Tasmanian Monthly Climate Summary: August 2006
Record warm end to a record dry month

Thursday 1 September, 2006

In Brief

Tasmania experienced very dry conditions for August, with record low rainfall in the northeast and southeast. Meanwhile, warm days at the end of the month capped off an already warm start, with the highest August temperature ever recorded in the state broken on a very warm day on the 31st.

Details

Record warm end to a warm August : Daytime temperatures were typically half a degree above average over most of the state and even warmer over central areas and the east and southeast coasts. There was a noticeably warm burst toward the end of the month, with record hot days for August being broken on the very last day of the month. Campania recorded 25°C and Scamander recorded 24.9°C, both exceeding the previous highest recorded temperature in the state during August of 24.5°C in Hobart on the 26th August 1977. Cool days were mostly confined to the beginning of the month and also between the 24th and 27th, where temperatures in many localities were actually below normal for August.

The state remains dry as rains fail to fall: Good rains that fell over the northeast during July failed to return in August, with most places between Bridport and Bicheno recording their driest ever August. Almost the entire east coast recorded less than 10 mm of rain for the month, notably Bicheno with 3.4 mm, Swansea with 4.8 mm and Scamander with only 2.6 mm (its average is 58 mm). Large parts of the southeast district and the Derwent Valley also experienced their driest ever August - Hobart recording only 5.8 mm compared to its long term average of 53 mm and the lowest since records began in 1882. The Midlands, Central Plateau and north of the state were also very dry, typically receiving less than 40 mm of rain for the month and in their lowest 10% of records. Most rain fell in the third week as several fronts crossed the state, but there were no especially heavy falls. Only parts of western highland areas received average rainfall for the month.

Cool August nights inland while the coast remains mild: Large parts of inland Tasmania experienced slightly cooler than average nights for this time of year, with a few scattered frosts and cold nights especially on the 7th, 13th and around the 24th. Bushy Park recorded its coldest August night on record with −5.5°C, previously −5°C in 1987. It was a little warmer around the coastal areas, with most places about 0.3°C warmer than normal. Milder nights were also experienced in the south and southeastern parts of the state, with some places over one degree above average. The average overnight minimum temperature for Geeveston was 4.4°C, almost 2°C above average for this time of year.

Included in this summary are a table of extremes, some new records, and summaries for sites in Tasmania. A summary for all of winter is also available on our web site, and it includes a list of record low rainfalls for the eight months from January to August.

Further information

Ian Barnes-Keoghan
Meteorologist
Tasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au

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Extremes


Extremes

Hottest day
Highest temperature		 25.0 °C at Campania (Kincora) on the 31st
(a new Tasmanian record for August)
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 16.0 °C at Bicheno (Council Depot) and Scamander
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 4.8 °C at Mount Read
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 −0.1 °C at Mount Wellington on the 1st
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −8.3 °C at Liawenee on the 7th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 −1.2 °C at Liawenee
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 9.3 °C at Hogan Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 12.0 °C at King Island Airport on the 21st
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 428.2 mm at Mount Read
Driest overall
Lowest total rainfall		 1.8 mm at St Helens Aerodrome
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		 49.4 mm at Mount Read on the 11th
Highest wind gust
 150 km/h at Mount Wellington on the 18th

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Records

Record Lowest Total Rainfall for August

Total rainfall
for August 2006 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for August 		Years of
record
Hobart (Ellerslie Road) 5.8 7.6 in 1892 125
Fingal (Legge Street) 4.4 12.5 in 1940 124
Pioneer (Main Road) 17.0 22.3 in 1914 99
Eddystone Point 4.4 9.4 in 1914 97
Gladstone (Old Post Office) 14.6 15.2 in 1914 85
Bagdad Post Office 5.4 6.7 in 1982 82
Fort Direction 8.6 = 8.6 in 1982 58
Glenorchy (Glenorchy Reservoir) 11.4 16.5 in 1957 56
Grove (Comparison) 20.4 23.8 in 1982 55
Orford (Aubin Court) 5.6 = 5.6 in 1982 54
Lorinna 54.6 61.7 in 1944 51
Pyengana (Forest Lodge Road) 26.4 40.4 in 1982 44
Gray (Craigie-Lea) 3.0 5.0 in 1996 42
Taroona (Taroona Crescent) 9.0 9.6 in 1982 42
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) 23.0 40.2 in 1982 36
Wynyard Airport 29.6 38.6 in 1957 35
Risdon Vale (Poplar Road) 7.2 13.0 in 1999 27
Blackmans Bay Treatment Plant 10.2 19.4 in 1999 24
Bull Bay (Lauriston) 11.2 18.0 in 1999 23
Scamander 2.6 15.4 in 1982 23
Tea Tree (The Point) 10.2 15.6 in 1999 21


