Tuesday, 1 April 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Perth - Product code IDCKGC21L0

Perth in March 2014: dry start with a wet finish

• Rainfall: near average for most sites
• Maximum temperature: near average to above average
• Minimum temperature: near average to above average

Rainfall

Rainfall in March 2014 was near average for most sites, with monthly totals ranging from less than 5 mm along the coast to about 30 to 50 mm in southeastern suburbs. The highest monthly rainfall total in the Perth metropolitan area for March 2014 was 49.2 mm at Jarrahdale.

A trough near the west coast produced the first measurable rainfall in the Perth area for March 2014 on the morning of the 13th as a result of isolated showers and thunderstorms, with a handful of sites registering generally less than 1 mm. A stationary trough near the west coast triggered isolated showers and thunderstorms between the 21st and 23rd, with some moderate rainfall recorded in the northwestern and southeastern suburbs. An upper level cloudband brought mainly light rainfall to the Perth area on the 25th, whilst a cold front moved across the Perth region on the 29th bringing light to moderate rainfall, which continued to the end of March due to a westerly flow in the wake of the front.

Perth Metro recorded 7.4 mm in March on 6 rain days, which is below the average March total rainfall of 19.6 mm. The wettest day for the month at Perth Metro was the 30th when 5.2 mm was recorded.

For the year so far (January to March), Perth Metro has recorded 7.6 mm of rainfall (0.2mm in January, 0.0 mm February, 7.4 mm March), which is the driest January to March period for 10 years, since the record low of 2.0 mm was recorded from January to March 2004, and the tenth driest January to March period at Perth Metro since records commenced in 1876. Perth Metro has also recorded only 19.6 mm of rainfall for the November 2013 to March 2014 period, which is the lowest November to March rainfall total at Perth Metro for 20 years, since 15.2 mm was recorded in November 1993 to March 1994, and the sixth driest November to March period on record at Perth Metro.

Perth Metro's long dry spell commenced on 21 October, with only 19.6 mm being recorded since that date on nine rain days (one rain day in November, one in December, one in January, and six in March - most in the second half of the month). Perth Metro recorded no rainfall from 17 January to 12 March 2014, a run of 55 rainless days. The longest dry spell on record at Perth Metro is 83 days from 15 December 1974 to 7 March 1975.

Maximum temperature

Mean maximum temperatures in March 2014 were near average on the offshore islands and in coastal and hills locations, and above average for inland coastal plain locations. Mean maxima ranged from the mid-twenties on the offshore islands to the high twenties along the coast and in the hills, grading to low thirties on the inland coastal plain.

Warm to hot days with daily maxima in the thirties to low forties were reported on the 1st to 7th, 11th and 12th, 19th and 20th, 22nd to 24th, and the 28th. The hottest days for most sites were the 1st or 2nd , with the highest temperature for the month in Perth being 40.1 °C at Pearce RAAF on the 2nd. Mild to cool days with daily maxima in the mid-to-high twenties were observed from the 8th to 10th, 13th to 17th, the 21st, 25th to 27th, and from the 29th to 31st. The lowest maximum temperatures of the month were recorded on the 15th, 30th and 31st, with the lowest maximum in the metropolitan area being 17.9 °C on the 30th at Bickley.

Perth Metro's mean maximum temperature in March 2014 was 30.3 °C, which is close to the average of 29.6 °C. Daily maxima at Perth Metro in March 2014 ranged from a mild 23.4 °C on the 31st to a very hot 38.0 °C on the 1st.

Minimum temperature

Mean minimum temperatures in March 2014 were in the mid-to-high teens across Perth and ranged from near average on the offshore islands and in coastal and hills locations, to above average for coastal plain sites.

Mild to warm nights with minima in the high teens to low twenties occurred on the 1st, 7th and 8th, 12th and 13th, and from the 22nd to 26th. Gosnells City recorded a minimum of 24.0 °C on the 7th, the highest minimum temperature of March 2014 in Perth. Only a handful of cold nights with minima in the low teens or below 10 °C were recorded, on the 9th, and 15th and 16th. A minimum of 6.9 °C at Jandakot Aerodrome on the 15th was the lowest temperature of the month in Perth.

Perth Metro's mean daily minimum temperature in March 2014 was 17.7 °C, which is above the long-term average of 16.6 °C, and was Perth Metro's warmest March, for overnight temperatures, since 2011. Daily minima at Perth Metro during March 2014 ranged from a cold 10.3 °C on the 15th to a warm 22.9 °C on the 7th.

Sunshine & Phenomena

Perth recorded an average daily sunshine of 9.1 hours in March 2014, which is close to the long term average of 9.6 hours per day.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

xtremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

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.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top