Monday, 2 April 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC27R0

Tasmania in March 2012: Some heavy rain and a cold snap

A cold snap around the 23rd brought some record low temperatures and highland snow, but temperatures during March were near average overall. Most of the state was wetter than usual after several low pressure systems moved near Tasmania bringing moderate to heavy falls. Only a section of the east had below average rainfall.

• Coldest March day on record at several sites on the 23rd
• 0 °C at Mount Read, Tasmania's 2nd coldest March day on record
• Wettest March day on record at Irishtown, Waratah and Gowrie Park
• Record warm overnight temperatures on the 21st

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Cold snap with snowfalls and strong winds

Tasmania was affected by an extremely cold airmass on the 23rd and 24th after an active cold front crossed the state overnight on the 22nd. Showers fell across the state with some hail and snowfalls to around 700 metres. Only a few areas in the east reached over 15 °C on the 23rd and quite a few sites had their coldest March day on record, some by several degrees. Mount Read's maximum of  0 °C was the second coldest March day on record for Tasmania; the coldest is -0.5 °C at Mount Wellington, set last year. 

The cold persisted overnight with minimums on the 24th up to 10 °C cooler than usual and frost in some areas. Scottsdale fell to -0.8 °C, and was one of a few sites that had their coldest March night on record. Temperatures gradually warmed over the next few days.

Strong winds were another feature of the 23rd, with gusts reaching 146 km/h on Hogan Island and 143 km/h at Cape Grim. Only a couple of stronger wind gusts have been recorded in Tasmania during March. Swells were also high, reaching 6 metres at Maatsuyker Island.

Warm nights but cool days

Despite a warm period between the 13th and 21st, average maximum temperatures for March were on the cool side of average across most of the state. There was an absence of very hot days: Strahan (30.3 °C) and Launceston (30.0 °C) were the only two sites to reach 30 °C, both on the 14th. Overnight temperatures, however, were warmer than usual for most of the month with the only cool period occurring between the 22nd and 28th. The 15th, 16th, 20th and 21st were the warmest nights, with winds, cloud and rain preventing much cooling. Flinders Island Airport had the warmest night, not falling below 19.7 °C in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 15th, while Launceston (19.0 °C), Dover (17.8 °C) and Maydena (16.4 °C) all had their warmest March night on record on the 21st. 

For the whole month, maximum temperatures were generally around half a degree cooler than usual while minimum temperatures were half a degree warmer than usual in most areas.

Wet, except in the east

Three major rain events affected Tasmania this month: a low pressure system and cold front on the 3rd and 4th brought falls of 30 to 60 mm to much of the north and west with lighter falls across the rest of the state; a further 30 to 60 mm fell in the northwest with a similar pattern on the 15-16th; and cold fronts between the 21st and 23rd (that included the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Lua) delivered 60 to 90 mm to much of the west. On the 16th Waratah (68.2 mm), Gowrie Park (53.2 mm) and Irishtown (50.6 mm) had their wettest March day on record. Mount Read had the wettest day recording 83.6 mm on the 5th, but Sheffield was also very wet on the 4th with a daily total of 77.6 mm.

The rainfall from these three events ensured that it was a wetter than usual March in all but the east. Fingal missed out on much of the rain and was the state's driest site with just 20 mm for the whole month. In contrast, Mount Read was the wettest site with 375 mm (though this total is likely to be higher, due to snow being blown away on some days). Cape Grim had its wettest March on record with a total of 116 mm and a few other sites in the northwest had their wettest March for at least 20 years.

Warmer and drier than usual in Hobart

A cold snap on the 23rd and 24th that brought snow to Mount Wellington was a highlight of Hobart's weather during March 2012. The temperature remained below 10 °C for most of the afternoon on the 23rd, and dropped to 6 °C at 2 pm. Maximums of just 12.4 °C on the 23rd and 14.1 °C on the 24th made it Hobart's coldest consecutive March days since 1994. The cold snap followed a warm period between the 13th and 21st, peaking on the 19th and 20th when the temperature reached 27.6 °C and 27.0 °C respectively. The average maximum temperature of 20.7 °C was around half a degree warmer than usual.

