Thursday, 4 November 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for New South Wales - Product code IDCKGC15R0

New South Wales in October 2021: cool with variable rainfall

It was the coolest October for New South Wales since 2016, with temperatures overall close to average. Rainfall was above average in coastal areas, but below average west of the Dividing Range. There were frequent severe thunderstorms, with intense rainfall, damaging winds and large hail.

Wet along the coast, dry inland

• Rainfall in October was above average for most coastal areas, but below average inland of the Dividing Range, particularly in the west of the state.
• For the state as a whole, October rainfall was 19% percent below the 1961–1990 average.
• Rainfall in parts of the Northern Rivers was very much above average (wettest 10% of all years since 1900), with daily totals of 25 to 50 mm on several occassions.
• A few sites in coastal areas had their highest total October rainfall on record or for at least 20 years.
• Severe thunderstorms generated intense rainfall at times, but only three sites had their highest October daily rainfall on record.
• For the cool season (April to October), rainfall was above average along the Western Slopes and in the south-east, but below average in the far west of the state and in coastal areas from the Illawarra to the Mid North Coast.
• For the state as a whole, 252.6 mm of rain fell during the cool season, 13% below the 1961–1990 average although more than twice the rainfall recorded in 2019 during the multi-year drought.
• For the Murray—Darling Basin, 231.7 mm of rain fell during the cool season, 14% below the 1961–1990 average although nearly double the 2019 total.

Generally cool conditions

• The October mean temperature for New South Wales as a whole was 0.08 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the coolest since 2016.
• Mean maximum temperatures were above average for parts of the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers, and below average for much of the Central West.
• On the 11th cold air behind a front saw several sites, with 20 to 30 years of data, having their coldest October day on record.
• There were warm days towards the end of the month, with hot air from the interior crossing the state ahead of a cold front.
• Nights cooler than average for most of the state except the north-east.
• Settled conditions and clear skies on the 6th and 7th saw Casino and Corowa Airports equal their lowest October temperature on record.

Severe thunderstorms

• Low pressure troughs mixed with moist tropical air over inland New South Wales several times during the month, creating conditions favourable for thunderstorms.
• The Bureau issued a number of warnings across the state throughout the month.
• Severe thunderstorms occurred frequently with intense rainfall, damaging winds and large hail.
• On the 14th a tornado was observed at Armidale, with reports of damage to buildings and cars.
• Large hail, up to 5 cm in diameter, was reported on the 14th at multiple locations including Tenterfield, Lalor Park, Ropes Crossing and the Blue Mountains.
• On the 20th a severe thunderstorm moved through Coffs Harbour and Sawtell resulting in extensive damage to homes and the Toormina shopping centre and leaving hail up to 30 cm deep on the ground.
• On the 23rd severe thunderstorms again affected Coffs Harbour and Sawtell, with another near Picton in the Illawarra.

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

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

* 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 Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top