Queensland in December 2021: warm in the west and north; wet in the north

Rainfall was above average in southern inland parts, the south-east, central districts west of the Great Dividing Range, and in the northern interior and western Cape York Peninsula. Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were warmer than average for the state as a whole, with both days and nights warmer than usual in the west and the north.

Above average rainfall in the north

  • Rainfall for Queensland was 6% below the December 1961-1990 average.
  • Rainfall was above average in southern inland parts, the south-east, central districts west of the Great Dividing Range, and in the northern interior and western Cape York Peninsula. Below average rainfall was recorded in parts of western and central western Queensland, while rainfall was close to average elsewhere.
  • A surface trough extended along eastern Queensland, generating widespread showers and thunderstorms, with moderate falls in central to eastern parts of the state. Rainfall totals in excess of 50 mm were reported in the south-east quarter, with some locally heavier falls in excess of 100 mm reported on the 1st. Some sites had their highest December daily rainfall on record.
  • The passage of a surface trough triggered showers and thunderstorms over the north-west, central west and south-east of the state on the 4th and 5th.
  • Another surface trough extended from north-west to southern Queensland from the 6th to the 8th, with widespread moderate falls in western, central and southern inland districts, and in the south-east on the 9th.
  • Tropical cyclone Ruby developed in the eastern Coral Sea on the 12th, before it moved south-east further away from the Australian coast.
  • A surface trough extended along eastern Queensland from the 24th, triggering showers and thunderstorms across much of northern and eastern Queensland, with moderate falls extending into central western Queensland on the 27th..
  • A monsoon trough with an embedded low pressure system deepened over the north-west Top End of the NT on the 24th, generating widespread moderate to locally heavy falls across the Top End for several days. The low pressure system lingered about the Top End until the 28th, before drifting eastwards into the Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland.
  • Extreme daily rainfall totals were reported including 235 mm at Kowanyama on the 29th, followed by 110 mm on the 30th at the same site. Kowanyama had its highest December daily rainfall on record on the 29th, and Green Hill had its highest December daily rainfall on record on the 30th.
  • At the end of the month, a tropical low pressure system was located off the coast of Cairns. The system generated widespread moderate falls across the Cape York Peninsula and north tropical coast districts.
  • Yuleba Garden St had its highest total December rainfall on record and a few sites had their highest total December rainfall for at least 20 years.

Warmer than usual

  • Queensland's mean temperature was 0.60 °C warmer than the 1961-1990 average.  
  • The mean maximum temperate was 0.66 °C above the 1961-1990 average.
  • Mean maximum temperatures were warmer than usual across the west,  the Cape York Peninsula, and the north tropical coast extending to the Herbert and Lower Burdekin District. Maxima were cooler than usual across much of southern and central inland districts, and close to average elsewhere.
  • Daytime temperatures were cooler than usual across far northern and eastern Queensland from the 27th to the 30th, associated with areas of showers and rain. Woolshed had its equal coldest December day (lowest maximum temperature) on record on the 29th.
  • The mean minimum temperature for Queensland was 0.53 °C above the 1961-1990 average.
  • Mean minimum temperatures were warmer than usual in western and northern Queensland, and in the Capricornia and Wide Bay and Burnett districts. Minima were close to average elsewhere.
  • There were some warm night-time temperatures at the start of the month, and Cooktown had its equal warmest December night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record on the 4th.
  • Kowanyama and Cooktown had their highest or equal highest December mean daily minimum temperature on record.
  • Minimum temperatures were cooler than usual over western and southern inland Queensland on the 10th to 12th, and The Monument Airport and Julia Creek Airport had their lowest December temperature on record.

