Monday, 1 September 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for Queensland - Product code IDCKGC24L0

August 2008 - cool and dry in Queensland

August was a particularly cold and dry month across Queensland.  An intense high-pressure system established itself early in the month over the western Great Australian Bight, directing a fairly continuous flow of cool and dry south to south-westerly air into the state.  This resulted in consistently below average temperatures for an extended period of time.  The persistently dry southwest winds also resulted in well below average rainfall across much of the eastern and central parts of the state. 

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Rainfall


Much of the eastern and central districts had below average rainfall for August. The largest rainfall deficits occurred in two larger regions  – along the far north tropical coast and adjacent inland in the Burdekin basin, and across the southeast quarter of the state.  Some records were broken for lowest rainfall on record, though most of these were insignificant as the areas receive very low rainfall on average for August. See sites that had their lowest total August rainfall on record.

The only regions receiving above average monthly rainfall were a patch around Georgetown and adjacent coast in the Gulf, about the tip of Cape York Peninsula, and parts of the Channel Country and Warrego.  However, on the last day of August, thunderstorm activity over the western districts produced rainfall totals of up to 30 mm in some places (this will be recorded as rainfall to 9am on the 1st September).  


The highest daily rainfall was at Koombooloomba Alert with 35 mm on the 26th, while the wettest place overall was Bellenden Ker Top Station with a monthly total of 75 mm.
See a map of total rainfall. See a map of rainfall deciles.

Brisbane recorded 15.8 mm of rainfall for August, where the long term record is 45.9 mm.

Temperature

For maximum temperatures, the biggest anomalies occurred in the central and western districts of the state, and where typically up to 2 °C below the long term average. Although there were persistent cool and dry winds during the first three weeks of the month, no low maximum temperature records were set.  See a map of mean maximum temperatures. See a map of maximum temperature anomalies.

Overall, Queensland experienced below average minimum temperatures for the month. The southern quarter of the state was at least 2°C below average.  The greater south east, parts of the Darling Downs, and the central coast and adjacent inland were up to 3°C below. Some sites had their lowest August mean daily minimum temperature on record.
The area about Burketown on the Gulf coast reported a one-off minimum temperature of 24.9 °C  on the 27th, resulting in it being the warmest of record.  Additionally, Texas on the southern border of the Darling Downs equaled its highest daily minimum temperature on the 31st.  These sites had their warmest August night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.  In contrast, Maryborough broke its August record for cold nights, and had its lowest August temperature on record.

See a map of mean minimum temperatures. See a map of minimum temperature anomalies.

Brisbane recorded a mean maximum temperature of 21.6°C (−0.2 °C below the long term average) and a mean minimum temperature of 8.9°C (−1.4°C below the long term average).

Further information

Queensland Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (07) 3239 8700
Email climate.qld@bom.gov.au



Extremes

Hottest day
Highest temperature		 37.0°C at Urandangi on the 30th
37.0°C at Century Mine on the 31st
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 32.4°C at Kowanyama Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 14.3°C at Applethorpe
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 9.3°C at Applethorpe on the 11th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −6.5°C at Stanthorpe Leslie Parade on the 10th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 −0.5°C at Applethorpe
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 23.8°C at Coconut Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 24.9°C at Coconut Island on the 23rd
24.9°C at Horn Island on the 23rd
24.9°C at Burketown Airport on the 27th
24.9°C at Burketown Post Office on the 27th
24.9°C at Horn Island on the 31st
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 75 mm at Bellenden Ker Top Station
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		 35 mm at Koombooloomba Alert on the 26th
Highest wind gust
 78 km/h at Dalby Airport on the 1st

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Records

Record lowest total August rainfall
Total rainfall
for August 2008 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for August		 Years of
record		 Normal for
August
Wallangarra Post Office 0.0 0.6 in 1991 121 40.1
Mackay M.O 0.6 1.2 in 1977 49 30.9
Ingham Composite 0.4 1.4 in 2001 41 39.7

Record highest August daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in August 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for August		 Years of
record		 Normal for
August
Burketown Post Office 24.9 on the 27th 24.1 on the 22nd in 1988 112 14.5
Texas Post Office 15.7 on the 31st = 15.7 on the 17th in 2007 39 4.4

Record lowest August temperature
Lowest temperature
in August 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for August		 Years of
record		 Normal for
August
Maryborough −0.8 on the 12th 0.1 on the 1st in 2003 50 9.3

Record lowest August mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for August 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for August		 Years of
record		 Normal for
August
Lady Elliot Island 15.2 15.6 in 1990 69 17.2
Amberley AMO 3.1 = 3.1 in 1994 68 6.3
Applethorpe −0.5 0.4 in 1977 40 2.9

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Summaries

In this table, key sites have been highlighted to make them easier to find. This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.

