Western Australia in May 2022: Very wet with a cold finish in the Pilbara

May rainfall was above average in the Pilbara and the adjacent interior as a number of cloudbands produced moderate to locally heavy daily falls from the middle of May. May rainfall was below average in the southern parts of the state including the Central West, southern Gascoyne and Goldfields, and South Coastal areas. The Kimberley and southern parts of the state recorded above average daytime temperatures, although below average daytime temperatures were observed in northern inland WA along the passage of cloudbands. Overnight temperatures were above average for most of the state, and it was particularly warm in the Pillara

Very wet in the Pilbara

  • May rainfall was above average in the Pilbara and the adjacent interiors from a number of cloudbands (12th-13th, 16th-18th, 22nd-23rd, 26th-31st).
  • Some sites in the west Pilbara coastal area including Karratha, Onslow and Mardie recorded 200 mm to 400 mm in total, their wettest May on record, while some sites in the east and south Pilbara had their wettest May for at least 20 years.
  • May rainfall was about 18% above 1961-90 average for WA as a whole.
  • May rainfall was 95.7 mm and 254% above average for the Pilbara District as a whole, whist was the district's fifth-wettest May on record and wettest since 1988.
  • A strong cold front tracked the south-west WA on the 12th, and an associated cloudband extended from the north-west and produced widespread moderate falls in western parts of the state on the 13th, with Exmouth recording more than 50 mm .
  • A cloudband produced 2-day (to the 18th) rainfall totals of 70–180 mm in the Pilbara coastal areas between Karratha and Onslow.
  • A cloudband produced moderate daily falls of 20–40 mm in central WA at and around Carnegie on the 22nd, while daily falls of 10–40 mm were recorded in parts of the South West Land Division (SWLD) on the 23rd and 24th from a cold front.
  • A cloudband produced heavy daily falls in excess of 100 mm to 160 mm along the coastal Pilbara areas on the 29th and 30th, and moderate falls to 40 mm in the west Kimberley coast on the 31st.
  • Mount Florance, Red Hill and Indee with over 100 years of rainfall observations had their highest May daily rainfall on record

Warmer days in the Kimberley; cooler daytime temperature in northern inland WA

  • Mean maximum temperatures were above average in the Kimberley, and a number of sites including Argyle had their warmest warmest May on record
  • The mean maximum temperature was 0.92 °C above the 1961–90 average for WA.
  • Mean minimum temperatures were above average for most of the state, and it is particularly warm in the Pilbara. Port Hedland equalled its May record, and Karratha had its warmest May since 1998.
  • The mean minimum temperature was 1.34 °C above the 1961–90 average for WA, the warmest since 2014.
  • It was a frosty night in inland south-west WA on the 7th, with some sites including Collie East, Bridgetown recording sub-zero temperatures.
  • On the last 2 days of May. maximum temperatures were in the teens and more than 10 °C cooler than average in the Pilbara and the Southern Interior, including a number of May low maximum temperature records.
  • The maximum temperature was 10.2 °C at Newman Aero on the 31st, which is its annual lowest maximum temperature on record at the town, and the state's lowest maximum temperature for May since 30 May 2013 with maximum temperatures below 10 °C at several sites.

Further information

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Extremes in May 2022
Hottest day 39.2 °C at Curtin Aero on the 1st
Warmest days on average 35.5 °C at Wyndham Aero
Coolest days on average 18.1 °C at Shannon
Coldest day 10.2 °C at Newman Aero on the 31st
Coldest night -1.5 °C at Collie East on the 7th
Coolest nights on average 5.9 °C at Collie East
Warmest nights on average 26.6 °C at Troughton Island
Warmest night 28.8 °C at Troughton Island on the 6th
Warmest on average overall 30.0 °C at Troughton Island
Coolest on average overall 13.1 °C at Collie East
Wettest overall 413.4 mm at Varanus Island
Wettest day 158.0 mm at Varanus Island on the 29th
Strongest wind gust 113 km/h at Varanus Island on the 13th

