Monday, 1 July 2013 - Monthly Climate Summary for Melbourne Metropolitan Area and Environs - Product code IDCKGC2xx0

Melbourne Metropolitan Area and Environs in June 2013: 

Wet start; 

Dry and frosty finish.

Highlights:

• Melbourne experieced its wettest first fortnight of winter on record.
• By contrast, Melbourne experienced its longest June 'run' of rainless days for more than 30 years (12 in a row between the 19th and the 30th) - there was a 13-day rainless spell in 1982 between the 3rd and the 15th.
• Melbourne experienced its second longest June 'run' of minimum temperatures below 5 deg C (9 in a row between the 19th and 27th)*
• Over southeastern Australia, June was unusual in that on every day between the 12th and the 26th, the prevailing synoptic type was one associated with flow from the east - initially, a rain bearing east coast low followed by a 'frosty' anticyclone (usually, westerly flow predominates during June)**.  

*The longest June 'run' of sub-5 deg C temperatures is 12 in a row in June 1972.

**Consistent with the overall strengthening and southward shift of the subtropical ridge that has been observed in recent decades - a feature that has also been predicted by global climate models.

Summary:

Located in the Central District at the head of Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne is Victoria's State Capital. Here, overnight minimum temperatures were slightly warmer than those usually experienced and averaged 7.4°C (departure from normal 0.5°C). That the overnight temperatures in Melbourne are higher than those in most surrounding localities is a consequence of the city being under the influence of the effect of urbanisation (cities are usually warmer than their rural surroundings, especially at night, because of heat stored in bricks and concrete and trapped between close-packed buildings).Daytime maximum temperatures were warmer than those usually experienced and averaged 15.4°C (departure from normal 1.4°C). Total rainfall for the month far was 94.8 mm, this being much more than that usually recorded (normal 49.5 mm, percentage of normal received 192%).

Some 20 kilometres northwest of the Melbourne city centre, Melbourne Airport, is more typical of the suburbs. Here, overnight minimum temperatures were near to those usually experienced and averaged 5.8°C (departure from normal -0.4°C). Daytime maximum temperatures were slightly warmer than those usually experienced and averaged 14.1°C (departure from normal 0.5°C). Total rainfall for the month   was 128.2 mm, this being much more than that usually recorded (normal 39.9 mm, percentage of normal received 321%).

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Some Temperature Records:

Some sites had their highest June mean daily maximum temperature for at least 5 years.

Some sites had their lowest June temperature on record.

Some sites had their warmest June night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Some sites had their lowest June mean daily minimum temperature for at least 5 years.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top