Thursday, 1 August 2013 - Monthly Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0

Tasmania in July 2013: Warm, wet and windy

Averaged across Tasmania, maximum temperatures were highest on record for July, with minimum temperatures also warmer than average. Several sites broke high and low temperature records. There were a few heavy rainfall events in July, which helped raise overall monthly totals to above average in most areas.

• Tasmania's warmest July days on record
• Hobart's warmest July on record
• A record high 18.4 °C at Launceston
• A record low -12.2 °C at Liawenee
• A record 100 mm at Mount Wellington
• Above average rainfall in most areas

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Wet and windy start to July

The first 5 days of July were wet and windy as a series of cold fronts crossed Tasmania. On the 1st, the passage of a cold front produced wind gusts of 133 km/h at Maatsuyker Island, 131 km/h gusts at Mount Wellington and 98 km/h gusts in Hobart. There were reports of roof damage, with trees brought down across roads and power outages affecting thousands of premises in the Hobart area.

A cold front overnight on the 4th produced daily falls of up to 50 mm in the north and west, with a few sites recording their highest July daily rainfall on record. Showers fell as snow across the Central Highlands, on Mount Wellington and Ben Lomond, with thunderstorms and hail also observed in the west, north and south. Winds strengthened as another cold front crossed during the day on the 5th, with gusts of 161 km/h recorded at Maatsuyker Island, 137 km/h at Cape Grim, 117 km/h at Flinders Island and 98 km/h in Devonport.

A few heavy rainfall events

There were a few heavy rainfall events in July, which helped raise monthly totals to above average in most areas. Tea Tree (The Point) in the southeast had its wettest July on record, with several other sites observing their wettest July in at least 20 years.

On the 14th, a low pressure system and trough generated heavy rain across northwest Tasmania with daily rainfall totals approaching 90 mm at some sites. 84.8 mm was recorded at Yolla, and 79.8 mm at Mole Creek over the 24 hours to 9am on the 15th. The heavy rain followed falls of up to around 40 mm on the 13th, resulting in the minor flooding of roads, and a landslide which closed the Old Bass Highway between Ulverstone and Penguin.

An approaching low pressure system and trough brought rain to the north and west overnight on the 18th, with heavy falls about elevated areas. Liawenee in the Central Plateau recorded 70.6 mm over the 24 hours to 9am on the 19th, its wettest July day on record. Other areas in the north observed falls of up to 40 mm.

A low pressure system to the east of Tasmania brought gusty winds and persistent rain to the southeast on the 21st and morning of the 22nd. 24 hour rainfall totals generally ranged from 30 to 60 mm across the southeast, with a handful of sites breaking July daily rainfall records. Mount Wellington recorded the highest total, with 100.4 mm over the 24 hours to 9am on the 22nd, its wettest July day on record.

The wettest overall was Lake Margaret Power Station with 339.2 mm for July, whilst the driest overall was Ross (Macquarie River) with 39.0 mm

Record warmth and record cold

The first few days of July were unusually warm, with a handful of sites recording their highest July minimum temperature on record on the 1st or 2nd. In Devonport, the temperature remained above 10 °C every night between the 1st and 4th, which has never before happened in July. A few sites, including Ross and Bicheno also observed their warmest July day on record on the 1st.

Following the initial warmth, day-time temperatures dropped to below average from the 5th and minimum temperatures from the 7th. The morning of the 9th was particularly cold, Liawenee's temperature dropping to -12.2 °C, its lowest temperature ever recorded and Tasmania's second-coldest July temperature on record. Note that this record is not listed in the records table below as Liawenee only has 13 years of temperature records. The following morning the temperature dropped to -6.6 °C at Ross, its lowest July temperature on record.

Temperatures rose again from mid-month, with several sites recording their highest July temperature on record on the 18th and 19th, including Launceston with 18.4 °C. Bushy Park's maximum of 19.8 °C on the 19th was the warmest day of the month, and just under the site's July record of 20.0 °C set on 2 July 1985. It was also warm that morning, with some sites observing their highest July minimum temperature on record, including Burnie and Strahan.

Warmest July days on record overall

Overall, July temperatures were warmer than average, by 1 to 2 degrees for minimum temperatures and by up to 2 degrees for maximum temperatures. Averaged across Tasmania as a whole, mean July maximum temperatures were 1.3 °C above average, the highest on record. Temperature records were broken at several sites for highest July mean temperature on record (average of the maximum and minimum temperature), highest July mean maximum temperature on record, and highest July mean minimum temperature on record. Launceston and Wynyard had their highest July mean temperature on record in at least 20 years.

