Monday, 1 October 2018 - Monthly Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0

Tasmania in September 2018: A dry start to spring

September was dry right across Tasmania, with several sites observing either their driest September on record or in more than 20 years. Maximum temperatures were warmer than average in the east. Minimum temperatures were warmer than average in the far southeast but cooler than average in the northeast.

Drier than average across Tasmania

• There were less rain-bearing cold fronts than is usual in September, with drier than average conditions experienced in all areas bar a small area of the northwest
• Area-averaged rainfall was 37.0% of the long-term average and the lowest since 2015
• Some locations had either their lowest total September rainfall on record, or their lowest total September rainfall for at least 20 years
• In the east, Maria Island recorded only 6 mm which was 13% of average, and in the west Mount Read recorded 381.0 mm, 104% of its September average

A mix of cold and warm weather

• There were a few cold periods in September with snow on the higher peaks, including at the start of the month, mid-month, around the 23rd to 25th and on the 29th when most locations observed their coldest temperatures of the month
• The lowest temperature observed in Tasmania was -7.5 °C at Liawenee on the morning of the 3rd, and the coldest maximum temperature was -1.1 °C on the top of kunanyi (Mount Wellington) on the 1st
• There was some warmer than average weather amongst the cold, including from the 10th and 14th, around the 18th and again towards the end of the month
• The highest temperature observed was 22.7 °C at Dover on the 11th and at Friendly Beaches on the 18th, and the warmest night 13.5 °C at Flinders Island Airport on the 15th
• Maximum temperatures tended above average in the east but close to average elsewhere
• Minimum temperatures were above average in the far southeast but cooler than average in the northeast, and close to average elsewhere
• Averaged across the state, the mean maximum temperature was 0.49 °C above average, the statewide mean minimum temperature 0.10 °C above average and the mean temperature 0.30 °C above average

Warmer and drier than average for Hobart

• Total rainfall for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 17.4 mm, which is 33% of the long-term average of 53.0 mm
• Precipitation was recorded on 14 days which was close to the average of 15 days, but only 3 of those days saw more than 1 mm of rain which is a third of the September average of 9 days
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 16.3 °C, which is 1.2 °C above average. The warmest day was 22.2 °C on the 14th, and the coolest day was on the 23rd when the temperature reached 11.5 °C
• There were 6 days where the temperature exceeded 20 °C which was triple the September average of 2 days
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 6.9 °C, which is 0.5 °C above average. The coldest morning was 2.3 °C on the 3rd, and the warmest morning was on the 14th when the minimum temperature was 12.6 °C
• The minimum temperature dropped below 5 °C on 10 days compared to an average of 9 days, and stayed above 10 °C on 3 days which is right on average for September

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top