Monday, 12 January 2009 - Monthly Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0
Tasmania in September 2008: Some very cold nights, dry in the southeast
September saw average or above rainfall across the state, except in the southeast and through northern parts of Bass Strait. There were many windy days, as is typical for this time of the year. Days were sometimes warm and sometimes cool, and nights were extremely cold at the start of the month.
This summary updates the previous version, issued on 1 October 2008.
An archive of previous monthly summaries for Tasmania is also available, as are summaries for other states and many other climate summaries and diagnostics.
Jump to: Extremes Records Summaries Notes the top
Details
Dry in the southeast but wetter elsewhere: The pattern of below average rainfall in southeastern Tasmania continued in September with many locations receiving only half of their normal September total. Nugent and Orielton in the southeast had their lowest total September rainfall on record, but the driest location was Seven Mile Beach which received only 13.2 mm for the month. Northern parts of the Bass Strait Islands were also drier than usual, but the rest of the state recorded near or above average rainfall. More than 50 mm fell in many parts of the Midlands, where some locations had their wettest month for almost three years. The most significant rain fell on the 1st, 12th, 15th and 22nd as active cold fronts crossed the state, bringing in excess of 30 mm to the west and 10 to 20 mm to northern locations. Despite the wet September in some parts of the state, totals for most of Tasmania are well below average so far this year.
Many windy days: September saw many days of strong winds, as is typical for this time of the year. It was particularly windy from the 12th to the 15th and again from the 20th to the 23rd, as multiple fronts crossed the state while a high pressure system persisted over the Tasman Sea. Strong winds also lead to waves as high as 15 metres near Cape Sorell on the 16th, and combined with warm temperatures on the 25th and 26th to produce the first very high fire dangers for the season. Several buildings were damaged when gusts reached 106 km/h in Hobart early on the 26th, but this is still well short of the 128 km/h recorded in April this year. There were 7 days with gusts over 80 km/h in Hobart, compared to the September average of 3 such gusty days.
Warm in the east, cooler elsewhere: Vigorous cold fronts in September saw bursts of warm weather followed by a few cool days. The warmest days occurred ahead of cold fronts on the 11th to 14th, 19th and 25th, while the coldest days (the 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 16th) followed cold fronts and kept temperatures in the low teens. Over the whole month, maxima were generally around a degree above average in the east (an artefact of the predominately westerly winds) and half a degree below average elsewhere. The temperature exceeded 20 °C on six days at Bicheno, making it one of the warmest locations in the state.
Some very cold nights: The first part of the month saw a number of very cold nights, particularly on the 3rd and 4th when Ross, Swansea, Fingal and Bicheno fell below their coldest winter temperature for this year and Bushy Park, Fingal and Lake Leake set new records for their lowest September temperature. In contrast, windy conditions during the 24 hours to 9am on the 26th meant that the temperature at Swansea didn't fall below 15 °C, the warmest night for the month. Strong winds also kept overnight temperatures up on the 12th to 14th and on the morning of the 22nd. Across the whole month, minima were generally half a degree below average - except for a few sites in the west and southeast which were slightly above average. Many locations had their coolest September nights on average since 2003.