Hobart's warmest July on record

Hobart's July mean temperature (average of the maximum and minimum temperature) was 10.0  °C, its highest July mean temperature on record. This was due to more warmer than average days and nights than cold: the temperature only dropped below 5 °C on 11 mornings compared to the July average of 18, and rose above 15 °C on 11 days, compared to the July average of only 3.

The mean minimum temperature of 6.2 °C is 1.6 °C above average and the warmest since 2005. Day-time temperatures were also warmer than usual, the mean maximum temperature of 13.7 °C being 2.0 °C above average, and just 0.2 °C shy of the July record. The warmest day was on the 19th when Hobart reached 18.3 °C, its warmest July day in 20 years (since 18.8 °C on 3 July 1993).

Hobart's wettest day was on the 21st when 43 mm was recorded over the 24 hours to 9am on the 22nd. This was Hobart's wettest day since 78.8 mm was recorded on 13 April 2011, and 83% of Hobart's average July rainfall. This rainfall event, in addition to 25 mm on the 6th, helped raise Hobart's overall July total to 101.4 mm, its wettest July in 21 years.

2013 so far

The first 7 months of 2013 have been warmer than usual in Tasmania, by up to around 1 °C above average for both maximum and minimum temperatures. Rainfall totals have generally been close to average, but below average in the Derwent Valley and Central Plateau districts.

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Extremes in July 2013
Hottest day	19.8 °C at Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) on the 19th
Warmest days on average	15.3 °C at Bicheno (Council Depot)
Coolest days on average	3.8 °C at Mount Wellington
Coldest day	-3.0 °C at Mount Wellington on the 6th
Coldest night	-12.2 °C at Liawenee on the 9th
Coolest nights on average	-0.8 °C at Liawenee
Warmest nights on average	9.3 °C at Cape Grim, Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison), Swan Island
Warmest night	14.4 °C at Flinders Island Airport on the 19th
Warmest on average overall	11.6 °C at Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) and Swan Island
Coolest on average overall	1.8 °C at Mount Wellington
Wettest overall	339.2 mm at Lake Margaret Power Station
Driest overall	39.0 mm at Ross (Macquarie River)
Wettest day	100.4 mm at Mount Wellington on the 22nd
Highest wind gust	161 km/h at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse on the 5th

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 July daily rainfall
	Highest daily rainfall in July 2013 (mm)		Previous wettest for July		Years of record
City of Melbourne Bay	48.0	on the 5th	43.0	on the 21st in 2000	78
Mount Wellington	100.4	on the 22nd	78.0	on the 3rd in 1990	33
Three Hummock Island	55.8	on the 5th	35.1	on the 15th in 1942	22
Nierinna (Cuthberts Road)	49.2	on the 22nd	35.4	on the 27th in 2000	21
Low Rocky Point	60.4	on the 4th	54.0	on the 25th in 2003	20
Yarlington (Blacks Pinnacle)	52.4	on the 22nd	29.4	on the 2nd in 2005	20

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Record highest total July rainfall
	Total rainfall for July 2013 (mm)	Previous wettest for July		Years of record	Average for July
Tea Tree (The Point)	103.0	97.8	in 1990	28	43.1
Richmond (Strathayr)	101.6	95.4	in 1990	23	40.1
Nierinna (Cuthberts Road)	150.8	122.6	in 2011	20	76.5
Yarlington (Blacks Pinnacle)	135.0	75.2	in 1996	20	51.1

Highest total July rainfall for at least 20 years
	Total rainfall for July 2013 (mm)	Most recent July at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for July
City of Melbourne Bay	226.6	265.2	in 1974	39	138.6
King Island Airport	186.6	214.8	in 1975	38	114.0
Yolla (Sea View)	291.6	382.4	in 1975	38	192.3
Colebrook (The Meadows)	108.8	112.3	in 1975*	34	50.7
Huonville (Tutton Avenue)	163.4	226.0	in 1974*	31	74.9
Bull Bay (Lauriston)	98.0	124.6	in 1990	23	54.5
Dover	165.6	204.0	in 1990	23	86.1
Hobart Airport	75.6	98.0	in 1990	23	43.0
Opossum Bay	82.6	105.8	in 1990	23	45.6
Orford (Aubin Court)	86.6	103.0	in 1990	23	57.0
Woodbridge	134.0	142.3	in 1966*	23	81.5
Fort Direction	82.4	86.8	in 1990*	21	44.7
Hobart (Ellerslie Road)	99.2	103.6	in 1992	21	52.1
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road)	170.4	172.4	in 1992	21	117.5
Taroona (Taroona Crescent)	81.6	91.6	in 1992*	20	53.3

