Tuesday, 3 May 2022 - Monthly Climate Summary for New South Wales - Product code IDCKGC15R0

New South Wales in April 2022: Very warm nights and wetter than average for most parts of the state

Minimum temperatures for large parts of the state were well above their monthly average with the state-averaged April minimum temperature being the 7th highest on record.

Rainfall was also above average for most of the state, especially for central and western inland parts and along central and southern parts of the coast with state-averaged April rainfall being the 9th highest on record (compared to all years since 1900).

Above average rainfall for most of the state

• For the state overall, 70.6 mm of rain fell in April, 51% above the 1961–1990 average and the 9th highest on record.
• Above-average rainfall was observed for most of the state, except for parts of the north-east where rainfall was closer to average.
• On the 7th, southern and central parts of the coast recorded daily totals around 30 to 100 mm with locally heavier falls and daily totals in excess of 150 mm in some areas.
• On the 27th and the 28th, inland parts of the state received around 15 to 50 mm of rainfall from the passage of a low-pressure trough fed with tropical moisture.
• For sites towards the far west of the state, this was around 1 to 5 times their April monthly average.
• Numerous sites had their highest April daily rainfall on record.
• Many sites had their highest total April rainfall on record or their highest total April rainfall for at least 20 years.

Warmer than average, especially during the nights

• April mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 0.58 °C and 1.82 °C above their 1961–1990 averages respectively.
• The April mean minimum temperature for the state was the 7th highest on record (compared to all years since 1910).
• Most of the state had a warmer than average mean monthly temperature, largely due to warmer than average minimum temperatures.
• Apart from the Central West Slopes and Plains and the New England districts, the majority of the state had a mean minimum temperature in the top 10% of years since 1910.
• Maximum temperatures were close to average for much of the state, apart for western parts of the Upper Western district where temperatures were warmer than average.
• Some sites had their highest April mean daily minimum temperature on record.
• Several sites had their highest April mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years.

Heavy rain event on the 7th and 8th

• On the 7th and 8th, a constant stream of moist onshore flow combined with upper atmospheric support to produce heavy rainfall over central and southern parts of the coast, with the heaviest being recorded on the 7th.
• Many sites recorded at least 30 to 80 mm of rainfall on the 7th, with the highest total recorded at a Bureau site being 207 mm at Darkes Forest (Kintyre).
• This meant many sites recorded close to or in excess of their April monthly average in a single day.
• On the 8th, rainfall was easing but totals of at least 20 to 60 mm were still recorded over many sites.
• Compounded by a very wet March, there was renewed flooding across Greater Sydney, with the Georges, Woronora, Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers being the most affected.

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 higher value has gone unreported

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top