Tuesday, 1 October 2013 - Monthly Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0
Tasmania in September 2013: a mild start to spring
There was some unseasonably warm weather at the start of September 2013, and despite some very cold temperatures in the middle of the month it was warmer than usual overall, especially at night. Some heavy rain affected the north and northeast, and in most areas it was wetter than usual.
- above-average temperatures overall
- record low September temperatures and snow to low levels on the 12th and 13th
- wetter than usual in most areas
- strong and gusty winds
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Mild days predominate
It was unseasonably warm at the start of September, with temperatures in the low to mid-20s reported at several sites across Tasmania. Dover and Geeveston reached 24.8 °C on the 1st, and several other sites had their warmest day in the first few days of the month. There was over a week of cold weather around the middle of the month, with daytime temperatures hovering in the low teens and some snow down to low levels on the 11th and 12th. This gave way to further mild days at the end of the month. Overall, daytime temperatures were above average for the month, typically by about half to one degree. In general September in Tasmania was warmer than 2012, but not as warm as 2001.
Record cold temperature, but nights mild overall
After the mild start, a burst of cold weather from the 11th to the 14th saw some very low temperatures. Liawenee dropped to -8.8 °C on the morning of the 13th, and a few sites registered their lowest September temperature on record on either the 12th or 13th. There were many more mild nights than cold ones, and the mean daily minimum temperature was over a degree above average across the state. For most sites it was their highest mean daily minimum temperature since at least 2001, and a few (including Launceston) had their highest September mean daily minimum temperature on record.
Some wet days
There were several wet days in different parts of Tasmania during September, especially from the 9th to the 11th and again from the 17th to the 19th. The wettest single day was at Gray (Dalmayne Rd) with 114.0 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 18th. Following the wet August this rain brought some moderate flooding to the upper South Esk River, and some minor flooding in the North Esk.
The western half of the state saw rain on most days, with some moderate to heavy falls. This ensured the wettest confirmed total was 351.8 mm at Lake Margaret Power Station (nearby Mount Read had at least 443 mm but was affected by snow and its true total is not known).
Most sites had more rain than usual during September, although only in patches was it markedly higher than the long-term average.
Windy spring weather
Strong and gusty winds are a common feature of spring in Tasmania, and September 2013 was no exception. On the 26th Hogan Island (in Bass Strait) reported gusts to 161 km/h, Cape Grim (in the northwest) 141 km/h and Flinders Island Airport 120 km/h. The windy weather continued to the end of the month, with Mount Wellington reporting gusts to 120 km/h late on the 29th and Hobart gusting to 81 km/h early on the 30th.
A mild September in Hobart
Despite some cold weather in the middle of the month, Hobart had a very mild September. The mean daily minimum temperature was the warmest it had been since 1988, and at 8.2 ° was 1.8 °C above the long-term average. There were 11 nights when the temperature did not drop below 10 °C in Hobart, the greatest number of such mild September nights recorded and well above the long-term average of about 3 nights. The lowest temperature was a chilly 0.6 °C on the morning of the 13th.
In common with several other places in Tasmania, Hobart's warmest day was on the 1st, when it reached 23.4 °C in the city. Hobart exceeded 20 °C on 9 days, the first time there have been so many such mild days recorded in September. At the other extreme, Hobart managed only 10.1 °C on the 11th and 10.6 °C on the 13th. Overall, the daily maximum temperature averaged to 16.7 °C (1.6 °C above the long-term average).
There were 17 days with at least some rain in Hobart during September, a little above the long-term average of 15 rainy days. Most of these saw only slight falls, and the 40.0 mm total for the month is below the average of 53 mm. East of the city, Hobart Airport recorded only 24 mm for the whole month, against a long-term average of 42 mm.