Summary statistics for August 2008
Maximum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Rainfall
for August
(millimetres)
Mean for
August
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
August
2008		 Mean for
August
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
August
2008		 Total for
August
2008		 Normal
for
August		 Rank of
August
2008		 Fraction of
August
normal
North Peninsula (district 27)
Coconut Island 29.9 +0.7 31.4 26th 23.8 +0.5 22.6 8th 25.0 7.1 very high 352%
Coen Airport 29.5   32.1 15th 18.9   12.5 3rd 0
Horn Island 29.2 +0.4 30.6 31st 23.4 +0.7 21.6 6th 2.0 5.2 low 38%
Scherger RAAF 31.6   34.0 6th 20.2   15.9 3rd 2.6
Weipa Aero 31.9 0.0 33.7 29th 20.4 +1.9 15.9 1st 0.4 6.8 average 6%
South Peninsula (district 28)
Lockhart River Airport 27.0 −0.7 29.0 5th 20.7 +1.6 14.4 2nd 14.2 28.9 average 49%
Musgrave 31.6 +1.0 34.5 29th 14.6 +0.8 9.5 1st 0 2.8 lowest 0%
Palmerville 31.7 +0.5 34.3 26th 14.8 +0.3 9.6 1st 0.8 3.5 average 23%
Lower Carpentaria (district 29)
Burketown Airport 29.8   35.7 27th 15.7   11.0 7th 0.4
Burketown Post Office 28.9 −0.6 34.9 27th 16.1 +1.5 11.0 19th 0 0.8 lowest 0%
Cloncurry Airport 27.7 −1.0 35.3 30th 12.4 +0.1 7.5 7th 0 2.3 very low 0%
Croydon Township 30.4 −0.7 35.0 28th 14.6 −1.2 6.3 19th 0 2.7 lowest 0%
Julia Creek Airport 28.4   35.4 30th 9.6   3.8 17th 0
Kowanyama Airport 32.4 +0.3 34.8 26th 17.1 +1.0 11.4 7th 0 2.5 lowest 0%
Mount Isa Aero 26.6 −0.6 34.9 30th 11.1 +0.8 4.1 7th 0 4.0 lowest 0%
Normanton Airport 31.5   36.0 27th 17.0   12.4 9th 0.2
Sweers Island 26.1   30.0 27th 17.6   14.2 4th 0.6 2.5 average 24%
Upper Carpentaria (district 30)
Georgetown Airport 29.8   33.5 31st 14.3   9.3 1st 0
Hughenden Airport 26.7   33.8 30th 9.9   2.7 10th 0
Richmond Airport 27.9 −0.8 35.4 30th 8.8 −1.3 2.6 11th 0 6.5 very low 0%
Richmond Post Office 27.5 −1.0 35.5 30th 9.6 −0.5 3.8 11th 0 4.2 lowest 0%
Barron North Coast (district 31)
Cairns Aero 26.9 +0.3 29.7 31st 17.4 0.0 12.0 3rd 2.2 27.3 very low 8%
Cape Flattery 26.6   28.7 31st 21.3   19.9 3rd 4.0
Cooktown Airport 26.4   29.3 31st 19.4   11.1 2nd 2.0
Green Island 23.2 −1.5 25.4 31st 20.7 +0.4 18.1 2nd
Kairi Research Station 22.1 −0.3 26.0 2nd 11.7 +0.1 7.5 2nd 5.6 24.3 low 23%
Low Isles Lighthouse 26.7 0.0 29.6 31st 20.5 −0.2 18.4 3rd 3.0 36.9 very low 8%
Mareeba Airport 25.8   29.4 2nd 14.0   10.0 2nd 0.6
Walkamin DPI 24.2 −0.5 28.6 2nd 13.4 +0.1 9.5 2nd 1.0 11.6 low 9%
Herbert North Coast (district 32)
Cardwell Marine Pde 24.4 −1.5 28.2 29th 14.7 +0.5 10.5 8th 0.6 29.8 very low 2%
Ingham Composite 24.8 −1.3 28.5 2nd 13.9 −0.5 9.5 12th 0.4 39.7 lowest 1%
Innisfail 24.4 −0.7 28.7 31st 16.3 +0.9 13.0 3rd 33.0 118.2 low 28%
