Tuesday, 1 February 2011 - Monthly Climate Summary for Sydney - Greater Sydney - Product code IDCKGC15L0

Sydney in January 2011: Warm start to 2011

  • Below average rainfall.
  • Well above average maximum temperatures.
  • Second warmest January on record for minimum temperatures.
  • 23 nights exceeding 20 °C, the second highest frequency on record.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Sydney recorded 53.8mm of rain during January, well below the historical average of 101.5mm. The rain fell over 15 rain days, above the January average of 12 rain days; however, the highest daily rainfall was just 9.4mm on the 9th compared to the historical average of 2.7 days exceeding 10mm. The last month with the maximum daily precipitation below 10mm was March 2010, and the last January with maximum daily rain below 10mm was in 2003, with a maximum of just 3.6mm.

Rain was higher in the Blue Mountains, with total rainfall of 130mm at Valley Heights. Two days had rainfall exceeding 25mm somewhere within Sydney - 25mm at North Rocks on the 3rd associated with a thunderstorm, 27.8 mm at Valley Heights on the 10th, and 25mm at Rose Bay on the 19th.

Sydney's water storage is currently at 73.5% of capacity. This is similar to December levels, and 23% higher than at the beginning of 2010 (51%). Current water storage information can be found on the new Bureau of Meteorology Water Storage web site.

Temperature

The average daily maximum temperature in Sydney during January was 27.4 °C, 1.5 °C above the historical record of 25.9 °C. This is the 11th consecutive year with above average maximum temperatures in Sydney. Four days above 30 °C were recorded during the month, slightly above the historical average of 3 days, with the warmest temperatures on the 24th when 35.4 °C was recorded in the city. Temperatures were warmer in the west, particularly on Australia Day, when Penrith reached 39.6 °C at 6pm, and on the 31st, with Penrith reaching 41.5 °C.

Minimum temperatures were also well above average during the month, averaging 20.9 °C compared to the historical average of 18.7 °C. This was the second warmest January on record for overnight temperatures, following 21 °C in January 1991. In addition, Sydney Airport and Riverview Observatory recorded their warmest average night time temperatures on record during the month. Mean temperatures were consequently 24.1 °C, well above the historical average of 22.3 °C and the equal 4th warmest year on record for Sydney.

23 nights during the month had minimum temperatures of at least 20 °C at Sydney Observatory Hill, well above the historical average of 8 nights and the second highest frequency on record following 24 days in January 1991. The lowest temperature was 17.2°C, the 8th warmest "coldest day" on record.

Some sites had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record.

Wind

Winds were generally northerly to easterly at Sydney Airport during January, with 60% of 3pm winds coming from that direction. The remaining winds were generally S to SE with almost no wind arising from the west, similar to average wind patterns at this station. The strongest winds in the Sydney region occurred on the 24th associated with the passage of a cold front, with 80 km/hr recorded at Port Botany and 74 km/hr at Little Bay.

Other phenomena

Sydney Airport recorded an average of 7.6 hours of sunshine per day during this month, which is average for January. Just two thunderstorms were reported at the airport, on the 2nd and 3rd of the month, slightly below the historical average of 3 storms and well below the 6 recorded in 2010. These were the only storms recorded in the metropolitan region during the month.

Further information

Climate Officer
NSW Climate Services Centre
NSW Regional Office
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (02) 9296 1555
Email climate.nsw@bom.gov.au
Extremes in January 2011
Hottest day 41.5 °C at Penrith Lakes AWS on the 31st
Warmest days on average 32.0 °C at Penrith Lakes AWS
Coolest days on average 26.9 °C at Terrey Hills AWS
Coldest day 18.5 °C at Springwood (Valley Heights) on the 3rd
Coldest night 11.1 °C at Camden Airport AWS on the 30th
Coolest nights on average 17.7 °C at Campbelltown (Mount Annan)
Warmest nights on average 20.9 °C at Sydney (Observatory Hill)
Warmest night 24.0 °C at Penrith Lakes AWS on the 27th
Warmest on average overall 25.0 °C at Sydney Olympic Park (Sydney Olympic Pk A
Coolest on average overall 22.7 °C at Terrey Hills AWS
Wettest overall 130.2 mm at Valley Heights (Sun Valley Rd)
Wettest day 27.8 mm at Valley Heights (Sun Valley Rd) on the 10th
Highest wind gust 80 km/h at Port Botany (Molineux Point AWS) on the 24th