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 highest May daily rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Mount Florance 85.0 on the 29th 73.9 on the 16th in 1942 125
Red Hill 145.2 on the 29th 103.6 on the 4th in 1931 114
Indee 137.6 on the 30th 124.5 on the 31st in 1929 108
Sherlock 125.4 on the 30th 95.3 on the 31st in 1970 48
Jacup 39.0 on the 13th =39.0 on the 28th in 1999 28
Thevenard Island 120.2 on the 29th 78.4 on the 30th in 2021 25
Varanus Island 158.0 on the 29th 48.6 on the 30th in 2021 23
Cheela Plains 32.0 on the 13th 24.0 on the 26th in 2018 21



Record highest May total rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
May
Mardie 268.8 211.5 in 1970 136 38.8
Mount Florance 237.9 168.4 in 2015 136 23.1
Red Hill 269.8 245.2 in 1970 118 35.7
Yarraloola Homestead 250.6 230.6 in 1970 118 37.9
Coolawanyah 230.6 163.6 in 2015 98 23.3
Yalleen 290.0 217.7 in 1970 64 32.8
Onslow Airport 310.4 236.7 in 1942 59 52.3
Karratha Aero 215.4 143.7 in 1973 50 32.2
Pannawonica 293.6 178.6 in 1984 49 33.8
Sherlock 214.6 175.1 in 1970 49 26.4
Thevenard Island 299.2 143.2 in 2002 25 49.3
Marble Bar 77.6 72.4 in 2013 22 14.3
Varanus Island 413.4 133.6 in 2005 22 46.9
Cheela Plains 85.0 53.0 in 2015 20 18.1

Highest May total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)
Most recent
higher
Average for
May
Indee 189.6 211.8 in 1929* 26.5
Warambie 179.3 254.8 in 1942* 29.0
Tangadee 123.6 163.4 in 1970* 20.1
Neds Creek 76.0 114.4 in 1984 18.3
Mount Vernon 99.4 136.0 in 1984* 21.3
Paraburdoo Aero 70.0 112.8 in 1988 19.6
Turee Creek 80.2 151.8 in 1988 22.2
Port Hedland Airport 123.8 157.0 in 1993 27.6
Exmouth Town 213.0 235.8 in 1992* 49.4
Williambury 83.0 103.0 in 1992* 28.5
Carnegie 73.7 91.6 in 1997 16.7
Doolgunna 44.8 128.9 in 1997 24.1
Lorna Glen 71.6 75.0 in 1997 20.8
Glen Florrie Station 111.0 166.8 in 1998* 32.6
Barrow Island Airport 283.2 295.0 in 1999* 62.7
Granite Peak 56.2 129.2 in 1997* 17.5
Cape Naturaliste 175.4 189.0 in 2001 114.3
Mount Stuart 100.0 129.9 in 1998* 26.5
Warrawagine 64.8 86.8 in 2000* 18.6
Yarrie 75.0 101.9 in 1997* 21.6

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





Record lowest May daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
May
Telfer Aero 12.3 on the 31st 15.0 on the 14th in 1978 47 29.1
Eyre 15.4 on the 29th 15.8 on the 31st in 1993 34 21.5
Warburton Airfield 12.2 on the 30th 14.4 on the 6th in 1970 33 24.4
Karratha Aero 17.7 on the 31st 19.0 on the 14th in 2013 29 30.1
Gingin Aero 13.3 on the 12th 14.4 on the 12th in 2001 27 22.8
Paraburdoo Aero 13.4 on the 31st 18.7 on the 29th in 1999 27 29.1
Newman Aero 10.2 on the 31st 14.7 on the 25th in 2015 26 27.1
Thevenard Island 19.8 on the 31st 21.2 on the 14th in 2013 26 28.8
Marble Bar 14.0 on the 31st 16.8 on the 30th in 2004 22 31.2
Shark Bay Airport 18.7 on the 30th = 18.7 on the 4th in 2014 22 27.4
Roebourne Aero 16.2 on the 31st 19.9 on the 27th in 2015 20 31.7



Record highest May mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
May
Troughton Island 33.3 32.8 in 2007 42 31.2
Argyle Aerodrome 34.4 = 34.4 in 2016 27 32.1
Mount Elizabeth 32.9 31.8 in 2014 25 30.2