Tropical cyclones

  • Tropical cyclone Ruby developed in the eastern Coral Sea on the 12th, before it moved south-east further away from the Australian coast.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes in December 2021
Hottest day 45.9 °C at Birdsville Airport on the 18th
Warmest days on average 41.0 °C at Julia Creek Airport
Coolest days on average 25.4 °C at Applethorpe
Coldest day 17.6 °C at Applethorpe on the 28th
Coldest night 7.9 °C at Applethorpe on the 11th
Coolest nights on average 14.1 °C at Applethorpe
Warmest nights on average 27.1 °C at Sweers Island
Warmest night 33.0 °C at Birdsville Airport on the 19th
Warmest on average overall 32.5 °C at Cloncurry Airport
Coolest on average overall 19.7 °C at Applethorpe
Wettest overall 513.6 mm at Weipa Aero
Wettest day 235.2 mm at Kowanyama Airport on the 29th

Maps

Observed Anomaly Decile rank
Total
rainfall
Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures
Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures
Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window


Record highest December daily rainfall

New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Yuleba Garden St 166.0 on the 1st 124.5 on the 27th in 1971 130
Kowanyama Airport 235.2 on the 29th 220.5 on the 29th in 1914 107
Laguna 138.0 on the 1st 127.6 on the 13th in 1982 84
Glenroy Massie 71.0 on the 1st 67.0 on the 26th in 2012 63
Oakey Aero 88.8 on the 1st 86.4 on the 1st in 1987 52
Green Hills 125.6 on the 30th 91.4 on the 25th in 2020 36
Warwick 76.8 on the 1st 65.2 on the 27th in 2010 28
Pratten Condamine River 71.0 on the 1st 65.0 on the 27th in 1999 26
Toowoomba Airport 76.4 on the 1st 64.6 on the 27th in 2010 26
Mt Kynoch 88.0 on the 1st 82.0 on the 27th in 2010 23
Karalee 79.2 on the 1st 76.0 on the 31st in 2001 21



Record highest December total rainfall

New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
December
Yuleba Garden St 239.2 228.8 in 2004 136 76.8

Highest December total rainfall for at least 20 years

Observed
(mm)
Most recent
higher
Average for
December
Woodspring 217.8 330.7 in 1970 91.1
Weipa Aero 513.6 876.0 in 1992 282.7
Strathmore 220.5 307.5 in 1990* 108.0

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



Record lowest December daily maximum temperature

New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
December
Woolshed 21.8 on the 29th = 21.8 on the 4th in 2011 24 29.5



Record highest December daily minimum temperature

New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
December
Cooktown Airport 27.6 on the 4th = 27.6 on the 20th in 2005 22 24.5



Record lowest December temperature

New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
December
The Monument Airport 14.3 on the 11th = 14.3 on the 2nd in 2019 22 23.8
Julia Creek Airport 12.7 on the 11th 14.1 on the 6th in 2017 21 24.0



Record highest December mean daily minimum temperature

New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
December
Kowanyama Airport 25.5 = 25.5 in 2019 53 24.4
Cooktown Airport 25.3 25.1 in 2005 21 24.5



Lowest December mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years

Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
December
Injune Post Office 17.3 16.8 in 1999 18.2



Summary statistics for December 2021

Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
December
2021
Diff
from
average
Highest for
December
2021
Mean for
December
2021
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
December
2021
Total for
December
2021
Average
for
December
Rank of
December
2021
Fraction of
December
average
North Peninsula (district 27)
Coconut Island 33.1 -0.1 35.8 5th 26.3 +0.1 23.8 27th 0 141.7 lowest 0%
Coen Airport 35.2 +0.3 37.8 24th 23.8 +0.1 21.6 5th 131.6 131.2 average 100%
Horn Island 32.2 +0.2 34.5 26th 25.9 +0.1 22.9 28th 197.0 175.2 high 112%
Scherger RAAF 34.2 -0.8 37.4 5th 24.3 +0.2 21.7 31st 440.8 217.9 high 202%
Weipa Aero 33.5 -0.5 36.3 17th 24.2 0.0 21.9 28th 513.6 282.7 v high 182%
South Peninsula (district 28)
Lockhart River Airport 33.5 +1.2 36.0 25th 24.4 +0.7 21.7 28th 76.6 204.8 low 37%
Palmerville 34.8 -0.6 37.5 4th 22.9 +0.2 20.3 19th 227.0 154.1 high 147%
Lower Carpentaria (district 29)
Burketown Airport 37.5 +0.9 41.4 12th 25.1 -0.4 20.1 13th 34.4 89.8 low 38%
Century Mine 39.3 +0.7 42.1 4th 25.1 -0.2 18.6 13th 22.6 93.3 low 24%
Cloncurry Airport 39.7 +0.9 42.6 14th 25.3 +0.2 20.0 1st 42.6 74.4 average 57%
Julia Creek Airport 41.0 +1.2 44.7 23rd 23.6 -0.4 12.7 11th 7.2 60.0 low 12%
Kowanyama Airport 35.8 +0.8 38.8 16th 25.5 +1.1 22.6 26th 483.6 179.8 v high 269%
Lake Julius AWS 39.6   42.5 23rd 25.1   19.9 11th 35.8