Further information
Ian Barnes-KeoghanMeteorologist
Tasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au
Extremes
| Hottest day Highest temperature |
23.5 °C at Campania on the 25th |
|---|---|
| Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature |
17.2 °C at Bicheno |
| Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature |
4.0 °C at Mount Read |
| Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature |
-1.4 °C at Mount Wellington on the 16th |
| Coldest night Lowest temperature |
-7.4 °C at Liawenee on the 3rd |
| Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature |
-1.6 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature |
9.2 °C at Hogan Island |
| Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature |
15.0 °C at Swansea Post Office on the 26th |
| Wettest overall Highest total rainfall |
425.1 mm at Cradle Valley (Waldheim) |
| Driest overall Lowest total rainfall |
13.2 mm at Seven Mile Beach |
| Wettest day Highest daily rainfall |
43.2 mm at Strathgordon Village on the 16th |
| Highest wind gust |
156 km/h at Mount Wellington on the 26th |
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Records
| Record lowest total September rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for September 2008 (mm) |
Previous lowest for September |
Years of record |
Average for September |
||
| Orielton (East Orielton Road) | 13.4 | 13.6 | in 1978 | 40 | 43.2 |
| Nugent (Twilight Valley) | 24.8 | 26.2 | in 1999 | 26 | 67.4 |
| Lowest total September rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for September 2008 (mm) |
Most recent lower for September |
Years since lower |
Average for September |
||
| Seven Mile Beach (Royal Hobart Golf Club | 13.2 | 10.3 | in 1978 | 29 | 41.1 |
| Bream Creek (Stroud) | 20.4 | 8.0 | in 1981 | 26 | 53.4 |
| Opossum Bay | 21.2 | 17.8 | in 1986 | 22 | 41.0 |
| Record lowest September temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest temperature in September 2008 (°C) |
Previous lowest for September |
Years of record |
Normal for September |
|||
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | -3.7 | on the 4th | -3.4 | on the 8th in 2003 | 48 | 3.9 |
| Fingal (Legge Street) | -6.2 | on the 4th | -4.8 | on the 13th in 1993 | 24 | 3.1 |
| Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) | -6.3 | on the 4th | -6.1 | on the 29th in 1994 | 20 | 1.9 |
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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 September 2008 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures for September (°C) |
Minimum temperatures for September (°C) |
Rainfall for September (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for September 2008 |
Diff from average |
Highest for September 2008 |
Mean for September 2008 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for September 2008 |
Total for September 2008 |
Average for September |
Rank of September 2008 |
Fraction of September average |
|||
| Northern (district 91) | ||||||||||||
| Bridport | 14.5 | -0.2 | 17.1 | 13th | 6.4 | -0.4 | -0.1 | 3rd | 77.1 | 76.0 | average | 101% |
| Burnie | 14.2 | -0.1 | 17.0 | 13th | 7.2 | +0.5 | 3.4 | 17th | 87.4 | 87.4 | average | 100% |
