Perth in February 2014: A warm and rainless month

  • Rainfall: no rainfall for most sites
  • Maximum temperature: above average for most sites
  • Minimum temperature: near average
  • Rainfall

    Most sites in Perth received no rainfall in February 2014. Only sites in the far southeast reported any rainfall, and monthly totals there were low. The highest monthly rainfall total in the Perth metropolitan area for February was 0.8 mm at Jarrahdale.

    Light showers were reported in southeastern parts of the metropolitan Perth on the morning of the 6th, and this was the only measurable rainfall for the month in the metropolitan area. Light showers were also reported in the metropolitan area on the morning of the 10th, and afternoon of the 20th.

    Perth Metro recorded no rainfall in February, the 18th occasion since records commenced in 1876 that a rainless February has been recorded. The run of dry weather dated back to 16 January, when 0.2 mm was recorded, with subsequently 43 days of no measurable rainfall. Perth's longest spell with no measurable rainfall is 83 days between 15 December 1974 and 7 March 1975.

    Maximum temperature

    Mean maximum temperatures in February 2014 were above average for most sites, and about 1 °C to 2 °C warmer than normal. Mean maxima ranged from the high-twenties on the offshore islands to the low thirties in the western suburbs and in the hills, and the mid-thirties in the eastern suburbs.

    Most days were warm to hot with daily maxima frequently in the thirties The hottest days for most sites were the 4th and 20th, and the highest temperature for the month in Perth was 39.8 °C at Pearce RAAF on the 4th, the second highest being 39.3 °C at Swanbourne on the 20th. The lowest maximum temperatures were reported on the 1st, 8th,10th, and 16th, though the conditions on these days were generally warm at most sites, with the lowest maximum temperature in the Perth metropolitan area being 23.1 °C at Garden Island on the 10th. Swanbourne recorded a maximum of 26.7 °C on the 16th, the lowest day-time maximum temperature on the mainland.

    From the 18th to 20th, most coastal plain sites experienced three consecutive days with maximum temperatures between 35 °C and 38 °C , which was the sole hot spell for the month in the metropolitan area.

    Perth Metro's mean maximum temperature in February 2014 was 33.2 °C , which is well above the long-term average of 31.6 °C . The hottest February on record for Perth Metro is 1985, with a mean maximum temperature of 35.1 °C . Daily maxima at Perth Metro in February 2014 ranged from a warm 28.5 °C on the 1st to a very hot 37.5 °C on the 4th.

    Minimum temperature

    Mean minimum temperatures in February 2014 were near average across Perth. Mean minima ranged from the mid-teens in the hills to the high teens on the coastal plain and the islands.

    Nights were mostly mild to warm from the 4th to 7th, 12th to 14th, and 20th to 23rd, with the warmest night across Perth for most sites being the evening of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. Gosnells City and Pearce RAAF both recorded a minimum of 24.7 °C on the 22nd, the highest minimum temperature of the month in Perth. Cool nights were reported for the remainder of the month, with the coolest nights of the month being recorded on the 8th, 9th, and 16th. A minimum of 11.2 °C at Bickley on the 8th was the lowest temperature of the month in Perth.

    Perth Metro's mean daily minimum temperature in February 2014 was 18.6 °C , which is close to the long-term average of 18.3 °C . Daily minima at Perth Metro during February 2014 ranged from a cool 15.1 °C on the 8th to a warm 23.8 °C on the 22nd.

    Sunshine & Phenomena

    Perth recorded an average daily sunshine of 12.2 hours in February 2014, which is the sunniest February on record, exceeding the previous record of 12.0 hours per day on 2000, 1999 and 1969.

