Tuesday, 2 April 2013 - Monthly Climate Summary for New South Wales - Product code IDCKGC15R0

NSW in March 2013: A close to normal month for NSW

• Close to average rainfall and temperatures
• Late season warmth on the 27th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

NSW recorded a statewide average rainfall of 53.9 mm during March, slightly above the historical average of 49.0 mm but the driest March since 2009. The Murray-Darling Basin also recorded 43.2 mm during March, slightly above the historical average (38.5 mm). March was generally wetter than average in the north of the state but closer to normal in the south and along the coast, with little rainfall recorded in parts of southwest NSW.

The majority of the rain fell as a cold front and surface trough crossed the state during the first four days of the month, bringing widespread heavy rain in northern and eastern NSW including daily rainfall records at Orange and Bathurst on the 1st. A period of thunderstorm activity also produced rain in central NSW between the 21st and 24th, while a cold front produced some rain in southern NSW on the 28th and 29th. Thunderstorms were particularly severe in southeast NSW on the 21st and in northern NSW on the 22nd, with Walgett recording 66 mm to 9am on the 23rd, its wettest day on record.

See a list of March rainfall records.

Temperature

The statewide average maximum temperature during March was 28.8 °C, 0.2 °C above the historical average. Temperatures were generally cooler than normal in the northeast and closer to average in the southwest, reflecting the pattern of rainfall anomalies during the month. Temperatures were cool during a rain event at the start of the month as well as a period of southerly windflow at the end of the month, but otherwise generally mild. A late hot spell on the 27th generated temperatures as high as 40.9 °C at Fowlers Gap, the warmest temperature on record for NSW this late in the season, following 40.8 °C at Wilcannia on 29 March 1986.

The average minimum temperature was 15.8 °C, 0.6 °C above the historical average, with nights generally close to normal across the state. The statewide average temperature was consequently 22.2 °C, 0.4 °C above the historical average and the warmest March since 2009.

See a list of March temperature records.

Other phenomena

Heavy rain and strong winds impacted northern and eastern NSW as a front crossed between the 1st and 3rd, causing minor to moderate flooding. Wind gusts reached 109 km/h at Cabramurra and 98 km/h at Murrurundi Gap on the 2nd, with 4-day rainfall totals of up to 539.2 mm at Yarras and 451 mm at Comboyne to 9am on the 4th.

Tropical Cyclone Sandra caused wind gusts of up to 146 km/h and minor damage as it passed Lord Howe Island overnight on the 14th, with 120 km/h recorded at the airport, its strongest wind gust since an East Coast Low impacted the island on 19 April 2009.

Severe thunderstorm activity in parts of the Riverina region on the 21st generated a tornado that caused major damage to the border towns of Barooga and Mulwala.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top