Mornington Island Airport 33.6   37.3 12th 26.4   23.3 26th 190.0


Mount Isa Aero 39.6 +2.3 42.9 16th 23.6 +0.5 15.7 13th 10.4 72.0 low 14%
Normanton Airport 36.1 -0.3 40.9 12th 25.4 -0.6 22.7 30th 88.6 112.1 average 79%
Sweers Island 33.2 -0.4 37.2 12th 27.1 0.0 23.7 21st 154.7 144.7 average 107%
Upper Carpentaria (district 30)
Georgetown Airport 35.9 -0.6 38.9 11th 23.1 -0.7 17.2 11th 125.2 126.1 average 99%
Hughenden Airport 37.2 -0.3 41.2 24th 23.4 -0.2 15.0 11th 22.4 63.1 low 35%
Richmond Airport 39.2 +0.7 42.3 24th 23.9 +0.4 15.7 12th 3.8 60.7 lowest 6%
Barron North Coast (district 31)
Cairns Aero 33.1 +1.6 34.8 2nd 24.0 +0.6 22.1 31st 117.2 182.1 average 64%
Cairns Racecourse 33.4   35.6 12th 23.1   21.1 15th 118.4


Cape Flattery 32.8 +0.2 34.5 24th 25.7 +0.7 23.4 27th 117.4 105.8 average 111%
Cooktown Airport 32.7 +0.3 34.7 11th 25.3 +0.8 23.3 24th 90.6 170.7 average 53%
Low Isles Lighthouse 31.7 -0.7 34.5 25th 25.9 +0.5 23.2 10th 304.8 210.6 high 145%
Mareeba Airport 32.4 +0.2 35.8 24th 21.0 +0.2 19.2 11th 169.2 95.8 high 177%
Walkamin Research Station 31.1 +0.3 35.1 24th 19.8 0.0 17.8 15th 167.5 121.5 high 138%
Herbert North Coast (district 32)
Cardwell Marine Pde 31.6 +0.1 33.7 4th 23.4 +1.0 21.7 20th 154.7 196.9 average 79%
Cowley Beach (Defence) 32.2   34.4 24th 23.2   20.9 17th 161.4


Innisfail Aerodrome 33.2   35.4 24th 21.7   19.1 17th 112.4


Mount Stuart (Defence) 32.5   35.8 24th 23.5   21.1 28th 101.6


South Johnstone Exp Stn 32.1 +0.9 34.3 24th 22.5 +0.6 20.7 20th 105.2 261.4 low 40%
Townsville Aero 32.5 +0.9 35.6 31st 24.9 +0.8 22.7 19th 40.2 124.3 low 32%
Townsville- Air Weapons Range (Defence) 33.5   38.4 10th     20.2 11th 101.0


East Central Coast (district 33)
Alva Beach 30.6 -0.2 32.6 31st 25.1 +0.2 22.2 19th 128.6 105.7 average 122%
Ayr DPI Research Stn 32.3 +0.2 35.0 24th 22.6 +0.5 20.7 19th 82.6 98.7 average 84%
Bowen Airport AWS 32.1   34.3 13th 23.3   20.2 23rd 76.6


Collinsville Post Office 34.7 +0.5 38.0 24th 21.8 +0.4 18.8 19th 110.6 93.6 high 118%
Hamilton Island Airport 30.1 +0.2 32.8 25th 25.2 +0.7 22.7 27th 119.8 141.3 average 85%
Mackay Aero 30.3 -0.5 32.9 10th 22.5 +0.2 19.4 23rd 273.0 142.2 high 192%
Mackay M.O 30.5 +0.2 33.6 10th 23.4 +0.3 20.9 11th 304.4 186.9 high 163%
Ooralea Racecourse (Mackay Turf Club) 30.3   32.8 10th 22.2   19.6 23rd 18.2


