Remote Islands and Antarctica in February 2023

Australia's Indian Ocean islands

  • Both Christmas Island Aero site and Cocos Island Airport site experienced equipment issues on many days during February. As a result, daily rainfall totals for those days and the monthly rainfall total are not known.
  • Due to equipment issues on 10 days, mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures for the Christmas Island Aero site are also not known.
  • At Cocos Island Airport, both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were cooler than average.
  • Cocos Island Airport had its lowest February mean daily minimum and lowest February mean temperatures since 2001.

Australia's Pacific Ocean islands

  • Lord Howe Island Aero had monthly rainfall total of 107.2 mm, which was slightly above the February average.
  • Mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were below the February average at Lord Howe Island Aero.
  • Lore Howe Island Aero had its lowest February temperature on record on the 26th; it also had its lowest February mean daily minimum temperature on record and lowest February mean temperature on record.
  • The month was wetter than average at Norfolk Island Aero; it had a monthly rainfall total of 138.1 mm, which was 35% above the February average.
  • At Norfolk Island Aero, more than 100  mm fell on the 11th and 12th, when Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle passed over the island. The strongest wind gust recorded during this event was 102 km/h on the 11th, the 4th strongest February wind gust at this site.
  • At Norfolk Island Aero, the mean maximum temperature was equal to average, while the mean minimum temperature was warmer than average.

Australia's Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territories

  • Total February wind run was above average at all three Australia's Antarctic stations.
  • The strongest wind gust recorded during this month was 156 km/h at Mawson station on the 22nd.
  • Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were above average at all three Australia's Antarctic stations.
  • At Macquarie Island rain was recorded on most days during the month, resulting in a monthly total of around 99 mm, which was 15% above the February average.
  • Mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures at Macquarie Island were 0.8 °C and 1.0 °C above average respectively.
  • The strongest wind gust recorded during this February at Macquarie Island was 137km/h on the 22nd; this was the 3rd strongest February wind gust at this site.
  • At Macquarie Island, total February wind run was close to average.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Record lowest February temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
February
Lord Howe Island Aero 13.7 on the 26th 14.7 on the 9th in 2022 35 21.1



Record lowest February mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
February
Lord Howe Island Aero 19.4 20.1 in 2014 34 21.1

Lowest February mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
February
Cocos Island Airport 24.7 24.3 in 2001 25.1



Record lowest February mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
February
Lord Howe Island Aero 22.4 22.5 in 1989 34 23.4

Lowest February mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
February
Cocos Island Airport 27.3 26.7 in 2001 27.6



Summary statistics for February 2023
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Precipitation
(millimetres)
Mean for
February
2023
Diff
from
average
Highest for
February
2023
Mean for
February
2023
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
February
2023
Total for
February
2023
Average
for
February
Rank of
February
2023
Fraction of
February
average
Offshore Islands (district 200)
Cocos Island Airport 29.9 -0.1 31.0 9th 24.7 -0.4 22.5 18th 44.6 190.9
Lord Howe Island Aero 25.3 -0.5 26.8 4th 19.4 -1.7 13.7 26th 107.2 105.0 average 102%
Norfolk Island Aero 25.0 0.0 27.6 5th 20.0 +0.2 17.6 19th 131.8 97.4 high 135%
Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300)
Casey 0.8 +0.9 4.6 3rd -4.8 +0.2 -12.0 27th 12.8 15.4 average 83%
Davis 0.3 +0.5 5.2 17th -4.3 +0.2 -9.5 11th 2.8 3.8 average 74%
Macquarie Island 9.5 +0.8 11.4 1st 6.3 +1.0 1.8 9th 99.4 86.3 average 115%
Mawson -0.9 +0.5 2.5 7th -6.3 +1.0 -10.0 27th
Note: Precipitation values from Casey and Davis should be used with caution.