Lowest Total Rainfall for at least 20 years for August

Total rainfall
for August 2006 (mm) 		Most recent lower
for August
St Marys (Clive Street) 4.4 0.0 in 1914
Swansea Post Office 4.8 3.9 in 1914
Bicheno (Council Depot) 3.4 3.0 in 1940
Burnie (Round Hill) 27.8 25.9 in 1957
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) 12.2 7.8 in 1957
Woodbridge 26.8 24.0 in 1937
Ringarooma (Fry Street) 38.0 25.0 in 1975
City of Melbourne Bay 61.6 33.7 in 1982
Elliott Research Station 40.6 28.6 in 1982
Frankford (Rossville) 35.6 24.0 in 1982
Hobart Airport 7.8 6.8 in 1982
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 26.4 14.9 in 1982
Launceston Airport Comparison 24.2 13.2 in 1982
Levendale 13.0 9.8 in 1982
Lewis Hill (St Pauls River) 10.4 8.4 in 1982
Lunawanna 33.2 20.8 in 1982
Mole Creek 34.6 25.1 in 1982
Sorell (Whitlea) 6.0 3.0 in 1982
Westbury (Birralee Road) 27.2 15.2 in 1982
Yolla (Sea View) 60.0 37.6 in 1982
York Plains (Handroyd) 11.2 4.0 in 1982
Bothwell (Cluny) 13.0 9.8 in 1982
Deal Island 21.9 18.2 in 1982
Devonport Airport 17.4 16.0 in 1982
Forthside Research Station 25.4 18.9 in 1982
Mangalore (Mangalore Farm) 11.4 5.4 in 1982
Nugent (Twilight Valley) 16.2 8.6 in 1982
Oatlands Post Office 11.4 6.0 in 1982
Ulverstone (Knights Road) 30.8 23.2 in 1982
Lady Barron (Franklin Parade) 17.8 14.0 in 1982


Record Highest Mean Daily Maximum Temperature for August

Mean daily maximum
temperature
for August 2006 (°C) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Eddystone Point 15.0 14.9 in 2002 49
Mount Wellington 5.3 4.8 in 1999 26
Fingal (Legge Street) 14.9 14.8 in 1999 21

Highest Mean Daily Maximum Temperature for at least 20 years for August

Mean daily maximum
temperature
for August 2006 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for August
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) 15.2 15.9 in 1949
Hobart Airport 15.5 16.0 in 1982
Orford (Aubin Court) 15.3 16.9 in 1982


Record Highest Temperature for August

Highest temperature
in August 2006 (°C) 		Previous highest
for August 		Years of
record
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) 23.7 on the 31st 23.3 on the 29th in 2005 71
Hobart Airport 23.7 on the 31st 23.6 on the 26th in 1977 48
Mount Wellington 13.4 on the 31st 12.0 on the 29th in 2005 26
Scamander 24.9 on the 31st 24.0 on the 29th in 1982 23
Fingal (Legge Street) 22.2 on the 31st 20.7 on the 30th in 1999 21



Record Lowest Temperature for August

Lowest temperature
in August 2006 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for August 		Years of
record
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) −5.5 on the 7th −5.0 on the 13th in 1987 71


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Summaries


Summary statistics for August 2006


 Maximum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for August
(°C)		 Rainfall
for August
(mm)
Mean
for
August 2006		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest
for
August 2006		 Mean
for
August 2006		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest
for
August 2006		 Total
for
August 2006		 Normal
for
August		 Ranking
for
August 2006		 Percentage
of
normal
Northern (district 91)
Bridport 13.8 0 16.1 31st 5.9 +0.3 3.2 26th 25.2 78.7 lowest 32
Burnie 14.0 +0.9 17.0 29th 7.0 +1.0 3.3 26th 27.8 110.4 very low 25
Cape Grim
 13.1 +0.5 15.9 31st 8.7 +0.3 4.9 7th 35.6 83.6 very low 43
Cressy 13.6
17.4 29th 1.3
−6.6 7th 17.6


Devonport
 13.2 +0.2 16.1 11th 5.2 +0.2 0.2 7th 17.4 90.0 very low 19
Launceston 14.2 +0.5 16.5 31st 3.4 −0.1 −2.6 7th 26.4 83.3 very low 32
Launceston Airport 13.6
16.3 31st 2.7
−3.2 7th 23.2


Launceston Ap (old site)
 13.0 +1.0 15.6 31st 3.0 0 −2.1 7th 24.2 78.3 very low 31
Low Head 13.0
14.8 22nd 7.0
2.2 7th 12.6


Luncheon Hill 11.7
17.0 31st 5.5
1.0 25th 130.6 188.0 low 69
Marrawah 13.3 +0.6 16.3 31st 7.7 +0.7 3.2 26th 69.4 128.3 very low 54
Powranna 13.2 +0.8 16.0 31st 2.7 −0.1 −3.2 7th 23.8 58.5 low 41
Scottsdale 13.3 +0.7 16.4 31st 3.9 +0.1 −1.5 8th 23.0 117.7 lowest 20
Sheffield12.5
17.0 29th 3.6
−0.5 8th 44.0