Lucinda Point 22.0 −2.0 23.9 31st 17.8 −1.1 15.0 18th 0 27.7 lowest 0%
South Johnstone Exp Stn 24.6 −0.5 28.0 2nd 15.8 +0.4 11.0 1st 34.4 89.4 low 38%
Townsville Aero 25.0 −1.0 27.7 6th 13.6 −1.1 9.4 13th 0 16.0 lowest 0%
East Central Coast (district 33)
Alva Beach 23.6 −1.5 26.6 6th 13.6 −1.8 8.5 17th 0.6 12.8 low 5%
Ayr DPI Research Stn 25.1 −1.0 27.8 31st 11.3 −1.4 5.5 17th 0.4 15.5 low 3%
Bowen Airport 24.2 −1.2 27.2 31st 12.5 −1.9 6.9 17th 0 24.6 lowest 0%
Collinsville Post Office 25.6 −1.2 29.2 31st 8.5 −2.2 3.2 9th 0 17.3 lowest 0%
Hamilton Island Airport 21.1   24.2 22nd 17.1   15.0 19th 0.4
Mackay Aero 22.5 −1.1 27.0 22nd 9.3 −2.7 3.4 9th 0 35.6 lowest 0%
Mackay M.O 21.1 −1.4 26.4 22nd 12.1 −1.9 7.3 9th 0.6 30.9 lowest 2%
Proserpine Airport 24.1 −1.5 27.8 22nd 9.3 −2.6 3.1 17th 0 27.6 lowest 0%
Samuel Hill Aero 22.4   26.0 31st 6.1   1.0 17th 2.2
St Lawrence 23.3   25.7 2nd 8.7   3.3 13th 3.4
St Lawrence Post Office 23.8 −1.3 26.4 30th 10.1 −1.6 4.7 13th 3.2 22.9 average 14%
Williamson 23.5   26.8 30th 7.7   1.9 17th 1.6
Woolshed 22.3 −0.7 26.0 22nd 9.4 −2.9 1.7 8th 0 18.5 very low 0%
Yeppoon The Esplanade 20.3 −1.8 23.4 31st 9.2 −3.6 3.5 12th 2.8 40.5 low 7%
West Central Coast (district 34)
Charters Towers Airport 24.9 −1.6 29.5 31st 11.0 −1.6 6.0 7th 0 17.1 very low 0%
Moranbah Water Treatment Plant 24.3 −1.0 30.7 31st 9.1 −1.9 4.7 10th 0 23.1 lowest 0%
Central Highlands (district 35)
Brigalow Research Stn 22.8 −0.9 28.4 1st 6.2 −1.3 −1.1 12th 2.4 26.8 low 9%
Clermont Sirius St 24.5 −0.7 30.5 31st 5.8 −2.4 −0.2 10th 3.4 19.1 average 18%
Emerald Airport 23.4 −1.8 29.5 31st 7.5 −2.7 1.6 19th 0.6 18.0 low 3%
Rolleston 22.7 −2.1 29.4 1st 4.7 −2.1 0.0 12th 6.0 23.4 average 26%
Springsure Dame St 22.5 −1.4 28.2 1st 6.6 −0.8 0.6 10th 1.8 24.1 low 7%
Tambo Post Office 22.3 −1.2 29.0 30th 3.9 −1.1 −3.0 12th 0.7 18.9 low 4%
Taroom Post Office 22.0 −0.9 29.1 1st 5.3 −1.2 −1.6 20th 13.6 28.1 average 48%
Central Lowlands (district 36)
Barcaldine Post Office 23.9 −1.0 30.6 30th 9.0 −0.4 2.6 9th 0 15.9 lowest 0%
Blackall Airport 22.9   30.5 30th 6.6   0.4 12th 0.8
Isisford Post Office 24.1 −1.0 32.0 30th 7.8 −0.2 2.4 12th 0 12.3 lowest 0%
Longreach Aero 24.8 −1.1 33.2 30th 7.8 −0.7 2.5 20th 0 11.6 lowest 0%
Upper Western (district 37)
Camooweal Township 27.8 −0.5 35.5 30th 10.8 −0.1 3.7 9th 0 2.9 lowest 0%
The Monument Airport 24.3   33.5 1st 8.7   1.9 9th 0
Trepell Airport 25.0   33.8 1st 8.7   3.5 23rd 0
Urandangi 25.0 −1.7 37.0 30th 9.6 +0.8 4.5 9th 0 4.5 lowest 0%
Winton Airport 26.0   34.7 30th 8.9   2.3 20th 0
Winton Post Office 25.6 −1.2 34.2 30th 10.0 +0.6 4.4 17th 0 6.5 lowest 0%
Lower Western (district 38)
Bedourie Police Station 23.1 −2.7 35.0 30th 7.1 −2.2 2.2 11th 11.6 7.2 high 161%