Overnight, temperatures were warm for most of the month and averaged at 12.0 °C, over a degree above normal. There were only six nights below 10 °C, all in a row from the 23rd to the 28th. The lowest temperature was 5.5 °C on the 24th, while the warmest night was 18.3 °C on the 21st.

Rainfall was below average with a total of 30.8 mm, about 70% of normal. Most of the rain fell with cold fronts between the 3rd and 6th, and again from the 21st to 23rd. Thunderstorms were reported in the area during the afternoon of the 4th.

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Extremes in March 2012
Hottest day	30.3 °C at Strahan Aerodrome on the 14th
Warmest days on average	22.1 °C at Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)
Coolest days on average	10.4 °C at Mount Wellington
Coldest day	0.0 °C at Mount Read on the 23rd
Coldest night	-3.0 °C at Mount Wellington on the 24th
Coolest nights on average	3.3 °C at Mount Wellington
Warmest nights on average	14.3 °C at Swan Island
Warmest night	19.7 °C at Flinders Island Airport on the 15th
Warmest on average overall	17.5 °C at Eddystone Point
Coolest on average overall	6.9 °C at Mount Wellington
Wettest overall	374.6 mm* at Mount Read
Driest overall	20.0 mm at Fingal (Legge Street)
Wettest day	83.6 mm at Mount Read on the 5th
Highest wind gust	146 km/h at Hogan Island on the 23rd

* It is likely some snow was blown away at Mount Read, hence the monthly rainfall should be higher. 

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

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

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Record highest March daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in March 2012 (mm)		Previous wettest for March		Years of record
Irishtown	50.6	on the 16th	48.0	on the 29th in 1962	99
Waratah (Mount Road)	68.2	on the 16th	57.9	on the 27th in 1908	95
Gowrie Park	53.2	on the 16th	46.2	on the 29th in 1968	37

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Record highest total March rainfall
	Total rainfall for March 2012 (mm)	Previous wettest for March		Years of record	Average for March
Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison)	116.4	96.2	in 2010	25	46.0

Highest total March rainfall for at least 20 years
	Total rainfall for March 2012 (mm)	Most recent March at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for March
Burnie (Round Hill)	148.4	158.9	in 1975	37	51.3
Wynyard Airport	131.2	168.0	in 1956*	31	47.4
Irishtown	121.6	143.4	in 1977*	30	64.4
Yolla (Sea View)	166.4	170.4	in 1984*	26	74.1

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

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Record lowest March daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in March 2012 (°C)		Previous coolest for March		Years of record	Average for March
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse	8.6	on the 23rd	10.0	on the 11th in 1970	56	16.3
Burnie (Round Hill)	13.4	on the 23rd	= 13.4	on the 30th in 1987	48	20.0
Butlers Gorge	3.2	on the 23rd	4.4	on the 28th in 1958	38	16.5
Strathgordon Village	6.5	on the 23rd	= 6.5	on the 31st in 1975	31	17.3
Tarraleah Village	3.9	on the 23rd	7.5	on the 31st in 1998	28	17.5
Geeveston (Cemetery Road)	10.4	on the 23rd	11.3	on the 3rd in 2011	25	20.1
Dover	10.2	on the 23rd	11.7	on the 30th in 1995	23	19.1
Lake Leake (Elizabeth River)	7.9	on the 23rd	8.1	on the 12th in 1994	23	17.4
Devonport Airport	13.6	on the 23rd	14.0	on the 15th in 1998	21	20.3
Lake St Clair National Park	2.7	on the 23rd	6.0	on the 31st in 1995	21	16.6
Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison)	12.2	on the 23rd	13.0	on the 5th in 2005	20	18.4
Maydena Post Office	7.5	on the 23rd	9.2	on the 31st in 1995	20	19.4

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Record highest March daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in March 2012 (°C)		Previous warmest for March		Years of record	Average for March
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)	19.0	on the 21st	18.5	on the 4th in 1992	29	10.1
Dover	17.8	on the 21st	17.2	on the 26th in 2010	23	9.0
Maydena Post Office	16.4	on the 21st	16.0	on the 2nd in 2007	20	7.0

