Monday, 3 February 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Western Australia - Product code IDCKGC21R0

Western Australia in January 2014: Wet in most of WA but dry in the southwest

• Rainfall: fifth wettest for WA; equal ninth driest for southwest WA
• Maximum temperature: near average for WA; eleventh highest for southwest WA
• Minimum temperature: above average for WA

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

January 2014 rainfall was above to very much above average over much of northern, central and southeastern WA. A number of sites in the Kimberley, east Pilbara, east Gascoyne, Goldfields, and Eucla recorded their wettest January on record, some sites with over 100 years of rainfall records, mainly due to the passage of a deep tropical low and associated cloudband during the latter part of the month. In startling contrast, southwest WA and pockets in the southwest Gascoyne, saw below to very much below average rainfall, with little to no rainfall recorded during the month. Mount Barker in the South Coastal recorded 0.8 mm for the month, its lowest January total in 128 years of record, whilst a number of other sites in the South Coastal recorded their driest January in at least 30 years.

Averaged across WA as a whole, rainfall in January 2014 was the fifth highest since comparable records commenced in 1900, but in contrast it was the equal ninth driest January for the Lower Southwest (southwest of a line from Jurien Bay to Bremer Bay). Averaged across the Southwest Land Division (SWLD), January 2014 rainfall was near average, but there was strong contrast between very dry conditions in the southwest, and above average rainfall in eastern parts.

Ex-tropical cyclone Christine moved through the east Gascoyne, northern Goldfields, southern Southern Interior, and Eucla on the first two days of January bringing with it some heavy rainfall. Mount Clere in the Gascoyne recorded 84.0 mm on the 1st, its highest January daily fall in 70 years of record, whilst Wiluna in the northern Goldfields recorded 100.2 mm, its highest daily rainfall in January in 109 years of record, and its third highest daily fall for any month.

An intense tropical low moved over the east Kimberley on the 16th after moving through the Top End of the Northern Territory and moved southwest through the Northern Interior and east Pilbara, then south through the east Gascoyne before it weakened and dissipated in the Goldfields on the 23rd. The low and associated cloudband produced widespread showers, thunderstorms, and heavy rain over northern, central, and southeastern WA, and numerous sites broke their highest daily rainfall record for January during this event. Mingah Springs in the northeast Gascoyne recorded a daily rainfall total of 183.3 mm on the 22nd before the rain gauge was impacted by localised flooding. This was the the highest daily rainfall of the month in WA, and it was the wettest day for any month in 24 years of record at the site; the previous record was 106.6 mm on 25 March 1999. Edjudina and Leonora in the Goldfields recorded daily rainfall totals of 127.0 mm and 109.2 mm respectively on the 23rd, and for both it was their wettest day for any month in 110 years of record. The previous record for Edjudina was the 98.0 mm on 27 February 1995, and for Leonora was 105.9 mm on the same day, which coincided with the passage of ex-tropical cyclone Bobby through the region.


A weak cold front moved through southwest WA on the 15th and 16th, bringing light rainfall to mainly the Southwest, Lower West, and South Coastal districts. For some sites, it was their only rainfall for the month.

Maximum temperature

Mean maximum temperatures were near average over large parts of the State, however above to very much above average mean maximum temperatures were recorded in western parts of WA, in the west Kimberley, and in the eastern Southern Interior and eastern Eucla, whilst below average mean maximum temperatures generally followed the passage of the tropical low in the middle of the month, and were observed in eastern parts of the Kimberley, the Northern Interior, east Pilbara, southern Goldfields, and western Eucla.

Averaged across the state as a whole, the mean maximum temperature for WA in January 2014 was near average. For the Lower Southwest (southwest of a line from Jurien Bay to Bremer Bay) however, sunny conditions with little or no rainfall produced very much above average temperatures, and the eleventh hottest January since comparable records commenced in 1910. Jarrahwood and Manjimup in the Southwest recorded their equal warmest January on record, whilst Ongerup in the South Coastal recorded its warmest January in 47 years of record.