    Further information

    Media
    (03) 9669 4057
    Enquiries

    Extremes in February 2014
    Hottest day 39.8 °C at Pearce RAAF on the 4th
    Warmest days on average 35.0 °C at Pearce RAAF
    Coolest days on average 28.3 °C at Rottnest Island
    31.6 °C at Bickley
    Coldest day 23.1 °C at Garden Island HSF on the 10th
    26.7 °C at Swanbourne on the 16th
    Coldest night 11.2 °C at Bickley on the 8th
    Coolest nights on average 16.1 °C at Bickley
    Warmest nights on average 19.7 °C at Rottnest Island
    18.8 °C at Champion Lakes
    18.8 °C at Gosnells City
    Warmest night 24.7 °C at Gosnells City on the 22nd
    24.7 °C at Pearce RAAF on the 22nd
    Warmest on average overall 26.8 °C at Pearce RAAF
    Coolest on average overall 23.8 °C at Bickley
    Wettest overall 0.8 mm at Jarrahdale
    Wettest day 0.4 mm at Jarrahdale on the 6th & 7th
    Highest wind gust 81 km/h at Rottnest Island on the 7th
    81 km/h at Bickley on the 26th


    Lowest total February rainfall for at least 10 years
    Total rainfall
    for February 2014 (mm)
    Most recent February
    at least this dry
    Years since
    drier
    Average for
    February
    Serpentine 0.2 0.0 in 2002* 11 11.6

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




    Summary statistics for February 2014
    Maximum temperatures
    for February
    (°C)
    Minimum temperatures
    for February
    (°C)
    Rainfall
    for February
    (millimetres)
    Mean for
    February
    2014
    Diff
    from
    average
    Highest for
    February
    2014
    Mean for
    February
    2014
    Diff
    from
    average
    Lowest for
    February
    2014
    Total for
    February
    2014
    Average
    for
    February
    Rank of
    February
    2014
    Fraction of
    February
    average
    Bickley 31.6 +0.9 35.6 4th 16.1 +0.3 11.2 8th 0 19.3 lowest 0%
    Champion Lakes 33.2   37.9 28th 18.8   14.6 8th 0
    Garden Island HSF 29.1 +0.6 36.0 21st 19.6 +0.1 15.6 8th 0 8.2 lowest 0%
    Gosnells City 34.6 +1.5 38.5 4th 18.8 0.0 14.5 8th 0.1 14.9 low 1%
    Jandakot Aero 33.1 +1.5 37.1 20th 17.5 +0.5 12.3 8th 0 16.0 lowest 0%
    Medina Research Centre 32.6 +1.1 37.7 20th 17.8 +0.2 13.4 8th 0 18.9 lowest 0%
    Pearce RAAF 35.0 +1.7 39.8 4th 18.5 +0.9 14.1 16th 0 11.9 lowest 0%
    Perth Airport 33.7 +1.8 37.9 4th 18.2 +0.7 13.3 16th 0 14.2 lowest 0%
    Perth Metro 33.2 +1.6 37.5 4th 18.6 +0.3 15.1 8th 0 12.6 lowest 0%
    Rottnest Island 28.3 +1.0 35.2 4th 19.7 +0.2 16.0 9th 0 11.8 lowest 0%
    Swanbourne 32.9 +2.3 39.3 20th 18.7 0.0 13.8 8th 0 6.6 lowest 0%

    Daily maximum temperature
    Central Coast (09)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
    Bickley29.729.130.735.633.934.130.228.130.232.030.529.632.231.331.929.931.932.533.934.532.031.734.034.328.927.231.933.9
    Champion Lakes30.131.432.936.834.134.930.929.932.531.132.433.234.232.032.429.633.734.136.237.133.734.534.634.731.229.734.537.9
    Garden Island HSF24.030.232.934.925.226.325.324.127.423.132.032.828.725.524.523.226.031.234.535.536.033.529.325.627.830.630.734.9
    Gosnells City30.632.634.038.535.036.032.231.234.532.534.535.535.533.134.231.434.635.737.638.035.036.236.436.532.430.536.037.9
    Jandakot Aero28.632.533.737.031.932.930.129.332.830.033.434.234.931.131.229.633.335.336.737.134.934.834.834.032.030.033.936.5
    Medina Research Centre27.532.333.337.029.832.029.027.832.627.733.735.135.031.529.027.531.735.937.237.735.735.634.833.232.430.734.1
    Pearce RAAF32.332.834.139.836.535.433.631.734.132.933.634.435.835.135.933.535.836.337.537.735.335.537.637.332.831.035.137.1
    Perth Airport29.932.333.937.933.333.331.530.733.731.533.233.735.032.432.231.334.135.436.737.335.035.035.534.932.330.534.936.7
    Perth Metro28.532.533.837.532.332.230.029.333.129.233.334.234.632.332.328.933.035.337.037.434.935.335.334.231.830.634.636.6
    Rottnest Island26.025.529.935.226.325.725.224.326.123.626.930.128.026.026.323.925.928.833.534.734.033.130.526.226.427.129.934.1
    Swanbourne27.333.934.937.328.729.629.628.733.427.035.536.634.429.028.026.731.736.138.639.336.535.633.531.132.531.935.338.4

