Tuesday, 1 March 2022 - Monthly Climate Summary for New South Wales - Product code IDCKGC15R0

New South Wales in February 2022: Very wet end to the month for the Northern Rivers

Very wet conditions at the end of the month resulted in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast districts being much wetter than their monthly average, with some locations recording their highest daily and monthly rainfall on record. Along the rest of the coast, rainfall was generally above average while rainfall inland was closer to average. The state experienced average to cooler than average temperatures over most areas, with below average temperatures more prominent towards the north east of the state.

Very wet end of the month for the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast

• For the state as a whole, 64.1 mm of rain fell in February, 29% above the 1961–1990 average.
• A slow-moving trough that caused record-breaking rainfall in Queensland earlier in the month moved southwards into the Northern Rivers during the last two days of the month, resulting in intense rainfall over the region.
• Repeated generation of slow-moving thunderstorms brought significant rainfall to the Sydney metropolitan area on the 22nd with some locations such as Marrickville receiving intense rainfall in excess of 100 mm in a 2–3-hour period, resulting in flash flooding over parts of metropolitan Sydney.
• A blocking high in the Tasman Sea produced a constant stream of moist easterly flow during the final week of the month, resulting in persistent shower activity over large parts of the coast.
• Many sites had their highest February daily rainfall on record.
• Many sites had their highest total February rainfall on record.
• Numerous sites had their highest total February rainfall in at least 20 years.

Temperatures close to average, cooler along the coast

• For the state overall, the maximum temperature was 0.57 °C below the 1961–1990 average while the minimum temperature was 0.23 °C below the 1961–1990 average.
• Maximum temperatures were below average over northern and eastern parts of the state, especially over the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast.
• Minimum temperatures were below average over the Northern and Central Tablelands, and adjacent Slopes and Plains to the west.
• Three sites in the state's northeast had their lowest or equal lowest February mean daily maximum temperature on record.
• Port Macquarie Airport AWS (Comparison) had its warmest February night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.
• West Wyalong Airport AWS and Narrabri Airport AWS had their lowest February mean daily minimum temperature on record.
• Several sites had their lowest February mean daily minimum temperature in at least 20 years.
• Guyra Hospital and Dorrigo (Old Coramba Rd) had their lowest February mean temperature in at least 20 years.

Record-breaking wet weather at the end of the month, expected to continue into March

• At the end of the month, a blocking high in the Tasman Sea resulted in a very humid environment along much of the coast.
• During the last two days of the month, this environment, in conjunction with a slow-moving trough and upper atmospheric support, produced very heavy multi-day rainfall over the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast.
• A large number of sites in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast districts observed daily rainfall records for February, and all other months, during the event.
• On the 28th, 701.8 mm of rain was recorded at Rosebank (Upper Coopers Creek) which is the highest daily total in the Bureau's New South Wales rain gauge network since 1954, in Australia since 1998, and the third-highest on record for the state.
• This event caused major flooding over the region with numerous towns being inundated.
• Lismore suffered flooding on the 28th where river levels exceeded the March 1974 peak and the water overtopped the town levee.

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

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