* 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 highest July temperature
	Highest temperature in July 2013 (°C)		Previous warmest for July		Years of record	Average for July
Bicheno (Council Depot)	19.4	on the 1st	19.0	on the 4th in 1994	39	14.0
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)	18.4	on the 18th	17.6	on the 30th in 1996	31	12.6
Geeveston (Cemetery Road)	18.9	on the 19th	18.1	on the 23rd in 2000	27	12.1
Dover	18.5	on the 19th	= 18.5	on the 23rd in 2000	24	12.3
Maydena Post Office	17.9	on the 19th	17.4	on the 27th in 2002	21	10.6
Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison)	16.6	on the 15th	16.0	on the 6th in 2005	20	12.5
Ross (The Boulevards)	17.6	on the 1st	16.0	on the 13th in 2002	20	11.2

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Record highest July mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for July 2013 (°C)	Previous warmest for July		Years of record	Average for July
Cape Sorell	13.5	13.2	in 1922	73	11.7
Flinders Island Airport	14.6	14.4	in 1988	51	13.3
Marrawah	13.5	= 13.5	in 2001	42	12.3
Mount Wellington	3.8	= 3.8	in 2010	32	2.3
Devonport Airport	13.6	= 13.6	in 2005	21	12.7

Highest July mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for July 2013 (°C)	Most recent July at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for July
Orford (Aubin Court)	14.2	14.4	in 1979	34	13.0
Fingal (Legge Street)	13.4	13.6	in 1993	20	12.2
Lake Leake (Elizabeth River)	9.6	9.7	in 1993	20	8.5

* 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 highest July daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in July 2013 (°C)		Previous warmest for July		Years of record	Average for July
Flinders Island Airport	14.4	on the 19th	14.2	on the 3rd in 1985	52	6.2
Burnie (Round Hill)	12.7	on the 19th	= 12.7	on the 6th in 2005	49	5.9
Geeveston (Cemetery Road)	11.6	on the 1st	11.2	on the 19th in 2002	27	2.2
Dover	12.4	on the 1st	12.3	on the 19th in 2002	24	3.5
Strahan Aerodrome	13.2	on the 19th	11.6	on the 29th in 2011	22	5.1
Maydena Post Office	9.2	on the 29th	9.1	on the 5th in 1999	21	2.2
Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison)	12.7	on the 2nd	= 12.7	on the 20th in 2009	20	8.2
Ross (The Boulevards)	10.1	on the 1st	= 10.1	on the 20th in 2009	20	1.4

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Record lowest July temperature
	Lowest temperature in July 2013 (°C)		Previous coolest for July		Years of record	Average for July
Ross (The Boulevards)	-6.6	on the 10th	-6.5	on the 27th in 2011	20	1.4

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Record highest July mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for July 2013 (°C)	Previous warmest for July		Years of record	Average for July
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse	8.1	= 8.1	in 2010	77	6.6
Cape Sorell	9.2	8.8	in 1928	73	7.1
Hobart Airport	5.6	5.3	in 1988	55	4.1
Marrawah	8.2	8.1	in 2005	42	6.7
Bicheno (Council Depot)	7.6	7.3	in 2007	38	6.1
Mount Wellington	-0.3	= -0.3	in 2001	32	-1.6
Strahan Aerodrome	7.3	7.0	in 2002	21	5.1
Maydena Post Office	3.5	= 3.5	in 2005	20	2.2

Highest July mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for July 2013 (°C)	Most recent July at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for July
Lake Leake (Elizabeth River)	1.6	1.8	in 1993	20	0.1
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)	4.0	4.5	in 1993	20	2.2