Birdsville Airport 21.0   30.7 29th 6.3   1.8 11th 0
Boulia Airport 24.4 −1.4 36.5 30th 9.9 +0.4 5.3 9th 0.4 6.4 average 6%
Windorah Post Office 22.8 −1.2 33.5 30th 7.3 −0.8 1.6 12th 13.0 9.9 high 131%
Port Curtis South Coast (district 39)
Baralaba Post Office 23.7 −1.4 29.5 31st 5.8 −2.9 0.2 12th 1.8 21.4 low 8%
Bundaberg Aero 22.2 −1.0 25.7 31st 9.1 −1.8 3.9 12th 0.8 33.8 very low 2%
Gayndah Airport 22.4   27.5 31st 5.6   −0.4 10th 1.2
Gayndah Post Office 23.0 −0.8 28.6 1st 5.9 −0.9 0.0 10th 2.5 29.0 low 9%
Gladstone Airport 22.5 −1.1 26.5 22nd 9.8 −2.9 4.9 13th 2.6 37.1 low 7%
Gladstone Radar 23.2 −0.9 26.5 31st 12.5 −1.8 7.7 12th 2.8 32.4 low 9%
Lady Elliot Island 20.9 −1.0 24.6 31st 15.2 −2.0 9.0 8th 0.2 58.4 very low 0%
Monto Township 21.7 −1.1 26.9 31st 4.2 −2.3 −1.8 12th 2.2 24.8 very low 9%
Rockhampton Aero 23.7 −1.0 29.2 22nd 8.7 −1.9 4.0 9th 1.0 27.6 low 4%
Rundle Island 20.1 −1.0 23.1 31st 15.1 −1.8 12.1 12th
Sandy Cape Lighthouse 21.2 −1.1 25.7 31st 13.6 −1.4 8.5 12th 6.0 64.0 very low 9%
Seventeen Seventy 21.6 −0.4 25.0 31st 12.7 −1.8 8.3 12th 1.8 45.5 very low 4%
Thangool Airport 23.4 −1.4 27.9 31st 4.6 −1.9 −1.7 12th 5.5 22.9 low 24%
Moreton South Coast (district 40)
Amberley AMO 22.1 −0.6 28.3 31st 3.1 −3.2 −2.9 10th 14.8 28.9 average 51%
Archerfield Airport 21.7 −0.8 27.6 1st 7.2 −0.8 2.1 11th 4.6 37.7 very low 12%
Beaudesert Drumley Street 22.0   27.3 1st 3.6   −3.7 12th 12.0
Beerburrum Forest Station 22.0 −1.1 28.5 1st 7.5 −1.9 3.8 13th 0.2 45.8 very low 0%
Brisbane* 21.6 −0.2 28.7 1st 8.9 −1.4 4.1 12th 15.8 45.9 low 34%
Brisbane Aero 20.8 −0.9 23.6 1st 7.4 −2.2 2.6 12th 9.0 40.1 low 22%
Cape Moreton Lighthouse 19.6 −0.1 22.7 30th 13.0 −0.8 8.2 12th 2.6 77.7 very low 3%
Coolangatta 21.1 0.0 27.3 1st 7.4 −3.3 0.6 15th 31.2 55.2 average 57%
Double Island Point Lighthouse 20.4 −0.1 25.0 31st 13.4 −1.2 8.5 12th 1.0 63.8 very low 2%
Gold Coast Seaway 22.4 +0.8 26.3 1st 9.9 −2.7 4.2 10th 0.8 63.9 very low 1%
Gympie 22.0 −1.3 26.6 31st 4.9 −2.1 −1.7 12th 3.4 40.4 very low 8%
Hervey Bay Airport 21.1 −1.5 24.3 30th 7.7 −3.0 −0.1 12th 5.6 58.8 low 10%
Jimna Forestry 18.1   23.6 1st 4.0   −2.4 10th 5.0
Kingaroy Airport 20.0   26.3 1st 2.6   −4.1 10th 7.6
Logan City Water Treatment 21.8 −0.6 27.3 1st 7.5 −1.7 1.9 10th 9.1 45.9 low 20%
Maleny Tamarind St 18.9   24.4 1st 7.7   3.6 12th 3.2 63.7 very low 5%
Maroochydore Aero 21.1 −0.6 26.4 1st 6.9 −3.2 1.8 9th 3.4 83.3 very low 4%
Maryborough 22.5 −0.9 26.1 1st 6.4 −2.9 −0.8 12th 3.0 40.5 very low 7%
Nambour DPI - Hillside 21.6   27.1 1st 8.5   4.1 10th 0.6
Point Lookout 21.9 +0.3 25.3 30th 12.7 −1.7 7.0 12th 15.1 61.3 low 25%
Rainbow Beach 21.0 −1.1 24.5 22nd 7.8 −3.3 1.2 9th 2.0 98.2 very low 2%