Strong and gusty winds occurred several times during the month, with gusts over 70 km/h recorded in the city on 6 days, reaching a peak of 81 km/h early on the 30th. These values are fairly typical for the time of year.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
| Extremes in September 2013 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 24.8 °C at Dover and at Geeveston (Cemetery Road) on the 1st |
| Warmest days on average | 17.5 °C at Friendly Beaches |
| Coolest days on average | 6.4 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Coldest day | -3.1 °C at Mount Wellington on the 11th |
| Coldest night | -8.8 °C at Liawenee on the 13th |
| Coolest nights on average | 0.3 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Warmest nights on average |
10.5 °C at Swan Island |
| Warmest night |
14.7 °C at Flinders Island Airport on the 24th |
| Warmest on average overall |
13.0 °C at King Island Airport |
| Coolest on average overall |
3.4 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Wettest overall |
351.8 mm at Lake Margaret Power Station* |
| Driest overall |
24.2 mm at Hobart Airport (Office) |
| Wettest day |
114.0 mm at Gray (Dalmayne Rd) on the 18th |
| Highest wind gust |
161 km/h at Hogan Island on the 26th |
* note: Mount Read recorded at least 443 mm but was affected by snow and its true total is not known
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
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| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Record highest total September rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for September 2013 (mm) |
Previous wettest for September |
Years of record |
Average for September |
||
| Three Hummock Island | 125.8 | 106.4 | in 2009* | 21 | 77.4 |
| Record lowest September daily maximum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest daily maximum temperature in September 2013 (°C) |
Previous coolest for September |
Years of record |
Average for September |
|||
| Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) | 10.0 | on the 11th | = 10.0 | on the 28th in 2010 | 21 | 13.4 |
| Record highest September mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily maximum temperature for September 2013 (°C) |
Previous warmest for September |
Years of record |
Average for September |
||
| Cape Sorell | 15.2 | 14.6 | in 1961* | 72 | 13.1 |
| Record lowest September temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest temperature in September 2013 (°C) |
Previous coolest for September |
Years of record |
Average for September |
|||
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | -3.7 | on the 13th | = -3.7 | on the 4th in 2008 | 52 | 3.9 |
| Butlers Gorge | -6.0 | on the 12th | = -6.0 | on the 4th in 1993 | 40 | 1.0 |
| Geeveston (Cemetery Road) | -4.6 | on the 13th | -3.6 | on the 9th in 1992 | 27 | 4.5 |
| Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) | -6.9 | on the 13th | -6.3 | on the 4th in 2008 | 24 | 2.0 |
| Bull Bay (Lauriston) | 0.4 | on the 12th | 0.8 | on the 5th in 1995 | 21 | 6.7 |
| Ross (The Boulevards) | -6.2 | on the 13th | -5.2 | on the 8th in 2003 | 20 | 3.7 |
| Record highest September mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily minimum temperature for September 2013 (°C) |
Previous warmest for September |
Years of record |
Average for September |
||
| Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) | 6.9 | 6.5 | in 2001 | 30 | 5.2 |
| Wynyard Airport | 6.8 | 6.6 | in 2001 | 25 | 4.9 |
| Devonport Airport | 7.7 | 7.5 | in 2001 | 21 | 6.1 |
| Maydena Post Office | 4.8 | 4.2 | in 2000 | 20 | 3.4 |
| Highest September mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily minimum temperature for September 2013 (°C) |
Most recent September at least this warm |
Years since warmer |
Average for September |
||
| Cape Sorell | 9.1 | 9.4 | in 1937* | 36 | 7.9 |
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | 5.1 | 5.5 | in 1987 | 26 | 3.9 |
| Flinders Island Airport | 9.5 | 9.8 | in 1988 | 25 | 7.6 |
| Hobart (Ellerslie Road) | 8.2 | 8.3 | in 1988 | 25 | 6.4 |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.
