Friday, 1 March 2013 - Monthly Climate Summary for Sydney - Product code IDCKGC25L0

Sydney in February 2013: Wet, cool end to summer

• Above average rainfall
• Close to average temperatures, no hot days

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Sydney Observatory Hill recorded 165.4 mm of rain during February, above the historical average of 118.3 mm. The rain fell over 17 days, above the February average of 12-13 days, but slightly fewer than last year (18 days). There were three days with at least 25 mm of rain during the month (average 1 day), the most in any month since June 2012.

The first rain event fell on the 2nd, when thunderstorms across the city brought totals of 48.6 mm at Sydney Observatory Hill and up to 73 mm at Rose Bay. Sydney Observatory Hill also recorded 30.4 mm on the 17th, during a period of easterly flow and coastal showers. Finally, as an East Coast Low moved southward it brought very heavy falls overnight on the 23rd, with up to 81 mm recorded at Audley to 9am on the 24th.

Temperature

The average maximum temperature at Sydney Observatory Hill during February was 26.2 °C, just 0.4 °C above the historical average although warmer than February 2012, while temperatures were generally below average elsewhere in the city. The cool temperatures were associated with above average rainfall and a lack of hot days during the month, with no days reaching 30 °C for the first time since 2008.

Minimum temperatures were also cooler than normal in western Sydney, but 0.7 °C above average at Sydney Observatory Hill. Two nights dropped people 15 °C on the 2nd and 3rd, the most since 2008, while the month ended with nine consecutive nights above 20 °C, the most since 2010. The mean temperature at Sydney Observatory Hill was consequently 22.8 °C, 0.5 °C above the historical average.

Other phenomena

The prevailing winds during February were easterly, with 46% of 3 pm winds between SE and SSW and 46% of 3 pm winds between E and NNE, normal for February. There were seven strong wind days at the airport, with the strongest wind gusts reaching 91 km/h at the airport and 96 km/h at Fort Denison slightly after midnight on the 24th, with wind damage to some properties in Sydney.

Sydney Airport recorded an average of 7.3 hours of bright sunshine during February, slightly above the historical average of 7.1 hours and the sunniest February since 2007. There were four thunderstorms reported at the airport with eight storms anywhere in the metropolitan region, including widespread storms on the 1st which caused minor damage in parts of Sydney.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

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