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Record lowest March temperature
	Lowest temperature in March 2012 (°C)		Previous coolest for March		Years of record	Average for March
Cape Bruny Lighthouse	2.9	on the 24th	3.3	on the 5th in 1967	56	11.1
Eddystone Point	3.4	on the 24th	3.8	on the 31st in 1995	55	13.3
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road)	-0.8	on the 24th	-0.6	on the 28th in 1978	41	9.9

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for March 2012
	Maximum temperatures for March (°C)				Minimum temperatures for March (°C)				Rainfall for March (millimetres)
	Mean for March 2012	Diff from average	Highest for March 2012		Mean for March 2012	Diff from average	Lowest for March 2012		Total for March 2012	Average for March	Rank of March 2012	Fraction of March average
Northern (district 91)
Bridport (Sea View Villas)	20.6	-0.3	27.2	14th	11.5	-0.1	2.5	24th	53.0	44.9	average	118%
Burnie (Round Hill)	20.7	+0.7	25.2	14th	11.9	-0.1	5.0	24th	148.4	51.3	v high	289%
Cape Grim	18.4		22.6	20th	12.9		6.6	23rd	117.2
Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison)	18.8	+0.4	22.7	20th	12.8	0.0	6.9	23rd	116.4	46.0	highest	253%
Cressy Research Station	21.6	-1.1	29.0	14th	8.3	+0.2	-1.8	24th
Devonport Airport	20.5	+0.2	25.9	14th	10.6	-0.2	2.5	24th	57.0	46.9	high	122%
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)	22.1	-0.4	30.0	14th	10.2	+0.1	1.8	24th	38.6	36.7	average	105%
Launceston Airport	21.8		29.8	14th	8.8		-0.1	24th	35.2
Low Head	20.2	+0.3	25.4	14th	12.8	-0.4	7.0	25th	62.2	43.5	high	143%
Luncheon Hill (Forestry)	18.3	-0.4	26.0	14th	9.8	+0.2	3.5	23rd	134.6	85.1	high	158%
Marrawah	19.1	-0.2	24.5	14th	11.9	+0.3	5.5	23rd	116.0	66.6	high	174%
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road)	20.3	-1.0	28.0	14th	10.0	+0.1	-0.8	24th	72.8	54.7	high	133%
Sheffield School Farm	19.4	-0.4	25.7	14th	8.4	-0.8	2.2	24th	136.8	61.3	high	223%
Smithton Aerodrome	20.0	-0.2	24.4	14th	9.9	+0.5	4.1	22nd	110.0	49.6	v high	222%
Wynyard Airport	20.2	+0.1	24.5	14th	9.9	+0.4	3.2	24th	131.2	47.4	v high	277%
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno (Council Depot)	20.4	-0.1	26.8	4th	12.7	+0.7	6.0	25th	36.7	57.3	average	64%
Eddystone Point	21.4	+1.0	25.9	31st	13.6	+0.3	3.4	24th	47.4	58.0	average	82%
Fingal (Legge Street)	21.2	-0.3	29.3	14th	8.0	+0.1	-1.8	25th	20.0	45.0	average	44%
Friendly Beaches	21.0	-0.5	28.4	31st	12.0	+0.1	6.2	24th	58.0	58.7	average	99%
Lake Leake (Elizabeth River)	16.7	-0.7	22.9	14th	6.3	+0.3	-0.2	26th	49.0	62.4	average	79%
Maria Island (Point Lesueur)	20.0		24.9	31st	13.1		6.3	24th	28.2
Orford (Aubin Court)	20.4	-0.1	26.5	31st	10.8	+0.2	5.2	25th	34.8	46.2	average	75%
Scamander	20.1	-0.6	25.7	31st	11.6	-0.2	4.2	24th	64.6	66.6	average	97%
St Helens Aerodrome	20.3	-0.6	25.4	14th	11.4	-0.1	3.1	24th	79.4	64.1	average	124%
Swan Island	20.1	-0.2	24.7	20th	14.3	+0.1	6.8	24th	37.2	58.8	average	63%
Swansea (Francis Street)	21.0		28.4	31st	10.5		2.8	25th	32.4
Midlands (district 93)
