Friday, 1 March 2019 - Monthly Climate Summary for Western Australia - Product code IDCKGC11R0

Western Australia in February 2019: very warm and dry

February 2019 was very warm and dry month for Western Australia as a whole. Rainfall was the lowest for February since 2007. Mean maximum temperature was the third-highest on record, whilst mean minimum temperature was eighth-highest on record.

Below average rainfall for most of WA

  • Rainfall was 69% below February average, and it was the driest February since 2007 for WA
  • For the South West Land Division (SWLD), rainfall was 79% below average and driest February since 2013
  • Lack of thunderstorm activity across the State and the absence of frontal system in the south saw many sites received little or no rainfall in February, and some sites in the Kimberley, Pilbara and SWLD had their driest February on record
  • It was the driest February for 115 years for Albany town in the South Coastal district, and it was driest February for at least 20 years for many sites in the SWLD

Very warm in the north and central WA; near average to below average temperatures near the coast

  • The mean maximum temperature was 3.08 °C above average for WA, the third-highest for February on record
  • Extreme hot days with temperature of 47 °C were recorded in the Pilbara and inland Gascoyne in the middle and late February; Learmonth Airport recorded the State's highest temperature of the month with 47.6 °C on the 25th, and a number of offshore islands in the northwest had their highest February temperature on the 24th
  • Daily maximum temperatures were persistently above 40 °C throughout February at Paraburdoo Aerodrome in the Pilbara, which was its first occurrence in 23 years of temperature record, thus had its hottest February on record as a result
  • It was a very hot end to summer in the southern Goldfields and Southeast Coastal with daily maxima reached mid-40s; Karlgoorlie-Boulder Airport recorded its first 45 °C day in February in 78 years of record (45.3 °C on the 28th) and Norseman had its new February record on the 27th
  • The mean minimum temperature was 1.03 °C above average for WA, the eighth-highest for February on record
  • A number of sites in the Kimberley and Pilbara coast had their highest February mean minimum temperature on record

Bushfire in the southwest WA

  • An out of control bushfire has burnt over 4000ha land in the shires of Donnybrook-Balingup and Nannup of southwest WA in late February

Further information

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in February 2019
Hottest day 47.6 °C at Learmonth Airport on the 25th
Warmest days on average 43.7 °C at Paraburdoo Aero
Coolest days on average 22.2 °C at Albany
Coldest day 18.2 °C at North Walpole on the 16th
Coldest night 4.5 °C at Eyre on the 20th
Coolest nights on average 12.9 °C at Rocky Gully
Warmest nights on average 28.2 °C at Karratha Aero
Warmest night 34.2 °C at Wittenoom on the 17th
Warmest on average overall 35.6 °C at Paraburdoo Aero
Coolest on average overall 19.2 °C at North Walpole
Wettest overall 226.3 mm at Kachana
Wettest day 94.0 mm at Home Valley on the 8th
Strongest wind gust 115 km/h at Broome Airport on the 16th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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 lowest February total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Country Downs 20.4 44.4 in 1973 45 252.9
Paraburdoo Aero 0.8 = 0.8 in 1992 44 73.6
Port Smith 0.0 2.0 in 2010 41 162.7
Kilto Station 16.0 23.3 in 1973 37 216.0
Jacup 0.0 2.0 in 1998 25 20.2
Rocky Gully 1.4 2.8 in 1999 24 16.7
Shannon 2.8 = 2.8 in 2009 21 16.2
Norseman Aero 0.0 2.2 in 2005 20 26.7