Redcliffe 20.7   27.4 1st 9.5   5.8 14th 1.0
Tewantin RSL Park 21.1 −0.9 25.5 1st 9.2 −2.5 5.0 19th 6.8 103.0 very low 7%
Toolara 22.2 −1.5 26.7 30th 10.1 −2.1 5.3 12th 7.4 81.0 low 9%
University of Queensland Gatton 22.0 −0.4 29.5 1st 5.1 −1.6 0.0 11th 4.0 26.7 low 15%
East Darling Downs (district 41)
Applethorpe 14.3 −1.1 21.7 1st −0.5 −3.3 −5.5 10th 5.2 41.0 very low 13%
Dalby Airport 19.9 −1.9 26.5 1st 2.4 −2.5 −3.8 12th 26.0 21.1 high 123%
Goondiwindi Airport 19.8 −1.7 27.6 1st 4.2 −1.3 −2.0 12th 2.4 31.4 low 8%
Inglewood Forest 19.2   27.3 1st 5.1   −1.2 12th 6.2
Oakey Aero 19.2 −1.1 26.0 31st 2.1 −1.5 −3.9 9th 13.8 25.3 average 55%
Stanthorpe Leslie Parade 15.8 −0.5 22.4 1st −0.2 −2.2 −6.5 10th 19.9 42.5 average 47%
Texas Post Office 19.4 −1.5 26.3 1st 2.8 −1.6 −3.0 15th 21.6 33.6 average 64%
Toowoomba Airport 16.8 −1.7 24.6 31st 5.4 −2.2 0.0 12th 8.2 32.0 low 26%
Warwick 18.6 −1.3 25.5 1st 1.5 −1.7 −5.6 10th 15.4 24.3 average 63%
West Darling Downs (district 42)
Miles Constance Street 20.5 −1.8 27.8 1st 3.4 −1.9 −3.2 12th 21.0 36.0 average 58%
Maranoa (district 43)
Injune Post Office 21.1 −1.1 29.4 1st 3.3 −1.0 −4.0 20th 8.6 25.4 average 34%
Mitchell Post Office 21.1 −0.5 31.0 1st     −4.4 20th 7.6 23.6 low 32%
Roma Airport 21.2 −1.0 30.6 1st     −2.9 19th 3.8 24.0 low 16%
St George Airport 20.1 −1.9 30.0 1st 4.6 −1.7 −1.0 20th 1.4 21.7 very low 6%
Surat 20.8 −0.9 31.4 1st 4.2 −1.4 −3.2 12th 3.2 27.3 low 12%
Warrego (district 44)
Bollon Mary St 21.2 −0.2 29.5 1st 5.0 −0.5 −1.0 9th 5.4 22.4 average 24%
Charleville Aero 20.9 −0.9 30.8 1st 4.1 −1.8 −3.3 12th 7.2 19.6 average 37%
Cunnamulla Post Office 20.2 −1.1 31.0 30th 5.8 −1.3 0.0 12th 18.0 17.4 average 103%
Far Southwest (district 45)
Ballera Gas Field 20.5   33.1 30th 7.0   2.4 9th 7.6
Quilpie Airport 20.9 −1.6 32.6 30th 6.4 −1.2 0.5 8th 14.0 13.0 average 108%
Thargomindah Airport 20.2 −2.7 32.5 30th 6.6 −2.0 0.8 9th 13.0 9.3 average 140%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Monday 1 September 2008. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Normals are long-term means based on observations from all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably. *In this case, normals from a nearby suitable site may be included to calculate statistics  (these are marked with an *).
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of long-term average ("normal") rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3, normal in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of normal shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Further information

Queensland Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (07) 3239 8700
Email climate.qld@bom.gov.au