Friday, 1 February 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0
Tasmania in January 2008: a warm, dry start to the year
The first month of 2008 was the driest January on record for many parts of Tasmania, particularly in the west and south. Only northern parts of the East Coast received near average rainfall for the month. January was also very warm, especially during the first two weeks. Some cooler weather was felt during the second part of the month, but there were very few really cold days.
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Details
Very dry, except in the northeast: There was very little rain throughout January, with many southeastern and northwestern locations registering less than 10 mm for the month. Numerous sites recorded their lowest total January rainfall on record, or their lowest for several decades, with Marrawah, Cape Grim and Bull Bay experiencing their driest month for any part of the year. Only the northeast of the state had rainfall totals even close to normal, due predominately to a rain event around the 20th during which several northern East Coast locations recorded falls of over 40 mm in the 24 hours to 9am. A few other rain events, notably around the 13th and 27th to 31st, were not enough to prevent the record dry in many parts of the state.
A warm start to the year: The first half of January saw many warm to hot days with temperatures well into the 30s, culminating on the 10th when Ouse reached 37.7°C. Devonport Airport reached 30.1°C on the 11th, the warmest there in 17 years of record. Some cooler weather between the 13th and the 22nd brought the monthly means down, with temperatures rising slightly above average during the last week of January until a cold change on the 31st. A few sites had their highest January mean daily maximum temperature on record, and some more had their highest for many years. Mean maximum temperatures were above average across the state, typically by around 2 to 3 degrees inland and 1 to 2 degrees at coastal locations.
Some very warm nights: It was very mild going into the morning of the 1st, and there were several other very warm mornings through the month, notably the 5th, 6th, 11th, 19th, 20th and 27th. There was a period of cooler nights around the 21st, but overall mean minimum temperatures were above average across most the state, typically by about a degree. A few eastern locations had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record, or their highest for many years. Mean minimums were close to average in western areas.
Further information
Melanie WebbTasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au
Extremes
| Hottest day Highest temperature |
37.7°C at Ouse on the 10th |
|---|---|
| Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature |
27.1°C at Cressy |
| Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature |
15.3°C at Mount Wellington |
| Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature |
4.1°C at Mount Wellington on the 21st |
