Monday, 2 February 2015 - Monthly Climate Summary for Perth - Product code IDCKGC11L0

Perth in January 2015: Thunderstorms ends dry spell

Rainfall in January 2015 was mostly below average across the Perth metropolitan area with most sites recording no rainfall until the last few days of the month. However, thunderstorms on the 29th brought an end to the dry spell. The highest monthly total was 21.3 mm at Roleystone on 3 rain days (7th, 29th, 30th), whilst Perth Airport recorded a mere 0.2 mm for January, whilch is the driest January for five years at Perth Airport, since 2010, when nil rainfall was recorded. A spell of 61 rainless days (29 November 2014 - 29 January 2015) at Perth Metro, was the equal ninth longest dry spell at Perth Metro since records commenced in 1876.

Mean maximum temperatures for January were 1 °C to 2 °C above average for most sites, with means ranging from the high-twenties on the offshore islands, to the low-thirties on the coastal plain and in the hills, and to the mid-thirties in the inland northeast suburbs. A mean maximum temperature of 33.0 °C at Perth Metro was the sixth warmest January since records commenced in 1897.

For most coastal plain sites, days were mainly warm to hot, with one or two very hot days in the first week of January and in the last week of the month. The hottest day across the Perth area was the 5th with daily maxima in the low- to mid-forties at coastal plain sites. A daily maximum temperature of 45.4 °C at Pearce RAAF on the 5th was the highest temperature of the month in Perth, and the equal fifth-highest temperature in January at Pearce RAAF in 53 years of record. Perth Metro recorded a daily maximum temperature of 44.4 °C on the 5th, the third-highest January temperature in 119 years of record, and the highest for 24 years since 31 January 1991 when the record high temperature of 45.8 °C was recorded. Most coastal plain sites experienced a hot spell from the 26th to 28th with daily maximum temperatures at or above 35 °C. The mildest day was the 2nd with daily maxima in the mid- to high-twenties, and the maximum of 22.4 °C at Garden Island was the lowest maximum temperature of the month in Perth.

Mean minimum temperatures were near average across the Perth region in January. Most nights were cool to mild with minima in the mid-to-high teens, interspersed with a few warm nights with minima in the low-twenties on the 5th and 6th, 21st and 22nd, and 27th to 30th. The warmest night was the 28th at most sites, and a minimum temperature of 27.5 °C at Gosnells City on the 28th was the highest minimum of the month in Perth. The lowest temperature of the month was 10.4 °C at Pearce RAAF on the 2nd. Perth Metro recorded a mean minimum temperature of 18.2 °C, close to the mean of 18.1 °C, but the mildest January for eight years, since 2007, when a mean minimum of 16.6 °C was recorded.

• 61 days without rain at Perth Metro ended on the 29th
• The third-highest temperature in January on record at Perth Metro on the 5th
• Significant bushfires occurred in northern and southern Perth suburbs
• Thunderstorms on the 29th caused approximately 30,000 homes to lose power

Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top