Monday, 1 February 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for Queensland - Product code IDCKGC14R0

Queensland in January 2021: Tropical cyclones generate heavy rainfall in the north

Tropical cyclones and tropical lows resulted in above average January rainfall in the north. Areas of the Maranoa and northern Darling Downs also had above average rainfall.

Mean maximum temperatures were slightly cooler than average, and the coolest since 2011. Mean minimum temperatures were slightly above average and the coolest since 2012.

Tropical cyclones and lows in the north

• Rainfall was above average in the north, and parts of the Maranoa and Darling Downs.
• Tropical cyclone Imogen brought moderate to heavy falls to the Gulf Country, Cape York Peninsula and north tropical coast at the start of the month, crossing the coast near Karumba in the Gulf Country on the 3rd.
• A few sites, including Sweers Island and Normanton Airport, reported their highest January daily rainfall on record.
• The remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Imogen moved over the northern interior, and stalled around the north tropical coast, generating further heavy falls in the northern tropics.
• A surface trough over western and southern Queensland triggered thunderstorms and moderate falls in central and southern inland districts from the 3rd to the 8th.
• Showers and thunderstorms contracted to the east from the 8th, and brought moderate falls to much of eastern Queensland, including the northern tropics, until the 10th.
• Tropical cyclone Kimi developed off the coast of Cairns on the 17th, and while the system did not make landfall, moderate to heavy falls were recorded around the north tropical coast and Cape York Peninsula for several days.
• Thunderstorms produced moderate falls over the central and southern interior on the 22nd and 23rd.
• At the end of the month, the monsoon trough and a low was located across the Cape York Peninsula producing moderate to heavy falls in far northern Queensland.
• A few sites had their highest total January rainfall on record, or their highest total January rainfall for at least 20 years

Temperatures close to average

• Queensland's mean temperature was 0.43 °C above the long-term average, and the coolest since 2012.
• Queensland's mean maximum temperature was slightly above average, at 0.02 °C below the long-term average. It was the coolest since 2011.
• Mean maximum temperatures were cooler than usual in a swathe from the southern Cape York Peninsula, the north tropical coast, down to southern inland districts, but close to average elsewhere in the state.
• Maximum temperatures were very cool on the 8th and 9th across southern inland Queensland, and a number of sites had their coldest January day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.
• Queensland's mean minimum temperature was 0.83 °C above the long-term average, and the coolest since 2012.
• Mean minimum temperatures were warmer than average in western and far northern Queensland. Areas in the northern Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf Country were in much warmer than usual.
• A few sites had their lowest January mean daily maximum temperature on record
,or their lowest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years.

Tropical cyclones, flooding and severe thunderstorms

• Tropical cyclone Imogen formed in the Gulf of Carpentaria on the evening of the 3rd. It was the first tropical cyclone in the 2020-21 season in the Australian Region. Ex-tropical cyclone Imogen weakened after crossing the coast and moved slowly eastwards across northern Queensland.
• Heavy falls were localised around the north tropical to central coasts on the 10th and 11th, with major flooding on the Herbert and Lower Burdekin rivers and moderate flooding in some Gulf and western catchments.
• A low pressure system intensified off the north tropical coast and developed into a category 1 system and was named tropical cyclone Kimi on the 17th. The system tracked southwards, then stalled near the coast and weakened without making landfall before turning north and moved nearly parallel to the coast.
• Widespread thunderstorms activity brought heavy falls to south-east Queensland on the 18th. Flash flooding occurred in and around suburbs of Alexandra Hills, Birkdale, Thornside, Capalaba, Upper Coomera, Willow Vale and Ormeau Hills. Redland (Alexandra Hills) reported 120 mm in one hour. The SES had around 205 requests for assistance, mainly around flash flooding. QFES responded to 12 swift water rescue incidents, mainly for vehicles driving through flooded roads.
• A tornado was observed west of Mareeba on the 18th as thunderstorms interacted with strong wind shear created by tropical cyclone Kimi.

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