| Coldest night Lowest temperature |
−2.0°C at Lake St Clair on the 21st |
| Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature |
5.5°C at Mount Wellington |
| Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature |
15.6°C at Swan Island |
| Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature |
20.2°C at Hobart Airport on the 6th and Flinders Island Airport on the 27th |
| Wettest overall Highest total rainfall |
63.0 mm at Mount Read |
| Driest overall Lowest total rainfall |
1.4 mm at Bellerive and Mount Morriston |
| Wettest day Highest daily rainfall |
47.6 mm at Gray on the 20th |
| Highest wind gust |
141 km/h at Mount Wellington on the 11th |
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Records
| Record lowest total January rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for January 2008 (mm) |
Previous lowest for January |
Years of record |
Normal for January |
||
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 9.4 | 10.4 | in 1999 | 138 | 62.1 |
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | 3.0 | 5.3 | in 1878 | 135 | 41.2 |
| Hobart (Ellerslie Road) | 3.0 | 4.4 | in 1958 | 127 | 48.0 |
| Mangalore (Mangalore Farm) | 3.4 | 3.6 | in 1958 | 106 | 41.9 |
| Lunawanna | 4.4 | 6.8 | in 1999 | 96 | 54.3 |
| Tarraleah Village | 13.2 | 16.9 | in 1954 | 72 | 70.1 |
| Grove (Comparison) | 5.2 | 9.2 | in 1999 | 56 | 47.2 |
| Hobart Airport | 2.8 | 7.2 | in 1980 | 50 | 41.6 |
| Taroona (Taroona Crescent) | 3.6 | 9.2 | in 1974 | 43 | 49.7 |
| Copping | 11.8 | 17.8 | in 2001 | 40 | 62.7 |
| Huonville (Tutton Avenue) | 6.6 | 9.6 | in 1999 | 39 | 43.8 |
| Marrawah | 7.2 | 13.8 | in 1999 | 38 | 47.9 |
| Zeehan (West Coast Pioneers Museum) | 26.8 | 47.0 | in 1999 | 37 | 125.5 |
| King Island Airport | 6.6 | 10.6 | in 1976 | 34 | 36.9 |
| Westbury (Birralee Road) | 7.5 | 10.8 | in 1990 | 31 | 50.3 |
| Risdon Vale (Poplar Road) | 2.4 | 9.6 | in 1967 | 28 | 46.4 |
| Blackmans Bay Treatment Plant | 2.8 | 9.0 | in 1999 | 26 | 47.3 |
| Bull Bay (Lauriston) | 2.8 | 11.4 | in 1999 | 25 | 51.5 |
| Nugent (Twilight Valley) | 10.2 | 22.4 | in 2001 | 24 | 77.0 |
| Strahan Aerodrome | 20.6 | 31.3 | in 2001 | 22 | 89.5 |
| Tea Tree (The Point) | 6.0 | 11.8 | in 2003 | 22 | 55.6 |
| Cape Grim BAPS | 3.0 | 8.4 | in 1995 | 21 | 35.4 |
| Richmond (Strathayr) | 3.2 | 10.4 | in 2003 | 20 | 46.2 |
| Lowest total January rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for January 2008 (mm) |
Most recent lower for January |
Years since lower |
Normal for January |
||
| Premaydena Hatchery | 8.8 | 7.6 | in 1911 | 97 | 52.2 |
| Yambacoona | 6.4 | 0.8 | in 1911 | 93 | 35.9 |
| Elliott Research Station | 6.0 | 5.9 | in 1930 | 72 | 49.7 |
| Yolla (Sea View) | 7.2 | 7.1 | in 1939 | 69 | 61.6 |
| Bothwell (Cluny) | 6.0 | 1.3 | in 1939 | 67 | 38.6 |
| Dover | 7.6 | 7.1 | in 1914 | 57 | 55.1 |
| Bronte Heights | 9.8 | 5.2 | in 1939 | 53 | 55.6 |
| Lake Margaret Power Station | 52.0 | 43.5 | in 1954 | 53 | 170.4 |
| Cape Sorell | 16.4 | 16.0 | in 1939 | 44 | 70.1 |