| Cape Grim BAPS | 13.5 | +0.1 | 17.1 | 13th | 8.5 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 4th | 84.4 | 74.8 | average | 113% |
| Cressy Research Station | 14.1 | -0.6 | 16.3 | 7th | 3.3 | -0.5 | -4.4 | 3rd | 71.0 | 68.7 | average | 103% |
| Devonport Airport | 14.0 | 0.0 | 16.7 | 7th | 5.6 | -0.3 | 0.1 | 3rd | 54.5 | 74.3 | average | 73% |
| Launceston | 15.0 | -0.5 | 17.5 | 19th | 4.9 | -0.2 | -1.6 | 3rd | 81.6 | 66.3 | average | 123% |
| Launceston Airport | 14.1 | 17.0 | 19th | 3.2 | -3.0 | 3rd | 74.6 | |||||
| Launceston Airport Comparison | 13.3 | -0.7 | 15.9 | 19th | 3.8 | -0.4 | -2.4 | 3rd | 86.0 | 64.1 | high | 134% |
| Low Head | 13.5 | -0.4 | 15.9 | 13th | 8.2 | -0.1 | 2.8 | 3rd | 50.0 | 63.5 | low | 79% |
| Luncheon Hill | 11.0 | -1.2 | 16.1 | 6th | 4.0 | -1.4 | -0.1 | 16th | 183.0 | 178.3 | average | 103% |
| Marrawah | 13.7 | 0.0 | 17.2 | 13th | 7.6 | +0.2 | 3.3 | 3rd | 97.2 | 104.3 | average | 93% |
| Powranna | 13.7 | -0.7 | 16.1 | 13th | 3.3 | -0.6 | -3.0 | 3rd | 119.3 | 64.0 | very high | 186% |
| Scottsdale | 13.4 | -0.8 | 16.3 | 13th | 3.7 | -1.0 | -1.9 | 3rd | 84.4 | 99.1 | average | 85% |
| Sheffield School Farm | 12.2 | -0.8 | 15.5 | 13th | 3.8 | -0.8 | -1.8 | 3rd | 121.8 | 134.9 | low | 90% |
| Smithton Aerodrome | 14.6 | -0.2 | 18.4 | 13th | 6.0 | -0.2 | -0.6 | 3rd | 91.4 | 106.6 | average | 86% |
| Wynyard Airport | 14.5 | +0.3 | 16.9 | 13th | 4.2 | -0.7 | -0.9 | 8th | 76.3 | 94.2 | average | 81% |
| East Coast (district 92) | ||||||||||||
| Bicheno | 17.2 | +1.2 | 22.6 | 19th | 6.9 | -0.4 | 1.7 | 4th | 31.0 | 43.1 | average | 72% |
| Eddystone Point | 15.7 | +0.9 | 19.5 | 19th | 7.8 | -0.2 | 3.5 | 3rd | 45.6 | 62.8 | average | 73% |
| Fingal | 15.4 | +0.1 | 20.9 | 19th | 2.0 | -1.2 | -6.2 | 4th | 51.6 | 49.1 | average | 105% |
| Friendly Beaches | 17.1 | +0.4 | 23.2 | 19th | 7.1 | -0.4 | 1.2 | 17th | 25.8 | 33.3 | average | 77% |
| Lake Leake | 11.3 | 0.0 | 14.6 | 19th | 1.1 | -0.8 | -6.3 | 4th | 103.8 | 70.3 | high | 148% |
| Maria Island | 15.6 | 20.0 | 13th | 8.1 | 4.3 | 8th | 16.6 | |||||
| Orford | 16.4 | +0.6 | 20.2 | 20th | 5.4 | -0.1 | -0.6 | 4th | 38.2 | 50.1 | average | 76% |
| Scamander | 16.7 | +0.4 | 21.7 | 19th | 6.0 | -0.7 | 1.2 | 3rd | 60.0 | 51.6 | high | 116% |
| St Helens Aerodrome | 15.8 | 20.1 | 19th | 5.9 | -0.1 | 3rd | 53.4 | |||||
| Swan Island | 14.3 | 16.4 | 19th | 8.7 | 4.5 | 3rd | 63.8 | |||||
| Swansea Post Office | 17.0 | +1.0 | 22.1 | 19th | 5.1 | -0.6 | -1.5 | 10th | 23.0 | 40.2 | average | 57% |
| Midlands (district 93) | ||||||||||||
| Ross | 14.3 | -0.1 | 17.0 | 19th | 3.3 | -0.3 | -4.8 | 4th | 72.4 | 52.6 | average | 138% |
| Southeast (district 94) | ||||||||||||
| Bull Bay | 15.6 | +0.8 | 22.0 | 25th | 6.5 | -0.3 | 2.5 | 29th | 21.0 | 51.5 | very low | 41% |
| Campania | 16.6 | 23.5 | 25th | 5.1 | -1.2 | 3rd | 19.2 | |||||
| Cape Bruny | 14.6 | +0.2 | 20.0 | 25th | 7.1 | -0.5 | 3.4 | 4th | 63.0 | 64.0 | average | 98% |
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 14.0 | +0.7 | 19.6 | 25th | 6.8 | -0.2 | 3.0 | 29th | 85.0 | 80.6 | average | 105% |
| Dover | 14.8 | +0.2 | 21.3 | 25th | 4.8 | -0.1 | -0.6 | 4th | 72.4 | 82.5 | average | 88% |
| Geeveston | 14.9 | +0.2 | 21.4 | 25th | 4.5 | +0.2 | -1.6 | 4th | 111.8 | 90.5 | high | 124% |