    This table is very wide; you may have to scroll sideways to see all the days, and you may need to set the paper to 'landscape' to print.
    The temperatures in this table are coloured by
    their difference from the long-term average for the period
    -10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C difference from average


    Daily minimum temperature
    Central Coast (09)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
    Bickley16.314.713.817.321.917.115.811.211.617.614.616.917.115.716.817.416.314.213.417.215.720.818.619.416.512.313.016.5
    Champion Lakes17.115.717.221.320.420.519.514.615.616.517.820.620.819.818.616.018.218.017.721.320.223.821.720.719.916.317.220.2
    Garden Island HSF19.917.917.222.022.420.819.315.615.620.017.620.320.720.120.419.918.918.418.622.320.722.518.323.019.816.618.320.6
    Gosnells City16.615.417.021.720.020.519.614.515.516.517.520.521.019.818.615.718.218.017.622.020.424.722.418.420.016.017.821.0
    Jandakot Aero16.815.316.721.219.718.618.312.315.016.116.820.320.519.316.013.416.517.817.521.319.922.316.314.918.915.716.717.2
    Medina Research Centre17.015.815.621.521.419.218.813.415.016.216.520.120.319.314.014.017.318.017.521.120.021.918.016.418.715.616.919.0
    Pearce RAAF17.316.017.521.717.420.519.715.015.716.917.420.320.620.015.914.116.518.418.223.320.824.722.514.518.516.318.519.8
    Perth Airport17.216.717.221.520.020.019.514.415.217.017.520.320.519.515.713.317.618.017.321.519.624.120.114.819.815.917.117.1
    Perth Metro18.416.816.921.421.720.219.515.115.518.217.620.220.519.619.217.117.318.417.521.519.723.818.517.219.715.916.917.5
    Rottnest Island20.318.117.421.121.420.619.716.616.019.017.720.320.720.420.219.519.519.219.022.320.422.821.621.519.916.719.021.0
    Swanbourne17.916.117.122.221.219.419.313.815.317.816.820.320.419.617.716.917.918.318.122.520.423.819.719.519.316.218.019.3

    This table is very wide; you may have to scroll sideways to see all the days, and you may need to set the paper to 'landscape' to print.
    The temperatures in this table are coloured by
    their difference from the long-term average for the period
    -10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C difference from average


    Daily rainfall
    Central Coast (09)12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
    Bickley - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Champion Lakes - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Garden Island HSF - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Gosnells City - - - - - - - »» »» 0.1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Jandakot Aero - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Jarrahdale - - - - - 0.4 0.4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Medina Research Centre - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Pearce RAAF - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Perth Airport - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Perth Metro - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Rottnest Island - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Serpentine - - - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    Swanbourne - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    Most values are the precipitation in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated. Days marked with »» are part of a longer accumulation, which is marked like this on the final day. Values over 100 mm have been rounded to the nearest whole millimetre. Days marked with - have a rainfall report of zero; days left blank have no rainfall report (which often indicates no rain fell).
    This table is very wide; you may have to scroll sideways to see all the days, and you may need to set the paper to 'landscape' to print.


    Notes

    A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in Perth 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 2 pm on Monday 3 March 2014. 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.

    The ACORN-SAT dataset is being used for temperature area averages from December 2012 onwards. The major change from earlier datasets is that the ACORN-SAT dataset commences in 1910, rather than 1950, and hence rankings are calculated using a larger set of years.

    Further information

    Media
    (03) 9669 4057
    Enquiries

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