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top


Record highest January mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for January 2011 (°C) 		Previous warmest
for January		 Years of
record		 Average for
January
Riverview Observatory 19.7 = 19.7 in 2006 74 17.5
Sydney Airport AMO 20.8 = 20.8 in 1991 71 18.8

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for January 2011
Maximum temperatures
for January
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for January
(°C)		 Rainfall
for January
(millimetres)
Mean for
January
2011		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
January
2011		 Mean for
January
2011		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
January
2011		 Total for
January
2011		 Average
for
January		 Rank of
January
2011		 Fraction of
January
average
Badgerys Creek AWS 30.3   40.4 31st 18.1   12.1 30th 38.2
Bankstown Airport AWS 29.5 +1.4 39.5 31st 19.6 +1.5 14.3 30th 34.2 90.8 low 38%
Camden Airport AWS 30.3 +0.8 40.5 31st 18.0 +1.2 11.1 30th 55.0 75.3 average 73%
Campbelltown (Mount Annan) 30.1   40.0 31st 17.7   11.2 30th 41.2
Canterbury Racecourse AWS 28.7   36.3 31st 19.6   14.0 5th 38.2
Holsworthy Control Range 29.4   39.4 31st 18.4   12.2 30th 9.4
Horsley Park Equestrian Centre AWS 30.3   40.9 31st 18.6   13.4 30th 39.8
Parramatta North (Masons Drive) 28.8 +0.4 37.0 1st 18.9 +1.4 13.6 30th 51.2 100.6 low 51%
Penrith Lakes AWS 32.0   41.5 31st 19.7   14.6 30th 27.6
Prospect Reservoir 29.9 +1.6 40.2 31st 19.0 +1.4 13.8 30th 68.6 93.7 average 73%
Richmond RAAF 30.2   39.9 31st 19.0   12.7 30th 53.2
Riverview Observatory 28.4 +1.9 36.6 31st 19.7 +2.2 15.4 5th 57.5 105.7 average 54%
Springwood (Valley Heights) 28.1   38.0 31st 17.9   14.3 4th 127.0 124.9 average 102%
Sydney (Observatory Hill) 27.4 +1.5 35.4 24th 20.9 +2.2 17.2 5th 53.8 101.2 average 53%
Sydney Airport AMO 28.1 +1.7 36.7 24th 20.8 +2.0 16.8 5th 37.6 93.8 low 40%
Sydney Olympic Park (Sydney Olympic Pk A 29.4   37.9 31st 20.5   16.3 5th 42.6
Terrey Hills AWS 26.9   34.7 31st 18.7   14.8 5th 46.4

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Daily rainfall
Hunter (61)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Webbs Ck-Wisemans Ferry (Hawkesbury Rive - - 12.0 - - 2.5 1.0 7.0 1.5 0.5 4.5 - - - - 3.0 4.5 - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 0.2 - -
Central Tablelands (South) (63)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Sackville Ferry (Hawkesbury River) - - 8.0 1.6 - 1.2 0.2 2.0 7.2 3.4 4.0 0.4 - - 1.8 5.2 0.8 - 0.2 0.2 - - - - - - - 1.8 - - -
Springwood (Valley Heights) - - 22.0 7.8 - 14.6 1.4 4.6 5.8 14.8 16.8 7.0 0.6 - 3.2 0.2 - - 8.6 18.2 - - - - - - - 1.4 - - -
Valley Heights (Sun Valley Rd)

18.8 6.8
12.0 2.0 »» 11.0 27.8 17.0 - 1.0 - 4.0 0.4 - - 7.8 20.2 0.2
- - - - - 1.2 - - -
Metropolitan (East) (66)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Abbotsford (Blackwall Point Rd)

11.6 4.0

5.0 »» 16.6 4.4


»» 2.8


1.4











Auburn (Rosnay Golf Club) - - 1.0 - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Audley (Royal National Park) - - - 2.0 - - - 4.0 11.0 6.0 - 6.0 - - 2.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Avalon (Wollstonecraft Ave) - - 4.0 - - - 5.0 - 7.0 2.0 - 1.0 - - - 1.0 3.0 - 3.0 - - - - - - - - 1.0 - - -
Avalon Beach (Avalon (Palmgrove Rd)) »» »» 52.0






