Wednesday, 1 August 2018 - Monthly Climate Summary for Greater Sydney - Product code IDCKGC15L0

Greater Sydney in July 2018: Record warmth and dry conditions

Greater Sydney experienced very warm and dry conditions in July. Most sites across the region set new records for the highest mean daily maximum temperature for July. Rainfall was very much below average, with a few sites recording their lowest July rainfall on record and several their driest in more than 20 years.

Dry throughout the region

• Dry conditions were experienced across the region with most sites recording less than 20% of their typical July totals
• Rainfall totals ranged from 0 mm at a few sites including Abbotsbury and Wedderburn, to 36% of average at Springwood in the Blue Mountains with 15.0 mm for July
• There were few significant rainfall events across Greater Sydney for July; the highest daily total was 15.6 mm at Dover Heights on the 3rd, as a result of a surface trough and upper level disturbance that generated isolated showers across the region
• Darkes Forest and Canterbury Racecourse had their lowest total July rainfall on record
• Some sites had their lowest total July rainfall for at least 20 years, including Sydney (Observatory Hill) which reported 11.2 mm for the month, the driest since 1995
• Low rainfall and clear skies also resulted in more sunshine than usual; Sydney Airport recorded an average of 8.6 hours of sunshine per day, 2 hours above the July average of 6.6 hours

Warm days, cool nights

• Mean daily maximum temperatures were the warmest on record for July for most sites across Greater Sydney
• Mean daily maximum temperatures ranged from 1.4 °C above average at Lake Macquarie and Mount Boyce to 3.5 °C warmer than average at Observatory Hill
• Warm days persisted throughout most of the month, with Sydney Airport recording 16 days above 20.0 °C, the most warm days on record and well above the July average of 4 days; similar conditions were experienced in the west, with Richmond RAAF also experiencing a record number of 16 days above 20 °C compared to an average of 5 in a typical July
• Overnight temperatures were closer to average, tending to below average across the region, with colder conditions inland; Penrith Lakes recorded mean daily minimum temperatures 1.8 °C cooler than average, while Sydney Airport recorded minimum temperatures 1.0 °C above average for the month
• The morning of the 16th was particularly cool, with minimum temperatures dropping to below zero at most sites away from the coast, with Camden recording -4.9 °C; Canterbury Racecourse and Penrith Lakes had their lowest July temperature on record on this day

Sydney (Observatory Hill)

• Total rainfall for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 11.2 mm, which is 12% of the long-term average of 96.0 mm; the rain fell on 2 days, well below the July average of 11 days
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 19.9 °C, which is 3.5 °C above the long-term average of 16.4 °C; the warmest day was 25.2 °C on the 5th, and the coolest day was on the 11th when the temperature reached 16.2 °C
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 8.4 °C, which is 0.3 °C above the long-term average of 8.1 °C; the coldest morning was 4.6 °C on the 16th, and the warmest morning was on the 25th when the minimum temperature was 12.1 °C

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top