any cool changes to the southeast.

Average minimum temperatures over the Sydney area were above the historical average along the coast but slightly below average in inland suburbs. The official site at Observatory Hill recorded an average minimum of 18.9 °C, which is 1.4°C above the historical average. This ranks as the 11th warmest average minimum temperature on record for March in the 151 year record at Observatory Hill. However, much cooler nights were experienced over western Sydney where average minimums were up to 5°C cooler than along the coast. In these areas, minimums were very close to the historical March average.

There was a considerable variation in temperature extremes over the Sydney region during March, from a high of 34.2°C at Penrith Lakes AWS and at Richmond on the 25th to a low of 7.9°C at Camden Airport AWS on the 6th. However, the range in temperature along the coast was much smaller; at Observatory Hill the highest temperature was only 27.7°C on the 19th and the lowest was 14.4°C on the 6th. The only significant cool day was on the 31st when Observatory Hill recorded a maximum temperature of 22.5°C and Terrey Hills 19.8°C.

Winds and waves

Strong winds on the 31st generated a heavy ocean swell off Sydney with an average significant wave height of 6 metres and a maximum height of 11 metres. The highest wind gust in the Sydney region during March was 82 km/h at Wattamolla (Royal National Park) on the 31st, associated with a strong easterly flow. The next highest was 80 km/h at Badgerys Creek AWS on the 25th caused by downdrafts from a thunderstorm. Prevailing winds in coastal Sydney during the afternoons were E-NE for 63% of the time during March, which is well above the normal frequency from this direction.

Other phenomena

The average daily sunshine in Sydney during March was 7.5 hours per day, which is above the historic average of 6.9 hours per day. Sydney recorded 4thunderstorms during the month (at the Sydney Airport site) compared to the historical average of 2 storms. However, most produced only light showers. The only significant storm was on the 25th with 34 mm recorded at Glenmore Park (far western suburbs), accompanied by strong winds and frequent lightning.

Further information

Mike De Salis
Climate Officer
NSW Climate Services Centre
NSW Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (02) 9296 1555
Email climate.nsw@bom.gov.au

Extremes for the Sydney area

Hottest day
Highest temperature		34.2°C at Penrith Lakes AWS and at Richmond on the 25th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 28.0°C at Campbelltown (Mount Annan)
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 24.9°C at Terrey Hills AWS
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 18.7°C at Springwood on the 31st
19.8°C at Terrey Hills AWS on the 31st
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 7.9°C at Camden Airport AWS on the 6th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 14.3°C at Campbelltown (Mount Annan)
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 18.9°C at Sydney (Observatory Hill)
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 22.9°C at Sydney Airport AMO on the 4th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 164.9 mm at Berowra (Goodwyn Road)
143.8 mm at St Ives (Richmond Avenue)
Driest overall
Lowest total rainfall		 34.0 mm at Camden Valley
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		 116.8 mm at North Turramurra (Dryden Rd) on the 9th
111.0 mm at St Ives (Richmond Avenue) on the 9th
Highest wind gust
 82 km/h at Wattamolla on the 31st
80 km/h at Badgerys Creek on the 25th

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Records

Nil recorded

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Summaries for the Sydney area

This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.

Summary statistics for March 2009
Maximum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Rainfall
for March
(millimetres)
Mean for
March
2009		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
March
2009		 Mean for
March
2009		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
March
2009		 Total for
March
2009		 Average
for
March		 Rank of
March
2009		 Fraction of
March
average
Sydney (Observatory Hill) 25.4 +0.7 27.7 19th 18.9 +1.4 14.4 6th 60.6 129.4 low 47%
Bankstown Airport AWS 26.8 +0.6 32.3 26th 16.2 0.0 11.1 6th 78.6 98.4 average 80%
Camden Airport AWS 27.8 +1.0 33.1 26th 14.5 −0.2 7.9 6th 41.0 88.8 low 46%
Parramatta North 26.8 +0.6 33.2 25th 16.2 +0.4 10.8 17th 79.2 107.5 average 74%
Prospect Reservoir 27.5 +1.3 33.5 25th 15.7 −0.3 10.2 6th 54.1 95.8 average 56%
Richmond RAAF 27.4 +0.6 34.2 25th 15.4 −0.2 9.8 6th 70.2 61.7 average 114%
Springwood Bowling Club 25.5   31.0 24th 15.2   10.2 6th 60.0 125.3 average 48%
Terrey Hills AWS 24.9   29.5 26th 16.8   11.9 6th 117.6

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Daily rainfall for the Sydney region

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 marked like this 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).
This table is very wide; you may have to scroll sideways to see all the days, and you may need to set the paper to 'landscape' to print.