* 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 highest July mean temperature
	Mean daily temperature for July 2013 (°C)	Previous warmest for July		Years of record	Average for July
Hobart (Ellerslie Road)	10.0	9.9	in 1988	131	8.1
Cape Bruny Lighthouse	10.3	= 10.3	in 1988	89	8.7
Cape Sorell	11.3	10.8	in 1928	73	9.4
Hobart Airport	9.8	= 9.8	in 2002	55	8.3
Marrawah	10.9	10.7	in 2005	42	9.5
Bicheno (Council Depot)	11.4	11.2	in 2001	38	10.1
Mount Wellington	1.8	1.7	in 2010	32	0.4
Fingal (Legge Street)	7.5	7.4	in 1993	27	6.3
Geeveston (Cemetery Road)	8.8	= 8.8	in 2005	26	7.1
Strahan Aerodrome	10.3	10.0	in 2002	21	8.6

Highest July mean temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily temperature for July 2013 (°C)	Most recent July at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for July
Lake Leake (Elizabeth River)	5.6	5.8	in 1993	20	4.3
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)	8.6	9.0	in 1993	20	7.4
Wynyard Airport	9.1	9.2	in 1993	20	8.0

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for July 2013
	Maximum temperatures for July (°C)				Minimum temperatures for July (°C)				Rainfall for July (millimetres)
	Mean for July 2013	Diff from average	Highest for July 2013		Mean for July 2013	Diff from average	Lowest for July 2013		Total for July 2013	Average for July	Rank of July 2013	Fraction of July average
Northern (district 91)
Bridport (Sea View Villas)	13.9	+0.7	17.7	18th	6.4	+1.0	0.0	7th	108.5	74.3	high	146%
Burnie (Round Hill)	13.9	+1.2	15.9	18th	7.4	+1.5	2.2	7th	153.8	123.3	high	125%
Burnie NTC AWS	13.0		15.8	1st	8.0		3.3	7th
Cape Grim	13.5		16.3	18th	9.3		4.2	9th	157.6
Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison)	13.8	+1.3	16.6	15th	9.3	+1.1	4.6	9th	148.8	104.0	high	143%
Cressy Research Station	12.5	+0.7	16.7	1st	2.4	+0.9	-5.3	9th	100.4	59.4	high	169%
Devonport Airport	13.6	+0.9	16.2	24th	5.5	+0.9	-0.6	7th	129.0	95.2	high	136%
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)	13.4	+0.8	18.4	18th	4.0	+1.8	-3.1	9th	115.6	75.7	high	153%
Launceston Airport	12.4		16.8	18th	3.4		-4.3	9th	96.2
Low Head	13.5	+0.8	15.9	18th	7.5	+0.7	2.2	7th	127.2	71.3	high	178%
Luncheon Hill (Forestry)	11.1	+0.5	14.3	12th	6.2	+1.3	0.8	7th	304.6	189.8	v high	160%
Marrawah	13.5	+1.2	16.8	15th	8.2	+1.5	3.0	9th	207.6	138.5	high	150%
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road)	12.5	+0.5	17.1	18th	5.2	+1.5	-1.5	7th	170.4	117.5	high	145%
Sheffield School Farm	11.5	+0.7	14.5	23rd	3.8	+0.5	-2.0	7th	203.0	120.7	high	168%
Smithton Aerodrome	14.0	+0.9	16.9	15th	5.5	+0.9	-2.2	9th	155.8	110.8	high	141%
Wynyard Airport	13.6	+0.9	16.1	15th	4.5	+1.1	-2.4	9th	170.2	130.6	high	130%
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno (Council Depot)	15.3	+1.3	19.4	1st	7.6	+1.5	1.6	10th	42.2	52.0	average	81%
Fingal (Legge Street)	13.4	+1.2	18.3	1st	1.6	+1.1	-5.9	9th	51.8	55.3	average	94%
Friendly Beaches	14.7	+1.0	18.6	19th	7.3	+1.7	1.1	10th	66.2	44.1	average	150%
Lake Leake (Elizabeth River)	9.6	+1.1	13.9	18th	1.6	+1.5	-6.7	10th	99.3	77.2	high	129%
Larapuna (Eddystone Point)	14.6	+1.5	16.8	18th	8.3	+1.2	2.5	7th	66.4	75.1	average	88%
Maria Island (Point Lesueur)	13.6		18.0	1st	8.4		4.5	7th	59.8	34.4	v high	174%