| Record highest September mean temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily temperature for September 2013 (°C) |
Previous warmest for September |
Years of record |
Average for September |
||
| Cape Sorell | 12.1 | 11.9 | in 1921* | 72 | 10.5 |
| Butlers Gorge | 6.9 | 6.8 | in 1972 | 52 | 5.5 |
| Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) | 11.8 | 11.6 | in 2001 | 30 | 10.4 |
| Devonport Airport | 11.4 | = 11.4 | in 2001 | 21 | 10.1 |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.
| Highest September mean temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily temperature for September 2013 (°C) |
Most recent September at least this warm |
Years since warmer |
Average for September |
||
| Flinders Island Airport | 12.9 | 13.0 | in 1988 | 25 | 11.3 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for September 2013 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures for September (°C) |
Minimum temperatures for September (°C) |
Rainfall for September (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for September 2013 |
Diff from average |
Highest for September 2013 |
Mean for September 2013 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for September 2013 |
Total for September 2013 |
Average for September |
Rank of September 2013 |
Fraction of September average |
|||
| Northern (district 91) | ||||||||||||
| Bridport (Sea View Villas) | 15.2 | +0.5 | 18.1 | 1st | 7.6 | +0.8 | 1.6 | 12th | 76.1 | 74.4 | average | 102% |
| Burnie (Round Hill) | 15.1 | +0.8 | 19.1 | 1st | 8.5 | +1.7 | 2.8 | 12th | 153.8 | 88.9 | v high | 173% |
| Burnie NTC AWS | 14.2 | 17.4 | 5th | 9.0 | 4.1 | 12th | ||||||
| Cape Grim | 13.9 | 17.3 | 4th | 9.6 | 3.0 | 13th | 98.0 | |||||
| Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) | 14.2 | +0.8 | 17.4 | 2nd | 9.5 | +0.9 | 3.2 | 13th | 93.4 | 77.9 | average | 120% |
| Cressy Research Station | 15.5 | +0.8 | 20.0 | 3rd | 6.0 | +2.0 | -3.7 | 13th | 90.6 | 65.4 | high | 139% |
| Devonport Airport | 15.0 | +0.8 | 18.8 | 20th | 7.7 | +1.6 | 1.2 | 12th | 98.6 | 75.4 | high | 131% |
| Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) | 16.7 | +1.2 | 20.9 | 2nd | 6.9 | +1.7 | -0.3 | 13th | 90.8 | 67.1 | high | 135% |
| Launceston Airport | 15.8 | 19.8 | 2nd | 5.5 | -2.0 | 13th | 76.6 | 59.3 | high | 129% | ||
| Low Head | 14.4 | +0.4 | 17.0 | 1st | 9.7 | +1.2 | 4.2 | 12th | 67.6 | 65.3 | average | 104% |
| Marrawah | 14.4 | +0.7 | 18.2 | 1st | 8.9 | +1.5 | 2.5 | 12th | 107.0 | 105.3 | average | 102% |
| Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) | 15.0 | +0.8 | 19.2 | 3rd | 6.3 | +1.6 | 0.6 | 13th | 131.6 | 98.9 | high | 133% |
| Sheffield School Farm | 13.7 | +0.6 | 18.4 | 2nd | 5.9 | +1.2 | -0.7 | 12th | 176.2 | 128.3 | high | 137% |
| Smithton Aerodrome | 15.4 | +0.6 | 19.1 | 22nd | 7.9 | +1.7 | 0.0 | 13th | 100.4 | 103.6 | average | 97% |