Hunter (61)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Webbs Ck-Wisemans Ferry - - - - - - - - 5.6 0.2 - 3.6 - - 0.4 - - - - - - 0.4 1.0 0.2 0.2 0.8 - 0.2 - - 14.4
Central Tablelands (South) (63)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Sackville Ferry (Hawkesbury River) - - - - - - - - 12.8 - - 2.2 - 0.2 0.2 - - - - - - 5.8 - - - 6.6 0.6 - 0.2 - 3.8
Springwood - - - - - - - - 11.0 1.2 - 5.4 - 10.0 11.2 - - - - - - - - 1.2 - 17.0 0.2 0.4 - - 2.4
Valley Heights (Sun Valley Rd)
- - - - - - - 10.4 0.6
4.4
7.0 10.0


- -


1.0
34.0 0.2



Metropolitan (East) (66)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Abbotsford (Blackwall Point Rd)







41.0

1.5

12.5
»» 1.2



3.4


2.0

»» 2.5
Ashfield Bowling Club







26.0




24.0









4.0




Auburn (Rosnay Golf Club) - - - - - - - - 31.0 - - 3.0 - - 22.0 - - - - - 5.0 - 1.0 1.0 - 6.0 3.0 - - - 3.0
Audley (Royal National Park) - - - - - - 1.0 - 21.0 - - 6.0 - - 7.0 - - - - - 4.0 - 1.0 2.0 - 3.0 2.0 - - 1.0 2.0
Avalon (Wollstonecraft Ave) - - - - - - - - 88.0 - - 18.0 - - 2.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.0
Bankstown Airport AWS - - - - - - - - 29.0 1.0 - 5.0 - - 27.0 - - - - - 0.2 3.0 2.0 1.0 - 6.0 1.0 0.4 - - 3.0
Belrose (Evelyn Place) 0.4






55.0 1.2
17.4

16.6







0.4
1.4 0.8


4.0
Campbelltown (Ingleburn) - - - - - - - - 22.0 2.0 - 10.0 - - 36.0 - - - - - - - - 1.0 - 10.0 - - - - 3.0
Canterbury Racecourse AWS - - - - - - - - 35.2 0.2 - 2.2 0.2 - 28.6 - - - - - - - 0.2 0.2 - 4.4 0.4 0.4 - - 0.8
Chatswood Bowling Club - - - - - - - - 37.0 - - 2.0 - - 11.0 - - - - - 5.0 - 1.0 - - 2.0 - 1.0 - - 3.0
Concord Golf Club







35.6 3.0
0.8

12.6




5.0
1.2







Cronulla South Bowling Club







32.0

1.0

22.0




10.6
0.4 4.0
1.4


1.6
Guildford (Woodville Golf Club) - - - - - - - - 36.0 - - 3.0 - - 18.0 - - - - - 3.0 3.0 1.0 - - 7.0 2.0 - - - 7.0
Holsworthy Control Range - - - - - - - - 17.0 1.4 - 5.2 - -
0.2 - - - - - -
1.6 - 7.6 0.2 - - - 2.4
Lidcombe (Carnarvon Golf Club) - - - - - - - - 22.0 - - 4.0 - - 18.0 - - - - - 6.0 - 1.0 1.0 - 5.0 3.0 - - - 3.0
Lucas Heights (ANSTO)







13.0 0.8
3.0

11.4





0.4 0.8

4.2



9.8
Manley / Warringah (Allambie) - - - - - - - - 32.5 - - 5.0 - - 14.5 - - - - - - - - - - 0.5 - - - - 1.5
Manley / Warringah (Belrose)

- - - - - - 45.5 - - 17.5 - -
0.5 - - -


- 0.5 - 1.0
- - - 3.0
Milperra Bridge (Georges River) - - - - - - - - 22.0 - -
- - 21.0 -














North Turramurra (Dryden Rd)







116.8 2.0 0.2 10.0

5.8






0.2 0.8
2.8 0.8


4.0
Parramatta (Erts) - - - - - - - - 25.0 - - - - - 19.0 - - - - - 8.0 5.0 - - - 4.0 1.0 - - - 4.0
Parramatta North (Masons Drive) - - - - - - - - 36.4 0.2 - 5.0 - 0.2 19.8 - - - - - 2.2 - 0.4 0.4 - 4.4 1.6 0.8 - - 7.8
Peakhurst Golf Club - - - - - - - - 24.0 3.0 - 2.0 - - 19.0 - - - - - - 1.0 1.0 - - 9.0 1.0 1.0 - - 1.0
Randwick Bowling Club