4.2



2.0
0.4












Bankstown Airport AWS - - 2.2 3.8 - - - 4.6 6.4 7.8 0.4 8.0 - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Belrose (Evelyn Place)

9.8 2.6
1.0 15.2 2.8 9.8 12.2 2.8 4.0

1.2 1.4
0.2 7.6 0.2 0.4






0.4

Campbelltown (Ingleburn (Long Point)) - - - 4.0 - - - 5.0 5.0 12.0 1.0 17.0 - - 3.0 - - - - - 7.0 - - - - - - - - - -
Canterbury Racecourse AWS - - 4.0 4.8 - - 4.6 5.4 8.8 6.6 0.4 1.6 0.4 - 0.4 0.4 - - - - 0.8 - - - - - - - - - -
Castle Cove (Rosebridge Ave)

15.0 1.0

6.0
17.0 7.0 6.0 1.0





7.0








1.0

Chatswood Bowling Club - - 6.0 2.0 - - 10.0 3.0 10.0 7.0 - 2.0 - - 1.0 - - - 4.0 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Collaroy (Long Reef Golf Club)

11.4 0.2

3.4 4.2 8.0 5.2 0.8 0.8


2.2
2.8 0.6







0.6


Concord Golf Club 6.8
9.2


6.4 3.2 7.6 5.2 1.2 1.6


















Guildford (Woodville Golf Club) - - 3.0 5.0 - - 3.0 7.0 7.0 8.0 - 6.0 - - 1.0 1.0 - - - 3.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
Holsworthy Control Range - - 0.6 - - - - - - - 7.0 0.8 0.6 0.2 - - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - -
Lidcombe (Carnarvon Golf Club) - - 3.0 4.0 - - 4.0 2.0 6.0 4.0 1.0 4.0 - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Liverpool-Scrivener St (Georges River) - - 2.0 4.0 - - - - 6.0 6.0 1.0 6.0 - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lucas Heights (ANSTO)


1.2


10.5 6.0 9.6 4.6 9.0

3.2


0.2











Macquarie Park (Willandra Village)











0.2 -



0.8







0.4 0.4

Manley / Warringah (Allambie) - - 14.5 1.0 - - 12.5 8.0 9.0 6.5 1.0 0.5 0.5 - 1.0 0.5 - - 3.0 1.5 - - - - - - - - - - -
Manley / Warringah (Belrose) - - 13.0 2.0 - 1.0

8.5 8.0 2.5 3.0 - - - - - - 4.5 -
- - - - - - - - - -
Marrickville Golf Club - - 2.0 4.0 - - 4.0 3.0 9.0 5.0 1.0 - - - - - - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - -
Milperra Bridge (Georges River) - - - 4.0 - - 1.0 2.0 3.0 7.0 - 6.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mona Vale Golf Club - 0.2 6.6 - - 0.8 3.4 3.0 6.0 11.4 1.2 3.0 - - - 1.8 - 0.6 4.4 - 0.4 - - - - - - 1.2 0.2 - 0.2
Parramatta (Erts) - - 12.0 2.0 - - 3.0 8.0 8.5 4.0 2.0 2.0 - - 0.5 - - - 1.0 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - -
Parramatta North (Masons Drive) - - 12.8 3.0 - - 2.0 6.6 13.0 6.4 3.0 2.2 - - 0.4 1.0 - - 0.2 0.4 - - - - - - - 0.2 - - -
Peakhurst Golf Club - - 1.0 3.0 - - 1.0 4.0 9.0 8.0 2.0 2.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Randwick Bowling Club



















2.4





0.2


Riverview Observatory - - »» 12.8 - - 9.2 7.2 11.8 8.2 0.8 2.6 - - 3.0 - - - 1.4 - - - - - 0.1 - - 0.4 - - -
Rose Bay (Royal Sydney Golf Club)





7.6 2.6 15.2 4.2 1.2 3.2
0.4 0.2 0.2
0.8 25.0 0.8 2.8









Sans Souci (Public School) - - 1.0 3.0 - - 1.0 6.0 17.0 7.0 1.0 6.0 - - - - - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - -
St Ives (Richmond Avenue)