Record highest May daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
May
Warmun 28.6 on the 1st 28.4 on the 20th in 1990 60 17.2



Record highest May mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
May
Port Hedland Airport 20.6 = 20.6 in 1958 73 17.3
Mandora 20.3 19.6 in 2016 59 16.9
Cygnet Bay 22.7 22.1 in 1988 35 19.2

Highest May mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
higher
Average for
May
Karratha Aero 20.7 21.1 in 1998 18.3
Mardie 20.1 20.9 in 1998 17.0



Record highest May mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
May
Mandora 26.8 = 26.8 in 2014 59 24.6
Troughton Island 30.0 29.9 in 2016 42 28.3



Summary statistics for May 2022
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
May
2022
Diff
from
average
Highest for
May
2022
Mean for
May
2022
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
May
2022
Total for
May
2022
Average
for
May
Rank of
May
2022
Fraction of
May
average
North Kimberley (district 01)
Doongan 33.1 +1.8 35.6 16th 16.5 +1.7 11.5 11th 0 13.1 lowest 0%
Kalumburu 34.7 +1.1 36.4 19th 18.4 +1.5 13.6 28th 2.0 15.9 average 13%
Mount Elizabeth 32.9 +2.7 35.4 16th 12.7 +0.4 6.3 10th 0 15.7 lowest 0%
Troughton Island 33.3 +2.1 35.2 3rd 26.6 +1.2 25.4 13th 0 36.3 lowest 0%
Truscott 33.2 +1.0 35.1 4th 22.0 +0.5 18.0 29th 0 19.9 v low 0%
Wyndham Aero 35.5 +1.3 38.1 4th 20.3 +1.1 16.0 28th 0 11.8 lowest 0%
East Kimberley (district 02)
Argyle Aerodrome 34.4 +2.3 37.2 15th 21.2 +2.0 18.0 10th 0 7.6 lowest 0%
Halls Creek Airport 32.5   36.1 16th 17.0   9.5 10th 0.6
Kununurra Aero 34.7 +1.7 37.0 15th 18.6 0.0 13.7 23rd 3.2 6.7 high 48%
Warmun 34.7 +2.5 37.5 17th 18.4 +1.2 13.4 10th 0 10.0 lowest 0%
West Kimberley (district 03)
Broome Airport 33.0 +1.4 37.1 2nd 20.5 +2.2 14.3 10th 13.4 26.9 average 50%
Curtin Aero 35.0 +1.7 39.2 1st 20.1 +1.0 14.0 12th 15.6 15.0 high 104%
Cygnet Bay 31.8 +0.8 34.0 5th 22.7 +3.5 19.0 13th 26.0 40.1 high 65%
Derby Aero 34.5 +1.5 37.7 16th 20.5 +1.7 12.8 10th 11.0 19.4 average 57%
Fitzroy Crossing Aero 34.8 +1.5 38.2 17th 18.1 +2.1 9.4 10th 0 15.2 lowest 0%
Yampi Sound (Defence) 35.4   38.3 2nd 18.5   10.0 11th 23.4
De Grey (district 04)
Bedout Island 29.0 +0.2 31.9 4th 24.9 +1.2 22.7 12th
Karratha Aero 28.5 -1.6 34.5 3rd 20.7 +2.4 14.8 31st 215.4 32.2 highest 669%
Legendre Island 28.7 +0.3 31.7 3rd     20.8 17th
Mandora 33.2 +1.0 38.8 3rd 20.3 +3.4 11.5 12th 47.2 25.4 high 186%
Marble Bar 29.7 -1.5 35.0 3rd 19.3 +2.2 11.5 31st 77.6 14.3 highest 543%