42.6 0.4



24.0









2.4



0.2
Riverview Observatory - - - - - - - - 46.2 0.2 - 3.6 - - »» 15.6 - - - - 0.6 »» 1.2 0.2 - 3.0 1.2 - »» 2.0 2.0
Rose Bay (Royal Sydney Golf Club)







51.2




12.0 0.8





0.2 0.2
0.8 1.0


1.0
Sans Souci - - - - 1.0 - - - 29.0 1.0 - 1.0 1.0 - 18.0 - - - - - 2.0 - 1.0 - - 3.0 1.0 1.0 - - -
St Ives (Richmond Avenue)







111 1.2
14.2
0.4 9.2







1.2

0.8

0.8 5.0
Strathfield Golf Club - - - - - - - - 25.0 - - 4.0 - - 27.0 - - - - - - - 1.0 1.0 - 4.0 3.0 - - - 5.0
Sydney (Observatory Hill) - - - - - - - - 36.8 0.6 - 1.2 - - 17.0 0.4 - - - - - - 0.2 - - 1.4 0.4 - - - 2.6
Sydney Airport AMO - - - - - - - - 16.0 0.4 - 0.2 - - 25.8 0.2 - - - - - - 1.0 - - 3.4 0.8 0.6 - - 1.2
Sydney Olympic Park - - - - - - - - 31.8 - - 1.4 0.4 - 22.8 - - - - - 2.6 - 1.4 0.8 - 4.0 5.4 - - - 1.2
Terrey Hills AWS - - - - - - - - 85.4 0.6 - 13.0 - 0.2 8.6 - - - - - - - - 0.2 0.2 1.2 - - - 1.2 7.0
West Pymble (Wyuna Road) 0.2






62.4
0.4 0.6 13.0
7.4




0.6

0.8
3.0




Metropolitan (West) (67)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Abbotsbury (Fairfield City Farm) - - - - - - - - 21.0 - - 5.0 - - 15.0 - - - - - - - - 1.0 - 4.0 4.0 - - - 1.0
Badgerys Creek AWS - - - - - - - - 12.4 0.8 0.2 4.8 - - 24.6 - - - - - - - - - - 24.8 3.8 0.2 - - 3.2
Baulkham Hills (Swimming Pool ) - - - - - - - - 37.0 1.5 - 1.0 - - 8.5 - - - - - 2.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 - 2.0 - - - - 3.5
Baulkham Hills Eucalyptus Ct - - - - - - - 2.0 44.5 0.5 - 1.0 - - 11.5 - - - - - 0.5 - 0.5 0.5 - 3.0 0.5 1.0 - - 8.0
Berowra (Goodwyn Road)







»» 133 0.2 9.8

10.0




1.2



2.2



8.6
Blacktown - - - - 1.0 - - - 33.5 0.5 - 1.0 - - 19.0 - - - - - 0.5 0.5 - 0.5 - 3.5 1.0 2.0 - - 2.0
Box Hill (Hynds Road) - - - - - - - - 44.0 2.0 - - - - 3.0 - - - - - - 2.0 - - - 7.0 - - - - 4.0
Castle Hill (Kathleen Ave)







45.8 0.8
6.4
0.3 6.4




3.0 0.3 1.0

3.6 0.7 0.3

5.4
Glenmore Park (Cartwright Cl)







9.4

3.4
0.6 34.0




0.2



34.4



2.6
Glenorie (Old Northern Rd)







35.0 1.2



3.2




2.4

1.0
3.4



13.0
Greystanes (Cumberland Golf Club) - - - - 2.0 - - - 21.5 - - 2.0 - - 17.5 - - - - - 4.5 1.5 1.0 0.5 - 3.0 0.5 0.5 - - 1.5
Hawkesbury River (Sackville) - -
-
-

12.2
-
-

-
-
-

-
-
0.2

-
Horsley Park Equestrian Centre AWS - - - - - - - - 16.8 0.8 - 8.2 - - 18.8 0.2 - - - - - 0.4 0.6 0.8 - 4.0 0.8 - - - 2.4
Panania (Kelso Creek) - - - - - - - - 28.0 - - 4.5 - - 12.0 - - - - - 0.5 - 1.5 2.0 - 12.0 0.5 - - - 7.0
Kings Langley (Solander Rd) - - - - - - - 4.4 40.8 1.4 - 0.6 - - 14.8 - - - - - 1.4 - 0.8 0.2 - 3.6 0.2 0.2 - - 8.4
Liverpool 0.2 - - - - - - - 16.6 0.2 - 5.8 - - 19.4 - - - - - - 1.8 0.2 1.4 - 8.4 3.0 - - - 2.2
Lower Portland (Hawkesbury River) - - - - - - - - 7.0 1.0 - 2.4 0.2 - 0.4 - - - - - - - - 0.2 - 1.6 0.6 0.2 - - 4.8
Maroota (Tobruk)