8.4 2.4
0.2 10.0 6.0 13.2 9.2 5.0 4.4

0.6 1.8


1.0






1.0


Strathfield Golf Club 1.0 - 4.0 5.0 - - 6.0 4.0 9.0 6.0 1.0 3.0 - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - 1.0 - - - - -
Sydney (Observatory Hill) - - 5.6 3.0 - - 7.6 6.6 9.4 5.4 0.4 1.6 0.2 0.2 0.6 0.2 - - 7.2 0.2 5.6 - - - - - - - - - -
Sydney Airport AMO - - 2.2 3.0 - - 2.6 5.6 11.2 5.2 3.2 2.0 - - - - - 0.2 0.2 - 2.0 0.2 - - - - - - - - -
Sydney Olympic Park (Sydney Olympic Pk A - - 16.2 4.0 - - 3.4
7.8 6.0 0.4 3.8 - - 0.8 - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Terrey Hills AWS 0.2 - 7.4 2.2 - - 4.0 2.0 12.0 9.8 4.6






1.6 0.2 - - - - - - - 1.4 1.0 - -
Turramurra (Kissing Point Road)

14.6 2.8
1.0 8.6 3.2 15.0 12.6 4.6 5.6

0.8 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.6 2.0






1.2 1.0
-
Metropolitan (West) (67)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Abbotsbury (Fairfield City Farm) - - 1.0 4.0 - - - 10.0 7.0 6.0 2.0 4.0 - - 3.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Badgerys Creek AWS - - 0.8 4.2 - - - 9.0 2.2 7.0 2.8 4.6 1.0 - 4.6 - - - - 0.8 - - - 1.2 - - - - - - -
Baulkham Hills (Swimming Pool ) - - 9.5 2.0 - 0.5 1.5 3.5 13.5 4.0 5.5 1.0 0.5 - 1.5 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - - 0.5 - - -
Baulkham Hills Eucalyptus Ct - - 13.0 2.5 - - 1.5 4.0 11.0 5.5 3.0 1.0 - - 1.0 4.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Berowra (Goodwyn Road)

7.0 2.4

5.8
16.0 5.8 4.4 2.2


2.4 1.6
1.6







0.8


Blacktown (Dog Pound) - - 8.5 3.5 - - 1.0 3.5 13.0 4.5 2.5 2.0 0.5 - 1.0 - - - 0.5 8.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
Box Hill (Hynds Road) - - 19.0 1.0 - 1.0 - 5.0 10.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 - - 1.0 4.0 - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
Castle Hill (Kathleen Ave)

12.3 2.0
0.5 1.0 4.4 15.5 3.2 6.8 6.8

0.8 0.5


0.6



0.1

0.6


Glenorie (Old Northern Rd)

8.0 2.0

4.4
24.0 4.0
1.2


3.0

1.0











Greystanes (Cumberland Golf Club) - - 13.0 3.5 - - 2.0 12.0 10.5 8.5 2.5 3.0 - - 2.0 0.5 - - 5.5 8.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
Hawkesbury River (Sackville Downstream) - - 7.0 1.5 - 1.0 - 2.0 1.5 1.0 3.5 1.0 - - - 5.5 0.5 - - - - - - - - - -


-
Horsley Park Equestrian Centre AWS - - 1.6 2.8 - 0.2 - 12.0 5.8 5.4 3.4 4.0 - - 3.2 0.4 - - - 0.8 0.2 - - - - - - - - - -
Kelso Ck (Kelso Creek U/S Levee (Georges - - 1.0 3.5 - - 0.5 2.5 6.5 6.5 1.0 4.0 - - 0.5 - - - - - 5.5 - - - - - - - - - -
Kings Langley (NSW Soccer Federation) - - 12.0 2.0 - 0.5 1.0 1.5 13.0 4.5 3.0 1.0 - - 1.5 1.5 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kings Langley (Solander Rd) - - 8.8 2.4 - 0.4 0.4 3.4 14.6 3.6 2.2 2.4 - - 2.4 2.6 - - 1.2 - - - - - 0.2 - - 0.4 - - -
Liverpool (Michael Wenden Centre) - - - - - - »» »» »» »» 1.2 »» 1.4 - »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» 12.6 0.2 - - - -
Lower Portland (Hawkesbury River) - - 9.0 1.4 - 2.0 1.8 4.6 5.4 3.4 7.0 0.6 - - - 6.4 0.4 - - 0.6 0.6 - - - - - - 1.0 0.2 - -
Maroota (Tobruk) - - 12.4 0.2 - 3.4 1.6 5.0 6.8 3.8 6.6 1.6 - - - 4.2 3.4 0.6 - 1.4 3.0 - - - - - - 0.8 0.4 - -
Merrylands (Welsford Street)