| Forthside Research Station | 13.4 | 8.3 | in 1966 | 42 | 52.0 |
| Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) | 11.8 | 10.4 | in 1966 | 42 | 55.3 |
| Mole Creek | 6.2 | 3.1 | in 1966 | 42 | 52.0 |
| York Plains (Handroyd) | 4.2 | 1.1 | in 1966 | 42 | 42.5 |
| Burnie (Round Hill) | 7.2 | 5.7 | in 1965 | 41 | 43.2 |
| Levendale | 8.0 | 6.8 | in 1939 | 41 | 60.8 |
| Ulverstone (Knights Road) | 11.4 | 7.2 | in 1966 | 40 | 42.5 |
| Naracoopa | 6.6 | 5.2 | in 1976 | 32 | 39.4 |
| Victoria Valley (Glenrowan) | 9.2 | 9.0 | in 1978 | 30 | 51.4 |
| Avoca (Railway House) | 16.0 | 14.2 | in 1980 | 27 | 40.5 |
| Woodbridge | 7.6 | 6.4 | in 1958 | 26 | 55.6 |
| Campbell Town (Elizabeth R) | 7.8 | 3.3 | in 1966 | 20 | 41.5 |
| Record highest January mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2008 (°C) |
Previous highest for January |
Years of record |
Normal for January |
||
| Tarraleah Village | 22.7 | 21.9 | in 2001 | 24 | 19.2 |
| Wynyard Airport | 22.9 | 22.6 | in 1998 | 21 | 21.0 |
| Highest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2008 (°C) |
Most recent higher for January |
Years since higher |
Normal for January |
||
| Eddystone Point | 23.3 | 23.4 | in 1960 | 48 | 20.7 |
| Burnie (Round Hill) | 22.6 | 22.7 | in 1982 | 25 | 21.0 |
| Fingal (Legge Street) | 25.3 | 26.4 | in 1988 | 20 | 23.1 |
| Record highest January mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily minimum temperature for January 2008 (°C) |
Previous highest for January |
Years of record |
Normal for January |
||
| Orford (Aubin Court) | 13.4 | 13.3 | in 1988 | 40 | 11.7 |
| Bicheno (Council Depot) | 14.3 | 14.0 | in 2001 | 33 | 12.7 |
| Scamander | 13.8 | 13.7 | in 2007 | 24 | 12.5 |
| Highest January mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily minimum temperature for January 2008 (°C) |
Most recent higher for January |
Years since higher |
Normal for January |
||
| Hobart Airport | 13.7 | 13.8 | in 1981 | 27 | 11.9 |
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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 January 2008 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures for January (°C) |
Minimum temperatures for January (°C) |
Rainfall for January (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for January 2008 |
Diff from normal |
Highest for January 2008 |
Mean for January 2008 |
Diff from normal |
Lowest for January 2008 |
Total for January 2008 |
Normal for January |
Rank of January 2008 |
Fraction of January normal |
|||
| Northern (district 91) | ||||||||||||
| Bridport | 22.4 | +0.6 | 26.5 | 1st | 13.7 | +0.6 | 7.1 | 14th | 22.3 | 59.3 | very low | 38% |
| Burnie | 22.6 | +1.6 | 29.6 | 1st | 14.5 | +2.0 | 8.8 | 14th | 7.2 | 43.2 | very low | 17% |
| Cape Grim BAPS | 19.6 | +1.0 | 23.9 | 26th | 13.4 | +0.4 | 8.5 | 23rd | 3.0 | 35.4 | lowest | 8% |
| Cressy Research Station | 27.1 | 35.1 | 1st | 11.1 | 3.5 | 17th | 5.6 | |||||
| Devonport Airport | 22.5 | +1.5 | 30.1 | 11th | 12.9 | +0.7 | 6.1 | 12th | 14.8 | 43.1 | very low | 34% |