Port Hedland Airport 30.9 +0.2 36.2 3rd 20.6 +3.3 14.7 11th 123.8 27.6 v high 449%
Roebourne Aero 29.8 -1.9 36.7 3rd 19.8 +3.0 13.4 11th 195.6 43.0 v high 455%
Fortescue (district 05)
Barrow Island Airport 27.3 -0.2 33.3 3rd 22.4 +1.1 18.9 26th 283.2 62.7 v high 452%
Karijini North 26.5   32.3 3rd 17.4   9.6 31st 98.6
Learmonth Airport 27.5 -1.1 34.3 3rd 17.1 +1.1 12.6 24th 62.4 42.2 high 148%
Mardie 30.2 -1.3 36.9 4th 20.1 +3.1 17.1 11th 268.8 38.8 highest 693%
Onslow Airport 28.4 -1.0 34.8 3rd 19.6 +2.2 15.7 25th 310.4 52.3 highest 593%
Thevenard Island 27.6 -1.2 32.3 3rd 22.4 +1.2 17.5 31st 299.2 49.3 highest 607%
West Gascoyne (district 06)
Carnarvon Airport 27.2 +0.8 33.0 7th 15.1 +0.3 9.9 16th 22.8 33.1 average 69%
Denham 25.1 -0.7 30.0 7th 17.8 +1.4 13.0 30th 52.8 36.4 high 145%
Emu Creek Station 30.0 -0.1 35.6 4th 17.8 +1.7 12.4 24th 28.8 35.1 average 82%
Murchison 26.0 -0.1 31.0 9th 11.5 +0.4 4.6 16th 8.9 16.9 average 53%
Shark Bay Airport 26.7 -0.7 32.1 10th 15.5 +1.0 10.9 15th 41.0 24.1 high 170%
East Gascoyne (district 07)
Newman Aero 24.9 -2.2 31.2 12th 13.9 +2.0 7.5 16th 59.4 19.0 v high 313%
Paraburdoo Aero 26.7 -2.4 33.1 12th 16.6 +1.9 10.1 31st 70.0 19.6 v high 357%
Murchison (district 07A)
Meekatharra Airport 23.7 -0.2 29.0 12th 13.1 +1.0 7.6 14th 12.4 21.9 average 57%
Mount Magnet Aero 23.6 -0.3 28.6 10th 12.0 +0.4 7.2 15th 1.4 17.3 low 8%
Paynes Find 23.5 +0.3 29.1 9th 9.2 -0.2 4.2 30th 9.8 35.4 low 28%
North Coast (district 08)
Dalwallinu     28.3 9th 9.1 -0.6 4.5 30th 14.6 34.9 average 42%
Geraldton Airport 24.7 -0.5 29.7 8th 12.6 +0.4 3.9 30th 32.2 38.9 average 83%
Kalbarri 26.2 +0.1 31.0 4th 14.7 +1.4 8.9 30th 31.9 53.8 average 59%
Morawa Airport 23.5 -0.5 30.0 9th 10.3 -0.1 3.7 30th 25.2 35.7 average 71%
Mullewa 24.3 +0.5 30.1 9th 11.6 +0.4 3.0 31st 30.8 45.6 average 68%
North Island 24.4 0.0 27.1 8th 18.2 -0.2 12.4 17th 25.8 41.1 average 63%
Wongan Hills 21.8 +0.2 28.7 9th 9.6 -0.3 4.5 30th 41.4 51.1 average 81%
Central Coast (district 09)
Badgingarra Research Stn 21.1 -1.4 27.6 9th 10.7 +0.1 6.2 30th 0 66.0 lowest 0%
Bickley 19.1 -0.2 24.2 8th 10.1 0.0 6.5 29th 142.4 131.3 average 108%
Garden Island HSF 21.1 -0.3 25.3 21st 13.3 -0.6 9.2 30th 112.4 76.4 high 147%
Gingin Aero 22.2 -0.6 28.0 9th 8.4 -0.5 1.6 30th 89.6 73.7 high 122%
Jandakot Aero 21.8 -0.2 25.7 21st 9.2 -0.1 2.8 30th 101.8 105.2 average 97%
Jurien Bay 22.9 -0.4 26.5 7th 11.0 -0.7 3.2 30th 81.8 75.6 average 108%
Millendon (Swan Valley) 22.3   27.6 8th 9.7   3.4 30th 85.8