| Wynyard Airport | 15.0 | +0.6 | 18.6 | 1st | 6.8 | +1.9 | -0.4 | 12th | 142.4 | 97.3 | high | 146% |
| East Coast (district 92) | ||||||||||||
| Bicheno (Council Depot) | 17.2 | +1.1 | 24.3 | 30th | 8.6 | +1.2 | 1.6 | 13th | 53.6 | 44.5 | high | 120% |
| Fingal (Legge Street) | 16.0 | +0.7 | 20.9 | 24th | 4.8 | +1.6 | -5.7 | 13th | 52.2 | 49.5 | average | 105% |
| Friendly Beaches | 17.5 | +0.8 | 23.8 | 30th | 8.3 | +0.8 | -1.0 | 13th | ||||
| Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) | 12.2 | +0.9 | 17.7 | 30th | 3.2 | +1.2 | -6.9 | 13th | 83.7 | 71.0 | average | 118% |
| Larapuna (Eddystone Point) | 16.3 | +1.4 | 19.5 | 30th | 9.6 | +1.6 | 3.5 | 13th | 72.6 | 63.3 | average | 115% |
| Maria Island (Point Lesueur) | 15.6 | 21.4 | 24th | 9.2 | 2.8 | 12th | 49.4 | 50.1 | high | 99% | ||
| Orford (Aubin Court) | 16.5 | +0.8 | 22.7 | 30th | 7.1 | +1.5 | -1.5 | 13th | 63.4 | 51.8 | high | 122% |
| Spring Bay NTC AWS | 15.8 | 21.1 | 24th | 8.8 | 1.2 | 13th | ||||||
| St Helens Aerodrome | 16.7 | +0.8 | 20.3 | 5th | 8.0 | +1.4 | 0.1 | 13th | 54.4 | 52.8 | average | 103% |
| Swan Island | 14.9 | +0.4 | 18.0 | 2nd | 10.5 | +1.5 | 5.3 | 12th | 58.4 | 59.5 | average | 98% |
| Swansea (Francis Street) | 17.0 | 23.2 | 30th | 7.1 | -2.1 | 13th | 38.0 | |||||
| Midlands (district 93) | ||||||||||||
| Ross (The Boulevards) | 15.2 | +0.8 | 20.7 | 3rd | 4.9 | +1.2 | -6.2 | 13th | 40.2 | 53.9 | average | 75% |
| Southeast (district 94) | ||||||||||||
| Bull Bay (Lauriston) | 21.0 | 24th | 8.1 | +1.4 | 0.4 | 12th | 74.8 | 56.3 | high | 133% | ||
| Campania (Kincora) | 16.6 | +0.5 | 22.2 | 30th | 6.4 | +1.1 | -3.5 | 13th | 37.4 | 48.9 | average | 76% |
| Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny) | 15.3 | +1.0 | 23.4 | 1st | 8.3 | +0.9 | 1.7 | 12th | 113.8 | 74.6 | high | 153% |
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 14.8 | +1.6 | 22.9 | 1st | 8.2 | +1.2 | 1.8 | 12th | 112.8 | 81.7 | high | 138% |
| Dennes Point | 15.6 | 21.3 | 30th | 8.8 | 1.2 | 12th | 65.8 | |||||
| Dover | 15.7 | +1.1 | 24.8 | 1st | 6.5 | +1.6 | -1.8 | 13th | 105.2 | 84.4 | high | 125% |
| Dunalley (Stroud Point) | 15.6 | 21.7 | 30th | 8.6 | 2.0 | 12th | 64.4 | |||||
| Geeveston (Cemetery Road) | 15.8 | +1.1 | 24.8 | 1st | 5.1 | +0.6 | -4.6 | 13th | 87.4 | 93.9 | average | 93% |
| Grove (Research Station) | 16.0 | 23.4 | 1st | 5.6 | -2.4 | 13th | 53.4 | 88.6 | low | 60% | ||
| Hobart (Ellerslie Road) | 16.7 | +1.6 | 23.4 | 1st | 8.2 | +1.8 | 0.6 | 13th | 40.0 | 53.4 | average | 75% |
| Hobart Airport | 16.5 | +1.2 | 22.6 | 30th | 7.6 | +1.6 | 0.0 | 13th | 24.4 | 41.9 | low | 58% |
| Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse | 13.6 | +1.4 | 23.6 | 4th | 8.5 | +1.7 | 2.5 | 11th | 111.8 | 109.5 | average | 102% |