| Launceston | 25.5 | +1.5 | 31.8 | 1st | 13.5 | +1.4 | 8.0 | 14th | 16.4 | 47.9 | very low | 34% |
| Launceston Airport | 26.3 | 34.2 | 1st | 11.5 | 4.2 | 14th | 10.4 | |||||
| Launceston Airport Comparison | 25.2 | +2.0 | 32.5 | 1st | 11.7 | +1.6 | 4.2 | 14th | 10.6 | 44.5 | very low | 24% |
| Low Head | 21.2 | +1.1 | 24.0 | 20th | 15.0 | +0.9 | 10.0 | 21st | 17.4 | 54.3 | low | 32% |
| Luncheon Hill | 22.1 | +1.5 | 30.3 | 10th | 10.2 | −0.1 | 2.9 | 21st | 15.4 | 82.1 | very low | 19% |
| Marrawah | 21.2 | +1.2 | 27.2 | 10th | 12.3 | +0.5 | 7.5 | 21st | 7.2 | 47.9 | lowest | 15% |
| Powranna | 26.8 | +2.8 | 35.1 | 1st | 11.3 | +0.8 | 5.2 | 17th | ||||
| Scottsdale | 24.5 | +1.7 | 31.9 | 1st | 12.1 | +1.4 | 4.0 | 14th | 15.4 | 59.3 | very low | 26% |
| Sheffield School Farm | 22.7 | +1.1 | 28.4 | 11th | 10.8 | 0.0 | 3.5 | 21st | 7.8 | 55.3 | very low | 14% |
| Smithton Aerodrome | 22.7 | +1.3 | 28.3 | 1st | 10.7 | −0.7 | 3.3 | 12th | 7.8 | 39.5 | very low | 20% |
| Wynyard Airport | 22.9 | +1.9 | 31.8 | 1st | 11.6 | +0.7 | 3.1 | 14th | 7.2 | 41.3 | very low | 17% |
| East Coast (district 92) | ||||||||||||
| Bicheno | 22.7 | +1.5 | 36.4 | 11th | 14.3 | +1.6 | 8.4 | 17th | 35.4 | 53.1 | normal | 67% |
| Eddystone Point | 23.3 | +2.6 | 29.2 | 11th | 14.9 | +1.4 | 8.2 | 14th | 22.8 | 45.6 | low | 50% |
| Fingal | 25.3 | +2.2 | 34.4 | 11th | 11.1 | +0.9 | 2.8 | 14th | 26.2 | 44.3 | normal | 59% |
| Friendly Beaches | 23.7 | +1.1 | 36.4 | 11th | 13.8 | +0.8 | 7.8 | 14th | 32.6 | |||
| Lake Leake | 21.8 | +2.8 | 30.3 | 5th | 8.3 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 17th | 11.8 | 55.3 | very low | 21% |
| Maria Island | 22.3 | 33.5 | 11th | 14.2 | 10.7 | 14th | 7.8 | |||||
| Orford | 23.1 | +1.2 | 34.9 | 11th | 13.4 | +1.6 | 8.8 | 14th | ||||
| Scamander | 22.9 | +1.0 | 34.3 | 11th | 13.8 | +1.3 | 8.3 | 22nd | 47.6 | 48.3 | normal | 99% |
| St Helens Aerodrome | 23.1 | 32.2 | 11th | 14.3 | 7.9 | 14th | 50.4 | |||||
| Swan Island | 21.5 | 26.3 | 1st | 15.6 | 11.0 | 14th | 28.8 | |||||
| Swansea Post Office | 23.6 | +1.4 | 36.2 | 11th | 13.1 | +1.4 | 7.2 | 17th | 20.2 | 49.8 | low | 41% |
| Midlands (district 93) | ||||||||||||
| Ross | 26.6 | +2.6 | 33.3 | 5th | 11.4 | +1.0 | 4.0 | 17th | 6.4 | 51.8 | very low | 12% |
| Southeast (district 94) | ||||||||||||
| Bull Bay | 22.3 | +1.3 | 35.5 | 11th | 13.1 | +1.1 | 9.5 | 17th | 2.8 | 51.5 | lowest | 5% |
| Campania | 26.0 | 37.4 | 11th | 12.5 | 5.0 | 22nd | 4.8 | |||||
| Cape Bruny | 20.7 | +1.1 | 30.0 | 11th | 12.7 | +0.6 | 9.4 | 21st | 3.0 | |||
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 19.9 | +1.6 | 29.6 | 11th | 12.9 | +1.5 | 9.8 | 21st | 9.4 | 62.1 | lowest | 15% |
| Dover | 21.8 | +1.4 | 33.1 | 5th | 10.0 | −0.1 | 5.2 | 23rd | 7.6 | 55.1 | very low | 14% |
| Geeveston | 23.2 | +1.7 | 33.8 | 5th | 10.6 | +0.9 | 5.8 | 24th | 7.8 | 57.6 | very low | 14% |
| Grove | 24.6 | +2.3 | 35.5 | 10th | 10.5 | +1.1 | 5.0 | 23rd | 5.2 | 47.2 | lowest | 11% |
| Grove | 24.4 | 35.4 | 10th | 9.5 | 4.0 | 15th | 5.2 | |||||