Pearce RAAF 22.4 +0.3 28.0 9th 10.5 -0.2 4.0 30th 93.8 83.2 average 113%
Perth Airport 22.2 +0.4 26.5 8th 10.0 -0.4 2.8 30th 72.8 97.5 average 75%
Perth Metro 22.2 -0.1 26.5 8th 10.3 -0.2 4.5 30th 83.6 88.4 average 95%
Rottnest Island 20.8 -0.3 24.3 7th 14.9 -0.3 11.3 30th 84.6 73.2 average 116%
Swanbourne 21.4 -0.8 25.6 21st 12.1 -0.4 7.0 30th 115.8 90.3 high 128%
South Coast (district 09A)
Albany 19.0 +0.3 23.2 8th 11.6 +0.8 8.0 7th 72.5 115.0 low 63%
Albany Airport 19.4 -0.1 23.7 8th 9.3 0.0 4.4 7th 76.4 83.2 average 92%
Bridgetown 19.8 +0.3 25.0 8th 6.7 0.0 -1.1 7th 90.4 98.0 average 92%
Bunbury 20.9 -0.1 25.4 17th 8.5 -0.7 1.6 7th 111.0 99.5 average 112%
Busselton Aero 20.5 +0.1 24.3 21st 8.4 -0.6 2.9 7th 87.4 101.2 average 86%
Cape Leeuwin 20.1 +0.9 22.7 17th 14.5 +0.8 11.1 6th 95.4 136.3 low 70%
Cape Naturaliste 20.6 +1.3 24.3 8th 12.7 +0.1 8.8 4th 175.4 114.3 high 153%
Collie East 20.2 +0.2 25.1 17th 5.9 -0.1 -1.5 7th 96.8 94.9 average 102%
Dwellingup 19.3 +0.7 24.8 8th 7.6 -0.1 1.7 7th 166.0 156.0 average 106%
Esperance 21.3 +0.8 30.3 10th 11.4 +0.4 7.6 6th 74.2 71.1 average 104%
Esperance Aero 20.9 +0.7 28.5 10th 10.5 0.0 6.8 6th 39.6 64.7 low 61%
Hopetoun North 20.3 -0.7 26.5 8th 10.6 +0.2 6.1 17th 58.4 46.3 high 126%
Jarrahwood 20.8 +0.8 25.0 17th 5.9 -0.8 0.5 7th 101.8 124.2 average 82%
Mandurah 20.6 -0.5 24.9 21st 12.8 -0.6 8.6 30th 81.8 86.3 average 95%
Manjimup 18.7 +1.0 23.9 17th 9.0 +0.1 6.0 6th 108.0 127.9 average 84%
North Walpole 19.4 +0.3 23.0 17th 10.9 -0.3 7.5 16th 104.6 120.4 average 87%
Rocky Gully 18.4 -0.1 23.9 8th 8.9 -0.3 5.9 7th 77.6 77.7 average 100%
Shannon 18.1 +0.1 22.2 17th 8.7 -0.1 3.5 7th 113.6 119.7 average 95%
Windy Harbour 20.0 +0.1 23.0 21st 10.2 -0.5 5.5 6th 124.6 146.2 average 85%
North Central (district 10)
Bencubbin 21.5 +0.6 27.5 9th 9.8 +0.7 3.8 30th 21.3 36.3 average 59%
Cunderdin Airfield 22.1 +0.2 28.9 10th 7.7 -0.5 1.4 30th 21.8 30.7 average 71%
Merredin 21.5 +0.8 28.0 10th 9.2 +0.3 4.0 30th 32.2 40.4 average 80%
Northam 22.4 +1.1 28.2 8th 9.1 +0.7 3.3 7th 36.8 54.7 average 67%
York 22.1 +0.2 27.4 10th 7.6 +0.8 1.0 7th 58.1 47.3 high 123%
South Central (district 10A)
Beverley 22.4 +0.9 28.6 10th 8.0 +0.2 1.4 7th 60.4 53.3 average 113%
Brookton 20.7 +0.2 27.2 10th 7.6 -0.1 2.2 7th 63.8 56.4 average 113%
Hyden 21.5 +0.7 28.2 10th 7.6 +0.1 3.3 16th 39.1 39.0 average 100%
Jacup 19.3 -0.4 28.4 10th 8.5 +0.1 4.9 7th 74.6 35.6 high 210%
Katanning 18.9 -0.3 26.6 10th 7.8 -0.8 3.8 6th 50.8 48.5 average 105%