For the Kimberley, Pilbara and Northern Interior districts, the month was divided by mostly above average temperatures in the first half of the month, then below average temperatures in the second half of the month, though the Pilbara experienced cooler than normal days at the start of the month following the passage of tropical cyclone Christine at the end of December 2013. Particularly high temperatures were recorded in the west Pilbara in the second week of January, and Emu Creek Station recorded a maximum of 49.2 °C on the 10th, which was the highest temperature of the month in WA, and was also the highest January temperature in 42 years of record at Emu Creek Station. Onslow Airport recorded two consecutive days with maximum temperatures at or above 48 °C, on the 8th (48.7 °C) and 9th (48.2 °C), which was only the second time in 47 years of record that the Airport had recorded two or more days at or above 48 °C. The previous occurence was three days between 19 and 21 January 2003. The maximum of 48.7 °C on the 8th at Onslow Airport was its equal-third highest January temperature on record.

The very high temperatures in the west Pilbara gradually propagated southward through western parts of the State. The 11th was particularly hot near the west coast and the hottest day of the month in the Perth metropolitan area as Swanbourne reported its first temperature above 44 °C (44.3 °C) in 20 years of recording, whilst the 12th was a particularly hot day in the Central Wheat Belt, Great Southern, and neighbouring South Coastal as a number of sites recorded their highest January temperature on record. With over 100 years of temperature recording at Kellerberrin, the maximum temperature of 47.5 °C on the 12th was 1 °C above the previous January record set on 10 January 2010, and also equalled the record for any month, equal with 47.5 °C on 3 February 2007.

Some relatively cool days were recorded during the passage of the tropical low through WA from the middle of the month and Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport recorded a maximum temperature of 19.0 °C on the 22nd, which was the lowest maximum temperature of the month in WA.

Minimum temperatures

Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average for most of the southern half of the State in January 2014, with means up to 3 °C warmer than normal in the Southern Interior. A mean minimum temperature of 19.6 °C at Merredin in the Central Wheat Belt was the warmest at the site in January in 48 years of record, whilst Bencubbin to the north recorded its equal warmest January nights in 61 years of record. The mean minimum temperatures were near average for much of the northern half of the State.

The mean minimum temperature in January 2014 was above average for the state as a whole, as well as for the Lower Southwest (southwest of a line from Jurien Bay to Bremer Bay).

Relatively cool nights were reported in the Kimberley on the 8th and 9th during a period of clear cloud free conditions. Warmum in the east Kimberley recorded a minimum temperature of 19.0 °C on both the 8th and 9th, equalling its lowest January temperature in its 52 years of record of 19.0 °C on 28 January 1976. In contrast, very warm nights were reported in the west Pilbara in the second week of January in association with very high day-time temperatures. Following a maximum of 46.0 °C on the 9th, Paraburdoo Aerodrome reported a minimum of 32.4 °C on the 10th, the highest minimum temperature in WA in January 2014.

For the SWLD, warm nights were recorded on the 7th, 11th to 13th, 20th to 27th, and on the 30th and 31st. The warmest night was the 12th for most of sites in the SWLD, with a few sites recording their warmest January night on record. A minimum temperature of 31.2 °C on the 12th at Pearce RAAF was the highest minimum temperature of the month in the SWLD, and the highest minimum temperature at the site for any month in its 53 years of record. Perth Metro recorded a minimum of 29.7 °C on the 12th, which was the hottest night for any month in 116 years of record, the previous record being 29.3 °C on 6 February 1898, 8 February 1933, and 3 February 1962. Cool to cold nights were observed from the 2nd to 4th across much of the SWLD, following the passage of a weak cold front near the southern coast and some cooler southerly air moving over the region. A minimum of 3.6 °C on the 3rd at Jarrahwood in the Southwest was the lowest temperature for the month in WA.

Other Phenomena

A fire was reported in Parkerville, about 30km east of Perth, at approximately 11 am on the 12th and affected the townships of Parkerville, Stoneville, and Mount Helena, in the Shire of Mundaring, . A total of 52 houses were destroyed, while one fatality was attributed to the event when a man died after collapsing on his roof while preparing his house for the fire.

* note, it is possible this total could be higher but the rain gauge was impacted by local flooding

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps

Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

* 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