Daily maximum temperatures for February 2023
Offshore Islands (200)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Christmas Island Aero25.827.024.727.324.926.927.529.328.628.828.228.026.727.528.326.926.927.7
Cocos Island Airport30.029.327.229.731.027.428.930.631.029.629.430.830.330.830.330.829.028.930.130.130.430.230.330.330.529.529.6
Lord Howe Island Aero26.726.525.826.825.825.725.426.025.524.825.925.525.625.624.624.825.024.925.625.425.725.623.423.524.724.524.725.4
Norfolk Island Aero26.627.527.127.624.126.426.025.924.125.023.323.724.525.024.624.925.024.825.124.624.024.523.725.023.824.124.6
Antarctica and Macquarie Is. (300)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Casey1.91.74.60.2-2.2-2.5-4.3-2.60.92.13.84.43.42.72.92.92.42.9-0.1-2.90.84.31.21.7-3.1-5.1-0.60.6
Davis1.1-0.20.61.53.02.81.9-1.0-4.2-4.1-1.7-2.0-0.61.01.34.25.22.34.91.40.7-1.10.00.0-0.7-2.4-2.1-3.3
Macquarie Island11.49.99.410.68.38.88.97.17.910.69.79.410.310.79.510.39.710.410.28.88.48.59.29.59.09.910.810.1
Mawson-2.5-0.3-3.00.02.20.82.50.5-1.4-1.6-2.2-4.5-2.8-2.6-1.90.31.41.41.11.4-1.0-3.0-1.22.20.2-3.0-3.9-3.7
Values are the maximum temperature, usually in the 24 hours from 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred in the afternoon of that day.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily minimum temperatures for February 2023
Offshore Islands (200)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Christmas Island Aero22.722.222.222.422.522.623.623.923.923.322.123.324.322.722.422.722.622.4
Cocos Island Airport23.124.423.823.624.323.624.224.325.923.925.526.026.224.922.924.326.022.524.025.625.726.024.325.526.324.525.125.0
Lord Howe Island Aero21.021.321.922.518.017.116.819.518.822.320.721.117.017.020.419.614.819.818.121.722.222.019.219.218.413.719.420.4
Norfolk Island Aero21.423.623.523.322.521.019.319.420.519.121.019.119.918.620.118.718.117.620.120.619.918.218.517.819.419.619.9
Antarctica and Macquarie Is. (300)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Casey-4.3-3.0-1.6-3.3-7.5-9.0-8.0-9.0-10.0-6.7-0.7-0.2-0.6-1.20.0-0.6-0.6-1.2-4.7-9.5-7.9-3.6-1.1-1.6-7.9-10.7-12.0-7.4
Davis-3.5-6.2-6.5-3.20.00.0-2.8-5.8-5.7-7.6-9.5-5.7-5.2-3.4-2.5-3.30.5-2.2-1.9-2.4-4.3-5.4-4.9-2.0-3.8-5.0-8.0-8.8
Macquarie Island8.57.15.85.77.05.94.82.81.86.06.07.18.17.58.27.66.36.16.77.64.54.36.06.98.76.06.45.7
Mawson-8.9-7.9-6.8-5.9-4.0-2.8-1.5-8.2-7.1-8.1-9.4-8.5-9.4-9.4-7.3-5.4-3.7-1.7-2.2-2.3-6.6-7.0-7.4-4.9-5.3-5.8-10.0-9.3
Values are the minimum temperature, usually in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred that morning.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily precipitation for February 2023
Offshore Islands (200)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Christmas Island Aero 5.8 68.6 115 41.0 27.0 23.0 3.6 9.4 6.6 0.2 62.8 8.2 1.4 56.2 6.8 10.4 23.6 25.0
Cocos Island Airport 8.6 3.8 20.4
3.4


-

-


- -

4.4 0.2 - 3.0 - - 0.8 - -
Lord Howe Island (Milky Way) 78.2 9.4 - 0.8 9.4 - - 0.4 - - - - 0.2 - 17.2 - - - 0.2 - - - 6.8 2.4 - - - -
Lord Howe Island Aero 74.2 8.0 - 1.0
- - - - - 0.2 0.2 - - 12.8 - 0.2 - 0.2 - - - 6.6 2.6 1.2 - - -
Norfolk Island Aero

- 3.0 0.2 - 4.0 - 2.6 - 76.4 25.6 1.0 0.4 - 1.8 0.2 0.2 - - -
0.2
10.2 1.0 2.6 2.4
Antarctica and Macquarie Is. (300)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
Casey - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.1 - - - - 0.1 2.9 - 3.2 5.5 - - -
Davis 2.6 - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Macquarie Island - 6.2 0.2 13.2 0.2 0.6 5.6 3.8 2.8 1.8 4.8 - 0.4 2.4 0.4 4.8 0.8 3.2 2.4 2.4 1.8 3.6 0.4 0.4 34.4 1.4 - 1.4
Most values are the precipitation in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated. Days marked with → are part of a longer accumulation, which is shown on the final day.
Values over 100 mm have been rounded to the nearest whole millimetre.
Days marked with - have a precipitation report of zero; days left blank have no precipitation report (which often indicates no precipitation fell).
Precipitations coloured
according to the amount
0 1.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 25.0 50.0 100 150 200 300 400 600 millimetres

Map of the areas covered by this summary

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the third working day of each month, lists the main features of the weather in Remote Islands and Antarctica 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 9 am on Thursday 2 March 2023. 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 precipitation 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 precipitation.

The Rank indicates how precipitation this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low precipitation 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 precipitation 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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