Proserpine Airport 32.5 +0.2 37.0 25th 21.8 +0.1 17.9 23rd 143.0 168.3 average 85%
Samuel Hill Aero 29.9 -0.9 33.2 9th 21.0 +1.0 17.1 22nd 178.2 142.5 high 125%
St Lawrence 31.7 0.0 34.4 3rd 22.2 0.0 19.4 22nd 101.2 119.2 average 85%
Townsville- Fanning River (Defence) 34.2   37.5 10th 21.9   19.5 19th 51.6


Williamson 31.2 -0.2 33.8 11th 22.1 +0.1 17.4 22nd 47.6 131.0 low 36%
Woolshed 29.4 -0.1 32.5 24th 20.8 +0.3 18.5 19th 145.4 103.2 high 141%
Yeppoon The Esplanade 28.8 0.0 30.5 11th 23.4 +0.4 20.3 5th 204.4 114.8 high 178%
West Central Coast (district 34)
Charters Towers Airport 34.8 +0.1 39.5 24th 20.9 -1.1 18.6 20th 97.4 79.3 average 123%
Moranbah Airport 33.4   37.8 24th 20.6   18.8 18th 84.4 65.1 average 130%
Central Highlands (district 35)
Blackwater Airport 33.1   37.0 23rd 20.9   18.4 11th 13.0


Clermont Airport 32.6 -2.1 36.2 23rd 20.7 -0.2 18.8 19th 0 70.8 v low 0%
Emerald Airport 33.5 -1.0 37.4 23rd 21.6 +0.1 19.8 19th 38.6 80.0 low 48%
Lochington 34.0 -0.8 38.9 23rd 20.0 -0.9 17.0 11th 81.8 108.6 average 75%
Rolleston Airport 33.5 -1.0 37.5 23rd 20.3 0.0 16.9 11th 51.6 81.4 average 63%
Springsure Comet St 32.8 -1.3 36.4 23rd 19.7 -0.1 16.1 11th 86.8 91.4 average 95%
Tambo Post Office     38.0 23rd 18.8 -0.5 10.6 11th 39.4 69.1 average 57%
Taroom Post Office 33.2 -0.4 36.3 23rd 20.1 +0.4 14.8 13th 40.4 88.5 low 46%
Central Lowlands (district 36)
Barcaldine Post Office 36.4 +0.6 40.6 24th     15.3 1st 24.5 62.7 low 39%
Blackall Airport 35.3 -1.1 39.8 24th 20.7 -1.6 11.9 11th 65.6 80.1 average 82%
Isisford Post Office 36.6 -0.5 42.1 23rd 22.0 0.0 13.3 11th 53.8 53.1 average 101%
Longreach Aero 38.4 +0.8 43.7 24th 23.2 +0.8 16.3 11th 19.6 53.0 low 37%
Upper Western (district 37)
Camooweal Township 40.2 +2.1 43.4 14th 24.4 +0.5 17.2 12th 22.6 63.2 low 36%
Carters Bore 38.9   42.6 14th 25.7   19.4 11th 48.0


New May Downs 38.7   42.7 14th 24.6   18.7 11th 33.6


The Monument Airport 39.3 +1.0 42.5 23rd 23.9 +0.1 14.3 11th 2.0 49.0 low 4%
Trepell Airport 40.1 +1.3 43.8 16th 24.3 +0.2 15.9 11th 24.8 39.8 average 62%
Urandangi Aerodrome 40.8   44.0 15th 23.4   13.4 11th 22.8 43.4 average 53%
Winton Airport 38.9 -0.2 44.5 23rd 23.4 -0.5 16.6 11th 5.4 34.3 low 16%
Lower Western (district 38)
Bedourie 39.6 +0.7 44.5 18th 23.7 +0.1 15.5 10th 0 16.7 lowest 0%
Birdsville Airport 40.1 +1.1 45.9 18th 24.3 +0.1 14.7 10th 0.2 10.6 v low 2%
Windorah Airport 39.0   42.5 20th 24.9   16.1 10th 10.2