| Grove | 15.3 | +0.5 | 22.0 | 25th | 4.8 | +0.8 | -2.6 | 4th | 62.6 | 73.1 | average | 86% |
| Grove | 15.1 | 21.7 | 25th | 4.1 | -3.2 | 4th | 67.8 | |||||
| Hobart | 16.5 | +1.5 | 22.6 | 25th | 7.1 | +0.7 | 2.2 | 4th | 26.8 | 52.5 | low | 51% |
| Hobart Airport | 16.6 | +1.3 | 22.8 | 25th | 6.5 | +0.5 | 0.9 | 4th | 15.0 | 40.7 | very low | 37% |
| Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse | 12.0 | -0.2 | 19.1 | 13th | 6.7 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 23rd | 119.6 | 109.5 | average | 109% |
| Melton Mowbray | 14.6 | -0.1 | 20.9 | 25th | 4.0 | -0.3 | -3.2 | 4th | 35.4 | 50.6 | low | 70% |
| Mount Wellington | 4.7 | +0.4 | 11.3 | 25th | -1.6 | -0.3 | -5.1 | 29th | ||||
| Tasman Island | 13.2 | 19.1 | 13th | 6.6 | 2.3 | 29th | 45.0 | |||||
| Tunnack Fire Station | 12.1 | -0.4 | 16.8 | 13th | 2.5 | -0.7 | -3.2 | 3rd | 30.8 | 53.5 | low | 58% |
| Derwent Valley (district 95) | ||||||||||||
| Bushy Park | 15.9 | +0.5 | 22.7 | 25th | 2.7 | -1.2 | -3.7 | 4th | 45.8 | 53.7 | average | 85% |
| Maydena Post Office | 13.2 | -0.5 | 19.8 | 25th | 3.3 | -0.1 | -2.7 | 5th | 177.9 | 139.1 | average | 128% |
| Ouse Fire Station | 15.2 | -0.6 | 20.7 | 25th | 3.6 | -0.1 | -3.2 | 4th | 88.4 | 74.5 | average | 119% |
| Tarraleah Village | 10.7 | -0.5 | 15.6 | 25th | 2.5 | +0.7 | -2.7 | 3rd | 210.6 | 119.5 | very high | 176% |
| Central Plateau (district 96) | ||||||||||||
| Butlers Gorge | 9.5 | -0.6 | 14.7 | 25th | 1.0 | +0.1 | -5.2 | 4th | 295.0 | 165.2 | very high | 179% |
| Lake St Clair National Park | 9.2 | -0.8 | 14.3 | 25th | 1.1 | +0.3 | -5.5 | 4th | 310.0 | 211.9 | high | 146% |
| Liawenee | 7.5 | 11.7 | 25th | -1.0 | -7.4 | 3rd | 168.4 | |||||
| West Coast (district 97) | ||||||||||||
| Hartz Mountain | 8.0 | -0.7 | 15.4 | 11th | 1.2 | -0.6 | -1.8 | 29th | 102.2 | 96.0 | average | 106% |
| Mount Read | 4.0 | -1.5 | 9.1 | 25th | -0.4 | -0.7 | -3.7 | 9th | ||||
| Scotts Peak Dam | 11.7 | -0.5 | 18.2 | 11th | 4.0 | -0.3 | 0.6 | 3rd | 245.2 | |||
| Strahan Aerodrome | 14.3 | 0.0 | 18.3 | 13th | 6.6 | +0.4 | 0.0 | 4th | 165.6 | 153.2 | average | 108% |
| Strathgordon Village | 11.6 | +0.1 | 16.5 | 13th | 4.0 | -0.4 | -0.5 | 5th | 370.6 | 277.1 | high | 134% |
| Warra | 10.9 | 16.9 | 25th | 3.1 | -1.2 | 4th | 285.8 | |||||
| King Island (district 98) | ||||||||||||
| King Island Airport | 14.8 | +0.2 | 20.1 | 13th | 8.3 | +0.2 | 3.7 | 3rd | 77.0 | 87.5 | average | 88% |
| Flinders Island (district 99) | ||||||||||||
| Flinders Island Airport | 16.5 | +1.4 | 23.1 | 19th | 7.4 | -0.1 | -0.5 | 4th | 43.0 | 63.4 | low | 68% |
| Hogan Island | 15.0 | 20.9 | 13th | 9.2 | 6.1 | 17th | 32.2 | |||||
| Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300) | ||||||||||||
| Macquarie Island | 5.5 | +0.2 | 7.0 | 13th | 2.3 | +0.8 | -0.6 | 25th | 91.6 | 73.7 | high | 124% |
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Notes
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Monday 12 January 2009. 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 long-term average ("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
Ian Barnes-KeoghanMeteorologist
Tasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au