14.2



19.8 5.4







3.4











Merrylands West (Finlayson Creek) - - 6.0 5.5 - - 1.0 11.5 13.0 7.0 4.0 2.5 - - 4.5 - - - 2.0 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
North Parramatta (Burnside Homes) - - 12.0 2.5 - - 2.0 5.5 12.5 5.5 2.0 2.0 - - - 0.5 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
North Rocks (Muirfield Golf Club) - - 25.0 3.0 - - 2.0 9.0 16.5 6.5 4.0 2.5 - - 1.0 0.5 - - - 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - -
Northmead Bowling Club - - 8.5 2.0 - - 2.0 18.0 13.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 - - - - 1.0 - - 0.5 - - - 1.5 - - - - - - 0.5
Parramatta (Baulkham Hills West (Sierra - - 7.5 2.0 - - 1.0 4.0 13.0 3.5 2.0 2.0 0.5 - 0.5 4.5 - - 10.0 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Penrith Lakes AWS - -





3.0 4.4 2.0 3.4 0.2 - 3.0 0.2 - - 2.6 5.8 3.0 - - - - - - - - - -
Prospect Reservoir - - 7.2 5.2 - 0.2 1.3 16.4 9.4 7.9 3.9 2.0 - - 3.0 0.1 - - 1.4 10.6 - - - - - - - - - - -
Richmond RAAF - - 24.2 2.8 0.2 1.6 0.2 2.8 5.0 5.2 2.4 3.6 - - - 4.6 - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - 0.2 0.2 - -
Seven Hills (Radio FM 103.2) - - 12.0 2.0 - - 2.0 3.0 9.5 3.0 2.0 2.5 0.5 - 1.0 0.5 - - - 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - -
Seven Hills (Collins St)

10.6 3.0


3.6 »» 14.2 2.4 2.8


1.4














South Creek (Elizabeth Drive)


















- - - - - - - - - - - -
St Clair (Juba Close) - - 6.0 3.0 - - - 6.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 - - 2.0 1.0 - - - 9.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
Toongabbie Bowling Club - - 10.5 2.0 - - 1.0 5.5 12.0 3.5 2.5 1.0 - - 0.5 1.0 - - 8.5 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
Toongabbie Ck (Redbank Road (Toongabbee - - 13.5 2.5 - - 2.5 8.5 14.0 7.5 2.0 1.5 - - 1.0 0.5 - - - 4.5 - - - - - - - - - - -
West Pennant Hills (Cumberland S F Alert - - 19.0 2.0 - - 3.0 5.5 16.0 5.5 2.5 2.5 0.5 - 0.5 0.5 - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.5 - -
Willmot (Resolution Ave) - - - - - 10.0 - 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 - 1.0 - - - - - - - - -
- - - - -
Windsor SWC (Hawkesbury River) - - 11.0 2.0 - 1.0 - 1.0 1.0 - - 2.0 - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - 1.0 - - -
Illawarra (68)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Camden Airport AWS - - 0.2 4.4 - - 1.2 4.8 4.4 11.4 4.8 20.0 0.8 - 1.4 - - - 0.2 0.4 - - - 1.0 - - - - - - -
Camden Valley Golf Resort - - - 4.0 - - - 4.0 2.0 14.0 3.0 12.0 - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Campbelltown (Kentlyn (Georges River Roa - - - 3.0 - - - 4.0 4.0 10.0 3.0 13.0 3.0 - 2.0 - - - - - 4.0 - - - - - - - - - -
Campbelltown (Mount Annan) - - - 6.2 - - - 6.2 2.4 7.2 3.2 13.6 0.2 - 1.6 0.2 - - - - - - - 0.4 - - - - - - -
Rossmore (South Creek) - - 1.0 5.0 - - - 8.0 4.0 7.0 4.0 9.0 - - 1.0 - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in Sydney - Greater Sydney using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Tuesday 1 February 2011. 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 20 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

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