Smithton
 14.1
18.5 31st 5.1
−1.3 7th 50.0 105.1 lowest 48
Wynyard
 14.0 +1.0 16.9 29th 3.5 −0.4 −1.2 26th 29.6 106.7 lowest 28
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno 16.0 +1.4 19.8 29th 6.3 +0.1 2.9 2nd 3.4 49.6 very low 7
Eddystone Point 15.0 +1.4 17.6 31st 7.4 +0.3 4.2 10th 4.4 71.7 lowest 6
Fingal 14.9 +1.6 22.2 31st 0.2 −0.8 −6.7 7th 4.4 58.6 lowest 8
Friendly Beaches 15.9
23.0 31st 6.4
1.7 2nd 4.2


Lake Leake 10.7 +1.4 16.6 31st 0.4 −0.2 −5.8 7th 30.2 76.5 very low 39
Maria Island 14.8
19.0 29th 8.0
4.9 2nd 9.8


Orford 15.3 +1.3 20.9 29th 4.6 +0.5 0.4 13th 5.6 60.5 lowest 9
Scamander 16.0 +1.4 24.9 31st 5.4 +0.4 2.4 26th 2.6 58.0 lowest 4
St Helens
 15.5
20.3 31st 4.8
−0.4 7th 1.8


Swan Island 13.7
15.5 31st 8.5
5.8 4th 9.2


Swansea 15.8 +1.6 20.4 30th 4.2 −0.1 −1.3 7th 4.8 43.8 very low 11
Midlands (district 93)
Ross 13.3 +0.9 17.2 31st 1.4 −0.7 −6.3 7th 17.6 46.9 low 38
Southeast (district 94)
Bull Bay 14.5 +1.2 21.5 31st 6.4 +0.4 3.4 26th 11.2 57.2 lowest 20
Campania 15.8
25.0 31st 4.2
−2.1 7th 7.6


Cape Bruny
 13.2 +1.4 20.1 31st 7.5 +1.3 4.0 7th 57.9 92.4 low 63
Dover 14.0 +1.0 20.6 31st 5.0 +1.1 −1.5 7th 48.4 88.6 low 55
Geeveston 13.8 +0.9 21.8 31st 4.4 +1.8 −1.0 7th 64.2 97.6 low 66
Grove 14.5 +1.5 22.5 31st 3.3 +0.6 −3.9 7th 20.4 76.8 lowest 27
Hobart 14.7 +1.7 23.0 31st 6.0 +0.9 0.9 7th 5.8 52.8 lowest 11
Hobart Airport 15.5 +2.1 23.7 31st 5.8 +1.2 1.1 24th 7.8 47.1 very low 17
Maatsuyker Island
 11.6 +0.4 16.8 31st 7.4 +1.0 3.9 19th 69.6 123.5 low 56
Melton Mowbray 14.1
22.8 31st 2.0
−6.3 7th 10.6 43.5 lowest 24
Mount Wellington 5.3 +2.8 13.4 31st −0.2 +1.6 −3.7 25th 21.2 76.9 very low 28
Tasman Island 12.4
19.0 31st 7.3
5.0 25th 18.4


Tunnack
11.5
17.4 29th 2.2
−4.1 25th 17.8


Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park 15.2 +2.2 23.7 31st 1.7 −0.7 −5.5 7th 12.2 53.3 very low 23
Maydena12.3 +0.3 20.0 31st 2.4 −0.1 −3.5 7th 75.0 148.9 very low 50
Moogara 10.5 +1.0 18.0 31st 3.5 +1.4 −0.5 25th 40.0 101.6 lowest 39
Ouse14.5
22.5 31st 1.0
−6.7 7th 18.4


Tarraleah
 10.6 +1.3 18.3 31st 0.9 +0.2 −5.5 26th 74.9 123.1 low 61
Central Plateau (district 96)
Lake St Clair 9.5 +1.4 16.0 31st −0.1 −0.1 −6.0 7th 152.4 237.9 low 64
Liawenee 8.7
17.1 30th −1.2
−8.3 7th 30.0


West Coast (district 97)
Hartz Mountain 7.2
14.5 31st 1.8
−1.2 25th 78.6


Mount Read 4.8
11.8 31st 0.5
−2.4 25th 428.2


Scotts Peak Dam 10.6
18.1 31st 4.2
0.9 25th 138.4


Strahan
 13.4 +0.2 19.2 31st 6.4 +0.6 −0.8 25th 111.8 168.1 low 67
Strathgordon
 10.7 +0.8 15.9 16th 4.1 +0.7 −1.0 25th 217.6 284.9 low 76
Warra 10.5
18.1 31st 3.6
−1.2 25th 161.2


King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport 13.8 +0.3 17.2 31st 7.7 0 0.0 26th 47.8 113.1 very low 42
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport 14.2 +0.5 18.3 31st 6.3 −0.3 −1.4 7th 16.2 75.0 very low 22
Hogan Island 13.6
18.1 31st 9.3
6.9 26th 18.6


Note

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am  on Friday 1 September 2006 . Although every effort has been made to check them, it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

"Normals" are based on all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site . Sites without normals shown do no have sufficient record for them to be calculated reliably.

The "Ranking" indicates about where rainfall this time ranks in the climate record for the site.

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Further information

Ian Barnes-Keoghan
Meteorologist
Tasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au