| Melton Mowbray (North Stockman) | 15.3 | +0.8 | 21.9 | 1st | 5.4 | +1.0 | -4.2 | 13th | 41.4 | 53.0 | average | 78% |
| Mount Wellington | 6.4 | +2.0 | 13.3 | 1st | 0.3 | +1.6 | -6.1 | 12th | ||||
| Tasman Island | 13.3 | +0.8 | 18.6 | 30th | 8.0 | +1.3 | 0.6 | 12th | 96.2 | 88.8 | average | 108% |
| Tunnack Fire Station | 13.3 | +0.9 | 19.3 | 30th | 4.1 | +0.8 | -6.5 | 13th | 55.4 | 65.5 | average | 85% |
| Derwent Valley (district 95) | ||||||||||||
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | 16.7 | +1.3 | 24.4 | 1st | 5.1 | +1.2 | -3.7 | 13th | 39.4 | 54.4 | average | 72% |
| Maydena Post Office | 14.3 | +0.7 | 22.9 | 1st | 4.8 | +1.4 | -2.1 | 13th | 124.0 | 142.5 | low | 87% |
| Ouse Fire Station | 16.1 | +0.5 | 23.4 | 1st | 5.3 | +1.5 | -4.1 | 13th | 85.6 | 74.1 | average | 116% |
| Central Plateau (district 96) | ||||||||||||
| Butlers Gorge | 11.4 | +1.3 | 18.5 | 1st | 2.4 | +1.4 | -6.0 | 12th | 201.8 | 171.0 | average | 118% |
| Lake St Clair National Park | 11.2 | +1.2 | 18.2 | 3rd | 2.4 | +1.5 | -5.9 | 13th | 255.4 | 221.6 | average | 115% |
| Liawenee | 9.6 | +0.9 | 17.1 | 3rd | 1.0 | +1.6 | -8.8 | 13th | ||||
| West Coast (district 97) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Sorell | 15.2 | +2.1 | 19.6 | 4th | 9.1 | +1.2 | 2.7 | 12th | 96.0 | 122.8 | low | 78% |
| Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple) | 9.7 | +1.2 | 18.2 | 4th | 2.7 | +0.9 | -3.4 | 11th | ||||
| Low Rocky Point | 15.1 | 24.3 | 4th | 8.1 | 1.1 | 12th | 106.0 | 138.6 | low | 76% | ||
| Mount Read | 6.7 | +1.3 | 15.5 | 3rd | 1.4 | +1.1 | -5.1 | 12th | ||||
| Scotts Peak Dam | 14.0 | +1.9 | 23.1 | 4th | 5.2 | +0.9 | -1.4 | 12th | 228.6 | 226.8 | average | 101% |
| Strahan Aerodrome | 15.7 | +1.4 | 23.5 | 1st | 7.3 | +1.1 | -1.0 | 13th | 149.2 | 156.1 | average | 96% |
| Warra | 12.3 | 20.8 | 1st | 4.0 | -4.3 | 13th | 212.2 | |||||
| King Island (district 98) | ||||||||||||
| King Island Airport | 16.0 | +1.4 | 23.0 | 1st | 10.1 | +1.8 | 4.1 | 13th | 106.8 | 88.0 | high | 121% |
| Flinders Island (district 99) | ||||||||||||
| Flinders Island Airport | 16.3 | +1.2 | 23.2 | 4th | 9.5 | +1.9 | -1.2 | 13th | 69.4 | 63.9 | average | 109% |
| Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300) | ||||||||||||
| Macquarie Island | 5.2 | -0.2 | 7.4 | 28th | 1.6 | +0.1 | -5.0 | 13th | 63.8 | 74.6 | average | 86% |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in Tasmania using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Tuesday 1 October 2013. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
Averages 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 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,
average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9
and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a
percentage of the long-term mean.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
