Wednesday, 1 September 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for New South Wales - Product code IDCKGC15R0

New South Wales in August 2021: wet along the South Coast

August rainfall was below average with the western half of the state being particularly dry while above average rainfall was observed along the South Coast and over the Northern Tablelands. Daytime temperatures were generally well above their average, with night-time temperatures also being above average.

Dry in many areas, wet along the South Coast

• August rainfall was below average for the western half of the state, but above average over the South Coast and the Northern Tablelands.
• Averaged across the state, 26.3 mm of rain fell in August, 33% below the 1961–1990 climatological average.
• On the 3rd, a low pressure trough produced rainfall totals up to 50 mm over the Northern Tablelands.
• On the 12th, rainfall totals up to 50 mm were observed over the South West Slopes as a result of the passage of a cold front.
• On the 23th, a cold front moved across the state and later assisted in the development of a low pressure system off the central New South Wales coast on the 24th, with both contributing to widespread rainfall daily totals of 25 to 50 mm over the eastern half of the state.
• As the low moved away from the mainland, rainfall contracted to being over the central coast and adjacent Highlands on the 25th. Two-day rainfall totals over these regions were significant, exceeding the monthly average in many sites.
• A low pressure trough along with onshore flow produced rainfall totals of 10 to 50 mm over the South Coast and adjacent ranges on the 28th.
• Some sites had their highest August daily rainfall on record or their highest for at least 20 years.

Warm temperatures

• Averaged across the state, the August mean maximum temperature was 1.78 °C above average, the warmest since 2013.
• Daytime temperatures were well above average, being 1 to 2 °C above the 1961–1990 climatological average.
• Nowra and Bellambi had their highest August temperature on record on the 23rd.
• Some sites had their coldest August day (lowest maximum temperature) on record as a result of the cloudiness and rainfall from the coastal low on the 24th.
• Averaged across the state, the August mean maximum temperature was 0.74 °C above average, the warmest since 2011.
• Night-time temperatures were 1 to 2 °C above their average along the coast and over the Northern Tablelands, but close to average in most other areas.
• Clear skies assisted in producing these warm conditions.
• There was a sharp end to the warm spell in New South Wales with the passage of a low in the Tasman Sea, with Nowra experiencing its warmest and coldest August days of the 21st century on successive days on the 23rd and 24th.
• Two sites had their highest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.

Snowfall

• The cold front passing over the state on the 23rd brought widespread snowfall across the highlands of New South Wales, including at Cooma as well as over the Blue Mountains and the Central Tablelands.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top