Port Curtis South Coast (district 39)
Bundaberg Aero 30.2 +0.5 32.7 24th 20.8 +0.3 19.0 16th 78.8 124.1 average 63%
Gayndah Airport 31.2 -1.7 34.3 22nd 19.6 0.0 16.6 15th 109.0 82.0 average 133%
Gladstone Airport 30.4 +0.2 32.6 24th 22.4 +0.1 21.2 16th 92.6 104.1 average 89%
Gladstone Radar 30.9 -0.2 34.2 24th 22.4 +0.5 20.1 5th



Lady Elliot Island 29.8 +1.2 31.6 24th 23.9 +0.7 19.4 23rd 23.6 91.3 low 26%
Monto Township 30.7 -1.4 34.3 23rd 18.6 +0.3 16.4 19th 137.6 94.2 high 146%
Rockhampton Aero 32.1 -0.1 35.8 24th 22.4 +1.1 20.6 22nd 85.6 102.8 average 83%
Rundle Island 27.6 -0.1 31.0 24th 24.5 +0.5 20.8 6th



Seventeen Seventy 29.8 +1.0 31.6 23rd 22.3 0.0 20.8 6th 62.4 127.8 low 49%
Thangool Airport 32.0 -1.2 34.9 24th 18.6 -0.1 14.0 19th 111.2 92.9 high 120%
Moreton South Coast (district 40)
Amberley AMO 30.7 -0.2 34.6 21st 18.4 0.0 12.8 11th 123.6 118.6 average 104%
Archerfield Airport 29.9 +0.2 34.3 20th 19.2 0.0 15.2 11th 218.0 125.7 high 173%
Beaudesert Drumley Street 30.3 -0.5 35.0 21st 17.8 -0.5 12.3 11th 291.8 126.5 v high 231%
Beerburrum Forest Station 28.9 -1.0 32.5 20th 18.6 +0.1 15.2 11th 245.8 156.5 v high 157%
Brisbane 29.5 -0.1 33.3 20th 20.3 -0.2 17.7 11th



Brisbane Aero 28.1 -0.2 30.6 24th 19.9 -0.3 15.9 11th 169.2 121.5 high 139%
Canungra (Defence) 28.8   33.1 21st 16.3   9.6 11th 176.6


Cape Moreton Lighthouse 27.0 +0.8 29.6 17th 21.3 +0.3 18.9 10th 241.0 125.6 high 192%
Coolangatta 28.0 +0.6 31.6 10th 19.6 -0.2 14.2 11th 236.6 157.5 high 150%
Double Island Point Lighthouse 28.1 +0.6 32.0 21st 22.2 +0.6 20.3 5th 81.0 125.9 average 64%
Gold Coast Seaway 28.2 +0.2 32.4 21st 20.3 -0.3 17.3 11th 276.2 140.4 v high 197%
Greenbank (Defence) 30.4   35.9 21st 17.8   11.5 11th 208.0


Gympie 30.2 -1.1 34.0 21st 18.9 +0.3 15.7 16th 84.8 135.9 low 62%
Hervey Bay Airport 29.9 +0.4 32.8 24th 20.8 -0.2 18.5 22nd 36.6 122.3 lowest 30%
Kingaroy Airport 28.8 -1.6 32.7 21st 17.1 +0.4 11.8 11th 136.0 96.2 high 141%
Logan City Water Treatment Plant 29.0 -0.2 33.9 21st 19.5 +0.1 15.8 11th 149.7 125.8 average 119%
Maryborough 30.3 -0.3 33.6 24th 20.0 +0.4 17.3 15th 153.4 128.0 high 120%
Nambour Daff - Hillside 28.2 -0.9 31.2 9th 19.2 -0.3 15.2 11th 237.8 175.9 high 135%
Point Lookout 28.6 +0.3 31.7 22nd 21.3 -0.1 18.9 10th 156.0 121.3 average 129%
Rainbow Beach 28.3 0.0 31.1 23rd      
94.6 120.4 average 79%
Redcliffe 28.0 -0.4 30.8 21st 20.5 -0.6 17.1 11th 191.2 119.8 high 160%
Redland (Alexandra Hills) 28.1   31.0 24th 19.2   14.4 11th 140.6