| Hobart | 24.1 | +2.5 | 35.5 | 11th | 13.7 | +1.9 | 7.8 | 22nd | 3.0 | 48.0 | lowest | 6% |
| Hobart Airport | 24.3 | +1.9 | 36.0 | 11th | 13.7 | +1.8 | 7.5 | 22nd | 2.8 | 41.6 | lowest | 7% |
| Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse | 17.4 | +0.4 | 25.5 | 5th | 11.9 | +1.2 | 8.9 | 21st | 21.6 | 79.9 | very low | 27% |
| Melton Mowbray | 25.3 | +1.6 | 36.8 | 10th | 11.2 | +1.1 | 4.9 | 22nd | 6.2 | 31.4 | very low | 20% |
| Mount Wellington | 15.3 | +2.2 | 26.7 | 10th | 5.5 | +0.8 | −0.5 | 21st | 21.6 | 85.6 | very low | 25% |
| Tasman Island | 18.5 | 32.6 | 11th | 12.1 | 8.2 | 22nd | 8.8 | |||||
| Tunnack Fire Station | 23.2 | +1.9 | 32.1 | 5th | 9.6 | +0.8 | 2.1 | 22nd | 8.6 | 48.4 | low | 18% |
| Derwent Valley (district 95) | ||||||||||||
| Bushy Park | 26.5 | +2.7 | 37.4 | 10th | 9.8 | −0.3 | 1.8 | 22nd | 3.0 | 41.2 | lowest | 7% |
| Maydena Post Office | 23.8 | +1.8 | 34.5 | 10th | 8.6 | −0.4 | 1.5 | 22nd | 12.0 | 62.5 | very low | 19% |
| Moogara | 22.3 | +2.8 | 33.0 | 10th | 9.2 | +0.9 | 3.0 | 22nd | 7.0 | 50.3 | very low | 14% |
| Ouse Fire Station | 27.0 | +1.8 | 37.7 | 10th | 9.4 | −0.7 | 1.7 | 22nd | 4.2 | 26.4 | very low | 16% |
| Tarraleah Village | 22.7 | +3.4 | 32.2 | 10th | 7.3 | +0.3 | 1.3 | 21st | 13.2 | 70.1 | lowest | 19% |
| Central Plateau (district 96) | ||||||||||||
| Lake St Clair National Park | 21.4 | +2.3 | 30.9 | 10th | 6.0 | −0.3 | −2.0 | 21st | 25.8 | 105.4 | very low | 24% |
| Liawenee | 20.5 | 28.9 | 1st | 5.6 | −1.8 | 12th | ||||||
| West Coast (district 97) | ||||||||||||
| Hartz Mountain | 19.8 | +1.9 | 31.3 | 10th | 7.5 | +0.3 | 1.9 | 21st | 9.4 | 67.3 | very low | 14% |
| Mount Read | 15.6 | +1.3 | 25.6 | 10th | 5.9 | +0.1 | 0.0 | 21st | 63.0 | 195.7 | very low | 32% |
| Scotts Peak Dam | 23.1 | +2.8 | 35.2 | 10th | 9.6 | +0.3 | 4.7 | 23rd | 26.4 | |||
| Strahan Aerodrome | 21.4 | +0.8 | 30.6 | 5th | 10.4 | −0.3 | 4.9 | 22nd | 20.6 | 89.5 | lowest | 23% |
| Strathgordon Village | 20.7 | +1.6 | 31.2 | 5th | 9.3 | −0.1 | 3.5 | 15th | 57.9 | 151.4 | very low | 38% |
| Warra | 20.8 | 31.8 | 10th | 8.6 | 2.6 | 22nd | 35.4 | |||||
| King Island (district 98) | ||||||||||||
| King Island Airport | 21.8 | +1.3 | 31.8 | 10th | 12.5 | +0.1 | 4.0 | 23rd | 6.6 | 36.9 | lowest | 18% |
| Flinders Island (district 99) | ||||||||||||
| Flinders Island Airport | 24.5 | +2.6 | 35.6 | 11th | 15.1 | +1.8 | 5.9 | 15th | 14.8 | 46.2 | low | 32% |
| Hogan Island | 22.6 | 32.2 | 11th | 15.5 | 12.3 | 15th | 19.8 | |||||
| Macquarie Island (district 300) | ||||||||||||
| Macquarie Island | 8.5 | −0.3 | 9.8 | 4th | 5.3 | −0.1 | 2.1 | 12th | 120.6 | 84.3 | very high | 143% |
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Notes
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Friday 1 February . 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.
The median
is sometimes more representative than the
mean
of "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
Melanie WebbTasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au