Tasmania in September 2020: Drier and warmer than average

September 2020 was drier than average from the Central Highlands to the south-east coast, and in parts of the north-west. Elsewhere, rainfall was mostly typical for September. Both days and nights were warmer than average for the month.

Below average rainfall in some parts

  • Averaged across the state, rainfall was 21% below the long-term mean.
  • Parts of the north-east recorded more than 25 mm on the 13th associated with a trough.
  • Much of western Tasmania recorded more than 25 mm on the 23rd associated with a low pressure system.
  • Only two days, the 11th and 18th, didn't record rainfall somewhere in the state.
  • September was the fourth month in a row of below average rainfall for parts of the north-west.
  • Soil moisture is very low for some parts of the north near the coast, and in the Central Highlands, but remains higher than normal in the south-east following a very wet August.

Higher than normal temperatures across the state

Hobart (Ellerslie Road)

  • Total rainfall for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 35.0 mm, which is 66% of the long-term average of 52.7 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 16.8 °C, which is 1.7 °C above the long-term average of 15.1 °C.
  • The warmest day was 23.2 °C on the 7th, and the coolest day was on the 25th when the temperature reached 12.5 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 7.3 °C, which is 0.8 °C above the long-term average of 6.5 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 1.8 °C on the 1st, and the warmest morning was on the 8th when the minimum temperature was 14.6 °C.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes in September 2020
Hottest day 23.4 °C at Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) on the 7th
Warmest days on average 17.3 °C at Friendly Beaches
Coolest days on average 5.3 °C at Mount Read
Coldest day -0.7 °C at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle) on the 26th
Coldest night -7.5 °C at Liawenee on the 1st
Coolest nights on average -0.5 °C at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle)
Warmest nights on average 9.5 °C at Hogan Island
Warmest night 15.5 °C at Cape Bruny Lighthouse on the 8th
Warmest on average overall 12.3 °C at Friendly Beaches
12.3 °C at Hogan Island
12.3 °C at larapuna (Eddystone Point)
Coolest on average overall 2.7 °C at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle)
Wettest overall 349.6 mm at Mount Read*
Wettest day 82.0 mm at Hastings Chalet on the 27th
Strongest wind gust 146 km/h at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse on the 14th

* True precipitation could by higher due to undercatch of snow in strong winds


Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall
Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures
Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures
Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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


Record lowest September daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
September
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 8.3 on the 25th 9.8 on the 20th in 1991 38 15.7



Record highest September daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
September
Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny) 15.4 on the 8th = 15.4 on the 16th in 2002 24 7.5