Ross (The Boulevards)	21.2	-0.5	29.5	14th	8.2	+0.3	0.0	24th	28.6	34.0	average	84%
Southeast (district 94)
Bull Bay (Lauriston)	19.5	-0.3	25.5	31st	11.4	0.0	4.3	24th	41.8	44.3	average	94%
Campania (Kincora)	21.8	-0.3	27.6	20th	9.7	-0.2	4.0	25th	28.6	35.8	average	80%
Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny)	18.8	+0.4	25.2	20th	11.9	+0.4	3.6	24th	61.2	55.8	average	110%
Cape Bruny Lighthouse	18.2	+0.6	24.2	20th	11.9	+0.8	2.9	24th	72.4	68.6	average	106%
Dover	19.0	-0.1	25.6	20th	9.5	+0.5	3.9	24th	62.6	64.0	average	98%
Geeveston (Cemetery Road)	19.7	-0.4	26.8	19th	9.4	+1.0	3.6	24th	61.2	54.5	average	112%
Grove (Research Station)	20.6		27.2	19th	8.1		1.8	24th	45.2
Hobart (Ellerslie Road)	20.7	+0.6	27.6	19th	12.0	+1.1	5.5	24th	30.8	45.0	average	68%
Hobart Airport	21.1	+0.4	28.1	20th	11.2	+0.4	4.3	25th	21.0	36.3	average	58%
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse	16.5	+0.2	23.2	20th	11.6	+1.0	5.3	24th	103.4	85.2	high	121%
Melton Mowbray (North Stockman)	20.2	-0.7	27.2	14th	8.7	+0.5	2.9	24th	28.8	32.9	average	88%
Mount Wellington	10.4	-0.9	17.4	19th	3.3	-0.7	-3.0	24th
Tasman Island	16.8	0.0	21.7	4th	11.5	+0.4	4.6	24th	65.4	70.3	high	93%
Tunnack Fire Station	18.2	-0.8	26.1	14th	7.5	0.0	0.6	24th	34.6	54.4	average	64%
Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates)	21.6	-0.2	28.3	19th	9.1	+0.7	2.6	24th	43.8	39.2	average	112%
Maydena Post Office	18.9	-0.5	27.6	14th	8.1	+1.1	2.0	24th	112.4	71.0	high	158%
Ouse Fire Station	21.5	-0.7	29.4	14th	8.8	+1.0	3.5	28th	38.8	29.9	high	130%
Tarraleah Village	16.4	-1.1	25.2	14th	7.1	+1.4	0.2	24th	115.1	71.3	high	161%
Central Plateau (district 96)
Butlers Gorge	15.7	-0.8	25.2	14th	5.9	+0.8	0.3	24th	139.6	100.6	high	139%
Lake St Clair National Park	15.8	-0.8	25.2	14th	5.4	+1.2	-0.2	24th	146.4	108.9	high	134%
Liawenee	14.4	-1.6	22.1	14th	4.0	+0.4	-2.9	26th	84.8	59.7	high	142%
West Coast (district 97)
Cape Sorell	19.1	+1.6	27.8	14th	12.4	+0.9	6.6	23rd	82.8	83.6	average	99%
Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple)	13.5	-0.9	21.2	14th	6.1	0.0	-0.4	24th
Mount Read	11.0	-0.8	21.6	14th	4.8	0.0	-1.8	24th	374.6*	263.6	v high	142%
Scotts Peak Dam	17.7	-0.5	26.1	19th	8.5	+0.3	2.0	24th	145.0	119.2	average	122%
Strahan Aerodrome	19.6	+0.2	30.3	14th	10.2	+0.5	4.3	7th	114.2	102.9	average	111%
Strathgordon Village	16.5	-0.8	23.2	19th	8.8	+0.3	2.4	24th	191.9	148.3	high	129%
Warra	15.7		22.9	19th	7.3		0.9	24th	122.8
King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport	20.3	+0.4	28.4	14th	12.6	+0.6	7.4	24th	51.2	51.0	average	100%
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport	20.7	-0.6	29.3	14th	13.0	+0.5	6.5	28th	37.0	50.5	average	73%
Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300)
Macquarie Island	8.4	+0.4	10.1	16th	5.0	+0.3	2.6	25th	89.8	99.4	average	90%

* It is likely some snow was blown away at Mount Read, hence the monthly rainfall should be higher. 

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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