Lake Grace 20.0 0.0 28.4 10th 7.9 -0.7 3.7 7th 52.6 32.2 high 163%
Narrogin 20.1 +1.5 28.0 10th 7.9 +0.1 4.3 7th 65.2 62.1 average 105%
Newdegate Research Station 20.3 +0.4 28.8 10th 6.2 -0.9 0.4 7th 37.4 42.0 average 89%
Ravensthorpe 20.0 -0.1 27.5 10th 9.6 -0.1 7.0 27th 43.4 43.7 average 99%
Wagin 20.0 +0.5 26.1 10th 7.7 -0.3 3.0 6th 28.9 53.6 low 54%
Wandering 20.1 +0.1 27.0 10th 6.5 +0.3 -1.4 7th 84.0 58.1 high 145%
Eucla (district 11)
Eucla 21.3 +0.2 30.4 23rd 10.5 -0.1 4.9 28th 28.0 30.6 average 92%
Eyre 22.5 +1.0 30.1 12th 8.2 -0.8 -0.5 7th 33.8 38.1 average 89%
Forrest 22.7 +0.4 29.4 23rd 8.7 +0.1 3.5 10th 7.8 15.8 average 49%
Red Rocks Point 21.2 -0.1 29.5 23rd 11.0 -0.2 6.6 28th 41.8 27.5 high 152%
South East (district 12)
Bulga Downs 23.8 -0.1 28.2 9th 9.7 +0.7 4.5 15th 6.4 24.6 low 26%
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport 21.2 +0.5 26.7 9th 10.4 +1.7 4.7 30th 9.4 24.6 average 38%
Laverton Aero 22.4 +0.1 28.1 18th 10.7 +0.3 4.4 15th 11.0 13.9 average 79%
Leinster Aero 22.7 -0.5 28.5 12th 10.8 +0.4 5.5 15th 4.4 14.6 average 30%
Leonora Aero 23.0 -0.1 27.6 12th 11.3 +1.7 6.0 30th 1.8 10.1 average 18%
Munglinup West 20.4 -0.1 28.8 10th 9.5 -0.1 5.8 7th 44.0 39.2 average 112%
Norseman Aero 21.2 +0.2 27.0 11th 7.6 +0.6 1.9 27th 13.8 18.5 average 75%
Salmon Gums Res.Stn. 20.9 +1.0 27.8 10th 7.2 +0.1 0.9 6th 28.2 33.6 average 84%
Southern Cross Airfield 21.8 +0.5 28.4 10th 8.3 +1.0 2.6 30th 30.0 28.0 average 107%
North East (district 13)
Carnegie     29.9 12th 11.7 +0.9 5.5 18th 73.7 16.7 v high 441%
Giles Meteorological Office 23.4 -0.4 29.7 13th 12.5 +1.2 4.6 7th 34.0 20.4 high 167%
Telfer Aero 28.1 -1.0 32.9 3rd 17.5 +2.0 10.5 31st 58.6 19.5 high 301%
Warburton Airfield 23.6 -0.8 30.3 13th 12.3 +1.8 4.8 9th 15.4 15.1 average 102%
Wiluna Aero 22.9   30.1 12th 11.0   5.1 15th 57.4
Offshore Islands (district 200)
Adele Island 30.7   32.5 6th 26.9   22.3 7th
Browse Island 31.5   33.4 3rd 28.2   26.8 11th
Rowley Shoals 29.1   30.1 4th 27.2   23.4 30th
Varanus Island 27.3 -0.7 31.0 3rd 23.7 +0.1 19.9 30th 413.4 46.9 highest 881%

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, usually published in the first week of the following month, lists the main features of the weather in Western Australia 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 9 am on Wednesday 1 June 2022. 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.

Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

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