Summary statistics for September 2020
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
September
2020
Diff
from
average
Highest for
September
2020
Mean for
September
2020
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
September
2020
Total for
September
2020
Average
for
September
Rank of
September
2020
Fraction of
September
average
Northern (district 91)
Cape Grim 13.2   17.2 20th 8.7   4.7 29th 73.0 77.1 average 95%
Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) 13.4 0.0 17.4 20th 8.7 +0.1 5.5 1st 76.8 77.4 average 99%
Cressy Research Station 14.9 0.0 18.5 20th 4.2 +0.3 -2.8 1st 36.8 58.5 low 63%
Devonport Airport 14.6 +0.3 17.8 8th 6.6 +0.5 -0.9 1st 49.4 73.9 low 67%
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 15.9 +0.2 19.7 20th 6.0 +0.8 -1.1 1st 51.8 64.7 average 80%
Launceston Airport 14.8 -0.4 18.9 20th 4.5 +0.5 -1.4 1st 47.0 55.1 average 85%
Low Head 13.9 -0.1 16.5 7th 8.7 +0.2 2.6 1st 71.2 59.4 high 120%
Luncheon Hill (Forestry) 12.7 +0.3 17.0 20th 5.9 +0.5 1.7 1st 108.0 166.6 low 65%
Marrawah 14.0 +0.3 19.0 7th 7.6 +0.1 3.5 1st 83.6 103.9 average 80%
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) 14.5 +0.2 19.0 20th 5.3 +0.6 -0.5 1st 104.8 94.4 average 111%
Sheffield School Farm 13.0 -0.2 16.7 28th 5.1 +0.5 -0.7 1st 84.2 117.8 average 71%
Smithton Aerodrome 15.0 +0.2 19.1 20th 6.9 +0.8 -0.7 1st 80.0 98.0 average 82%
Wynyard Airport 14.8 +0.3 17.8 7th 5.8 +0.9 -1.0 1st 65.0 95.0 low 68%
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno (Council Depot) 16.4 +0.2 21.0 8th 7.9 +0.5 3.0 1st 16.2 43.8 low 37%
Fingal (Legge Street) 15.6 +0.2 19.7 20th 4.2 +1.0 -1.6 1st 33.4 49.7 average 67%
Friendly Beaches 17.3 +0.5 22.4 20th 7.3 -0.2 0.1 1st 14.0 41.6 v low 34%
Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) 11.9 +0.4 19.0 20th 2.5 +0.5 -5.0 1st 43.6 70.4 low 62%
larapuna (Eddystone Point) 15.9 +1.1 19.7 7th 8.8 +0.9 3.0 27th 57.2 63.0 average 91%
Maria Island (Point Lesueur) 14.9 -0.3 17.9 20th 8.6 +0.2 3.6 1st 23.2 44.8 low 52%
Orford (Aubin Court) 16.5 +0.7 19.4 16th 6.4 +0.8 0.9 1st 27.0 51.7 low 52%
St Helens Aerodrome 15.9 -0.2 19.9 7th 7.1 +0.5 1.8 28th 63.8 54.8 average 116%
Swan Island 14.7 0.0 18.8 20th 9.4 +0.3 4.9 27th 0 50.3 v low 0%
Swansea (Francis Street) 16.8   22.9 20th 6.0   -0.7 1st 16.8 36.8 average 46%
Midlands (district 93)
Ross (The Boulevards) 14.6 0.0 20.2 20th 2.7 -0.9 -4.4 1st 25.2 49.7 low 51%
Southeast (district 94)
Campania (Kincora) 16.6 +0.4 21.7 20th 5.7 +0.3 -1.0 18th 27.4 43.6 low 63%
Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny) 15.1 +0.6 20.6 7th 7.4 -0.1 3.9 1st 44.4 68.0 low 65%
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 14.4 +1.1 20.3 7th 7.7 +0.6 4.5 1st 42.2 80.3 v low 53%
Dennes Point 15.4   19.3 21st 7.3   1.7 1st 32.6
Dover 15.4 +0.6 21.5 7th 4.8 -0.2 -0.4 18th 51.6 82.3 low 63%
Dunalley (Stroud Point) 15.6   19.9 7th 7.8   3.4 1st 21.6
Grove (Research Station) 16.2 +0.8 22.5 20th 4.6 +0.3 -2.8 1st 45.8 74.0 low 62%
Hobart (Ellerslie Road) 16.8 +1.7 23.2 7th 7.3 +0.8 1.8 1st 35.0 52.7 average 66%
Hobart Airport 16.4 +1.0 21.7 20th 6.4 +0.3 0.7 1st 27.0 40.3 average 67%
kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle) 5.9 +1.2 13.7 19th -0.5 +0.6 -4.6 27th 48.0 71.7 average 67%
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse 12.8 +0.6 21.2 20th 7.3 +0.4 3.7 27th 89.2 108.0 average 83%
Melton Mowbray (North Stockman) 15.0 +0.3 20.1 7th 4.2 -0.2 -2.3 18th 25.8 46.1 low 56%
Tasman Island 12.9 +0.3 17.9 21st 7.1 +0.1 3.0 27th 43.0 72.4 low 59%
Tunnack Fire Station 12.7 +0.1 16.5 20th 3.8 +0.5 -3.6 1st 50.4 57.6 average 88%
Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) 16.7 +1.2 23.4 7th 3.7 -0.2 -2.0 18th 32.0 53.6 low 60%
Maydena Post Office 14.3 +0.6 21.8 7th 3.3 -0.2 -2.8 18th 85.8 129.9 low 66%
Ouse Fire Station 16.1 +0.4 23.3 7th 3.6 -0.3 -2.5 18th 29.0 63.9 low 45%
Central Plateau (district 96)
Butlers Gorge 10.9 +0.7 17.7 19th 1.7 +0.6 -3.8 18th 137.4 168.2 average 82%
Liawenee 8.8 -0.2 13.0 7th 0.2 +0.7 -7.5 1st 63.2 108.0 low 59%
West Coast (district 97)
Cape Sorell 14.3 +1.1 18.9 19th 8.4 +0.5 3.6 18th 92.6 120.2 low 77%
Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple) 9.2 +0.6 18.1 7th 2.0 +0.1 -1.8 27th 85.6 96.4 average 89%
Low Rocky Point 14.3   21.1 7th 7.4   2.6 10th
Mount Read 5.3 -0.2 11.8 19th 0.5 +0.1 -3.2 27th 349.6 365.0 average 96%
Scotts Peak Dam 13.3 +0.9 21.8 20th 4.2 -0.2 0.8 27th 170.0 210.6 average 81%
Strahan Aerodrome 15.3 +0.9 23.2 19th 6.6 +0.3 0.4 18th 129.2 149.7 low 86%
Strathgordon Village 12.3 +0.6 22.0 7th 4.4 -0.1 -0.9 18th 255.0 278.0 average 92%
Warra 12.1 +0.6 19.9 7th 4.2 +0.7 -0.9 18th 116.8 188.4 low 62%
King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport 14.9 +0.2 19.8 20th 8.8 +0.4 1.8 13th 89.8 85.1 average 106%
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport 15.7 +0.6 22.8 8th 8.5 +0.9 0.4 29th 50.8 62.3 average 82%
Hogan Island 15.0 +0.5 20.9 20th 9.5 +0.3 6.0 1st 46.0 53.8 average 86%
Note: From 2017, information about Macquarie Island can be found in the climate summary for the Remote Islands and Antarctica

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists 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. More extensive discussion of significant weather events, along with later information and data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Thursday 1 October 2020. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.

Averages for individual sites 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.

Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

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