Sunshine Coast Airport 27.8 -0.6 30.0 24th 19.9 0.0 16.5 11th 325.0 156.2 v high 208%
Tewantin RSL Park 27.7 -0.4 31.1 10th 20.6 -0.2 18.3 11th 236.8 143.2 high 165%
Tin Can Bay (Defence) 29.0   32.2 10th 20.1   18.0 22nd 103.0


University of Queensland Gatton 30.6 -0.8 34.4 20th 18.2 +0.1 12.2 11th



East Darling Downs (district 41)
Applethorpe 25.4 -0.6 30.2 20th 14.1 +0.2 7.9 11th 167.8 99.3 high 169%
Dalby Airport 30.9 -0.9 36.1 21st 17.6 -0.1 10.9 11th 97.6 92.1 average 106%
Goondiwindi Airport 31.4   37.3 21st 18.3   13.3 29th 142.2


Oakey Aero 29.8 -0.6 34.5 21st 17.2 +0.5 9.5 11th 116.8 90.8 high 129%
Stanthorpe Leslie Parade 26.2 -1.0 31.0 21st 14.4 +0.1 8.4 11th 170.7 95.7 v high 178%
Texas Post Office 31.1 -1.8 36.5 21st 17.3 -0.1 11.4 11th 128.2 80.6 high 159%
Toowoomba Airport 26.6 -1.2 30.9 21st 16.4 -0.3 13.4 29th 103.4 101.7 average 102%
Warwick 29.0 -0.6 35.2 21st 16.1 +0.2 9.7 11th 168.2 105.1 high 160%
West Darling Downs (district 42)
Miles Constance Street 31.7 -1.4 36.5 21st 18.7 -0.6 12.1 11th 110.4 88.0 high 125%
Maranoa (district 43)
Injune Post Office 31.9 -1.5 35.5 4th 17.3 -0.9 10.5 11th 90.2 88.0 average 103%
Mitchell Post Office 32.4 -1.5 36.6 21st 18.0 -0.6 11.5 11th 73.5 70.7 average 104%
Roma Airport 31.6 -2.1 34.6 21st 17.3 -2.2 11.1 11th 100.2 77.6 high 129%
St George Airport 32.9 -1.4 38.7 21st 19.5 -1.1 13.1 10th 18.6 62.4 low 30%
Surat 32.6 -1.3 37.2 21st 19.6 +0.1 13.1 11th 46.4 71.0 average 65%
Warrego (district 44)
Bollon Mary St 33.9 -1.2 39.5 21st 20.0 -0.1 11.1 10th 29.8 51.4 average 58%
Charleville Aero 33.8 -1.1 38.7 20th 19.7 -0.8 11.9 10th 61.8 54.9 average 113%
Cunnamulla Post Office 35.6 +0.3 40.8 20th 21.3 +0.4 14.2 10th 24.2 38.7 average 63%
Far Southwest (district 45)
Ballera Gas Field 39.0 +0.8 44.0 18th 24.3 +0.3 15.3 10th 10.8 10.6 average 102%
Thargomindah Airport 37.4 +0.3 42.6 21st 23.9 +0.3 15.8 10th 56.0 25.2 high 222%
Offshore Islands (district 200)
Bougainville Reef 29.2   31.5 26th 26.7   22.9 30th



Cato Island 28.3   31.3 23rd 24.5   22.6 27th



Creal Reef 28.1   30.1 11th 25.9   23.2 31st



Flinders Reef 29.2   32.3 24th 26.7   23.0 30th



Frederick Reef 27.8   32.2 2nd 25.3   22.8 28th



Gannet Cay 27.9   31.1 8th 25.1   22.7 27th



Holmes Reef 29.5   32.7 11th 26.9   23.5 21st



Lihou Reef Lighthouse 29.1   31.2 26th 26.3   24.2 31st



Marion Reef 28.8   32.5 26th 26.5   23.9 31st



Middle Percy Island 28.5 +0.2 30.1 24th 23.4 +0.6 21.3 28th 108.6 124.3 average 87%
Willis Island 32.1 +1.4 33.2 2nd 26.4 +0.9 24.0 30th 156.8 96.1 high 163%

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists the main features of the weather in Queensland using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. More extensive discussion of significant weather events, along with later information and data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 8 am on Thursday 6 January 2022. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.

Averages for individual sites 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.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of long-term average 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, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

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Climate