0.4 - 5.2 - 0.2 0.4 - - - - - 0.4 0.2 0.8 0.2 - 1.8 0.8 0.2 - 0.2 25.6
Merrylands (Welsford Street)







25.2
1.2 2.2

25.6





23.8


6.4



4.2
Merrylands West (Finlayson Creek) - - - - - - - - 23.5 0.5 - 4.0 - - 14.0 - - - - - 1.5 17.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 3.5 1.0 0.5 - - 3.0
North Parramatta (Burnside Homes) - - - - - - - - 34.0 0.5 - 3.5 - - 19.5 - - - - - 2.0 - - - - 4.5 1.0 1.0 0.5 - 7.5
North Rocks (Muirfield Golf Club) - - - - - - - - 41.0 0.5 - 1.5 - - 13.5 - - - - - 2.0 - - - - 3.0 3.0 1.0 - - 3.5
Northmead Bowling Club - - - - - - - - 46.5 - - 1.0 - - 11.0 - - - - - - 0.5 - 0.5 - 5.0 0.5 2.0 - - 9.5
Parramatta (Baulkham Hills West) - - - - - - - 7.0 41.0 1.0 - 0.5 - - 12.5 - - - - - - 0.5 0.5 - - 4.0 0.5 0.5 - - 7.0
Penrith Lakes AWS - - - - - - - - 8.8 1.0 - 2.8 - 2.0 10.4 0.2 - - - - - - - - - 18.2 0.2 - - - 2.4
Prospect Reservoir - - - - - - - 0.6 21.4 0.3 - 1.6 - - 15.5 - - - - - 2.2 0.4 1.0 0.5 - 4.2 0.8 2.5 - - 3.1
Richmond RAAF - - - - - - - - 17.4 0.2 - 2.6 - 3.4 13.6 0.2 - - - - - - 0.2 - - 28.6 0.2 - - - 3.8
Seven Hills (Radio FM 103.2) - - - - - - - - 41.5 0.5 - 1.5 - - 28.0 - - - - - 0.5 - 0.5 - - 3.5 0.5 0.5 - - 2.0
Seven Hills (Collins St)






1.8 35.0 3.6
2.4

19.2






1.4

4.4



5.0
Toongabbie Bowling Club - - - - - - - - 46.5 0.5 - 1.0 - - 23.5 - - - - - - 0.5 0.5 - - 5.5 0.5 0.5 - - 5.5
Toongabbie Ck (Redbank Road) - - - - - - - - 35.0 0.5 - 0.5 - - 17.0 - - - - - 5.0 - 0.5 0.5 - 5.0 2.5 - - - 5.0
West Pennant Hills (Cumberland S F) - - - - - - - - 46.5 - 0.5 5.5 - - 7.5 - - - - - 1.0 3.5 - 0.5 - 3.0 4.0 0.5 0.5 - 3.0
Willmot (Resolution Ave)







21.0 2.0 - - - 1.0 9.0 - - - - - - - - - - 6.0 1.0 - - - -
Illawarra (68)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Camden Airport AWS - - - - - - - - 4.2 - 0.2 5.8 - 0.4 13.6 - - - - - - - 4.2 2.6 - 2.0 0.8 - - - 7.2
Camden Valley Golf Resort - - - - - - - - 5.0 - - 4.0 - 1.0 4.0 - - - - - - - 2.0 1.0 - 15.0 - - - - 2.0
Campbelltown (Kentlyn) - - - - - - - - 7.0 3.0 - 7.0 - - 10.0 - - - - - - - 1.0 1.0 - 6.0 - - - 1.0 6.0
Campbelltown (Mount Annan) - - -

- - - 6.4 0.6 -
- 0.6 6.2 - -
- - - - 1.6 2.0 - 4.8 - - - - 5.8
Rossmore (South Creek) - - - - - - - - 13.0 - - 6.0 - - 14.0 - - - - - - - - 3.0 - 15.0 1.0 - - - 2.0

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9am on Wednesday 1 April 2009. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages 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.

Further information

Mike De Salis
Climate Officer
NSW Climate Services Centre
NSW Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (02) 9296 1555
Email climate.nsw@bom.gov.au