Orford (Aubin Court)	14.2	+1.2	19.2	1st	4.3	+0.8	-1.9	10th	86.6	57.0	high	152%
Spring Bay NTC AWS	14.2		18.3	18th	6.9		2.0	10th
St Helens Aerodrome	14.5	+1.0	17.6	16th	6.0	+1.2	-0.6	7th	46.0	46.2	average	100%
Swan Island	14.0	+0.8	17.6	18th	9.3	+1.0	4.3	7th	97.2	59.0	v high	165%
Swansea (Francis Street)	14.8		19.5	1st	4.9		-2.1	9th	42.7
Midlands (district 93)
Ross (The Boulevards)	12.0	+0.8	17.6	1st	2.3	+0.9	-6.6	10th	44.2	38.3	average	115%
Southeast (district 94)
Bull Bay (Lauriston)	13.3	+0.8	18.4	1st	6.7	+0.9	2.2	7th	98.0	54.5	v high	180%
Campania (Kincora)	14.0	+0.9	18.4	1st	4.5	+1.3	-1.8	10th	98.4	37.0	v high	266%
Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny)	12.8	+0.8	18.5	19th	7.6	+1.1	3.9	6th	94.2	73.6	high	128%
Cape Bruny Lighthouse	12.7	+1.4	18.3	19th	7.7	+1.5	4.3	9th	95.3	95.4	average	100%
Dennes Point	13.3		17.7	19th	7.2		1.9	10th	102.0
Dover	13.1	+0.8	18.5	19th	4.9	+1.4	-1.2	9th	165.6	86.1	v high	192%
Dunalley (Stroud Point)	13.2		18.5	1st	7.0		1.6	10th	62.4
Geeveston (Cemetery Road)	13.2	+1.1	18.9	19th	3.9	+1.7	-2.6	10th	133.9	91.7	high	146%
Grove (Research Station)	13.4		18.8	19th	3.1		-3.4	10th	123.0	60.1	v high	205%
Hobart (Ellerslie Road)	13.7	+2.0	18.3	19th	6.2	+1.6	1.2	9th	101.4	52.1	v high	194%
Hobart Airport	14.0	+1.5	19.6	1st	5.6	+1.5	0.3	10th	75.6	43.0	v high	176%
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse	11.9	+0.9	17.0	18th	8.1	+1.5	2.5	6th	139.4	128.6	average	108%
Melton Mowbray (North Stockman)	12.5	+1.2	16.9	29th	3.4	+1.5	-2.7	10th	89.4	33.0	v high	271%
Mount Wellington	3.8	+1.5	8.0	18th	-0.3	+1.3	-5.3	9th
Tasman Island	12.0	+1.2	16.3	19th	7.8	+1.3	2.9	6th	77.2	71.5	average	108%
Tunnack Fire Station	10.2	+0.7	14.8	1st	2.0	+0.4	-5.3	9th
Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates)	13.4	+2.2	19.8	19th	2.0	+0.6	-3.6	10th	64.4	49.5	high	130%
Maydena Post Office	11.6	+1.0	17.9	19th	3.5	+1.3	-1.5	10th	156.6	109.5	high	143%
Ouse Fire Station	13.2	+1.6	19.2	19th	2.3	+1.3	-5.4	10th	66.8	47.4	high	141%
Central Plateau (district 96)
Butlers Gorge	8.9	+1.9	12.4	18th	1.0	+1.4	-6.7	10th
Lake St Clair National Park	8.0	+0.8	12.5	15th	0.6	+0.7	-5.7	9th	222.0	202.9	average	109%
Liawenee	6.6	+1.0	10.9	16th	-0.8	+0.8	-12.2	9th	193.8	109.4	v high	177%
West Coast (district 97)
Cape Sorell	13.5	+1.8	17.7	18th	9.2	+2.1	3.9	9th	146.0	155.3	average	94%
Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple)	6.2	+0.2	11.8	28th	2.3	+0.9	-1.6	6th
Low Rocky Point	13.0		16.1	18th	8.0		3.6	9th	215.2	142.8	v high	151%
Scotts Peak Dam	10.3	+1.1	15.1	19th	4.7	+1.5	0.6	7th	225.8	192.2	high	117%
Strahan Aerodrome	13.3	+1.1	18.0	18th	7.3	+2.2	1.0	9th	209.6	171.9	high	122%
Warra	9.7		16.0	19th	3.6		-1.5	10th	235.8
King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport	14.3	+1.1	17.1	18th	8.5	+1.0	1.1	9th	186.6	114.0	v high	164%
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport	14.6	+1.3	19.5	18th	7.3	+1.1	-0.6	9th	79.2	82.8	average	96%
Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300)
Macquarie Island	4.9	0.0	7.4	19th	0.8	-0.8	-8.5	25th	99.2	72.7	high	136%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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