Lowest February total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
lower		 Average for
February
Albany 0.9 0.5 in 1903 22.5
Mount Barker 1.3 0.8 in 1903 24.0
Manjimup 0.6 0.0 in 1928* 18.3
Bidyadanga 0.8 0.0 in 1931* 138.4
Red Hill 2.8 0.0 in 1959* 85.1
Anna Plains 0.7 0.0 in 1973 109.9
Theda 65.0 48.3 in 1970* 284.5
Barrett Meadows 1.6 0.4 in 1987 25.3
Nalyerlup 1.2 0.0 in 1987 20.4
Cranham 0.2 0.0 in 1988 14.8
Doongan 57.9 46.8 in 1988 241.0
Denbarker 3.2 0.0 in 1996 23.8
Walpole Forestry 4.6 3.4 in 1996* 24.3
Carnegie 0.7 0.2 in 1998 53.2
Hyden 0.5 0.0 in 1998 20.0
Neds Creek 5.4 0.0 in 1998 49.7
Dumbleyung 0.1 0.0 in 1998* 18.2

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



Record highest February temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport 45.3 on the 28th 44.9 on the 17th in 2013 78 32.1
Thevenard Island 44.0 on the 24th 42.8 on the 18th in 2016 22 33.7
Barrow Island Airport 41.2 on the 24th 41.0 on the 8th in 2000 21 33.6
Norseman Aero 44.8 on the 27th 44.5 on the 19th in 2010 20 31.4


Record highest February mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Meekatharra Airport 41.6 41.5 in 1991 68 36.7
Mount Magnet Aero 40.6 40.4 in 1998 23 36.8
Paraburdoo Aero 43.7 43.6 in 1998 22 38.7


Record lowest February mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Denham 29.2 29.3 in 2018 30 31.9


Record highest February daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Warmun 30.2 on the 15th 30.1 on the 6th in 1964 56 24.3
Fitzroy Crossing Aero 29.8 on the 16th 28.6 on the 26th in 2016 22 24.7


Record lowest February temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Kalbarri 11.1 on the 22nd 11.9 on the 26th in 2009 46 20.7
Argyle Aerodrome 20.1 on the 11th 20.4 on the 20th in 2012 25 25.2


Record highest February mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Bidyadanga 28.1 27.5 in 2007 59 25.6
Troughton Island 28.1 27.9 in 2016 39 26.2
Paraburdoo Aero 27.4 = 27.4 in 2015 22 25.0


Record lowest February mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Denham 20.5 = 20.5 in 1994 30 23.0


Record highest February mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Paraburdoo Aero 35.6 35.4 in 1998 22 31.9


Record lowest February mean temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Denham 24.8 25.2 in 1994 30 27.4


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for February 2019
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
February
2019		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
February
2019		 Mean for
February
2019		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
February
2019		 Total for
February
2019		 Average
for
February		 Rank of
February
2019		 Fraction of
February
average
North Kimberley (district 01)
Doongan 35.0 +2.2 38.0 24th 23.3 +0.7 20.4 5th 57.9 241.0 v low 24%
Troughton Island 32.8 +1.3 33.7 25th 28.1 +1.9 25.7 9th 3.4 189.4 lowest 2%
Truscott 33.5 +1.3 37.7 23rd 26.4 +1.1 22.6 25th 78.4 222.1 low 35%
Wyndham Aero 38.1 +2.2 41.4 24th 26.3 +0.4 23.1 3rd 122.2 215.8 average 57%
East Kimberley (district 02)
Argyle Aerodrome 38.4 +2.6 40.8 23rd 25.4 +0.2 20.1 11th 200.0 178.2 average 112%
Halls Creek Airport 39.2   42.9 14th 24.8   19.2 24th 88.2
Kununurra Aero 37.3 +2.2 40.4 24th 24.8 +0.1 22.0 3rd 118.0 215.0 low 55%
Warmun 36.8 +0.7 42.0 24th     20.3 17th 153.6 176.6 average 87%
West Kimberley (district 03)
Bidyadanga 34.6 +0.5 38.0 15th 28.1 +2.5 27.0 4th 0.8 138.4 v low 1%
Broome Airport 33.4 +0.5 34.9 27th 27.7 +1.7 21.1 17th 25.0 181.0 v low 14%
Curtin Aero 37.7 +2.2 42.2 15th 25.1 +0.5 20.7 20th 62.0 192.2 low 32%
Cygnet Bay 34.3 +1.2 36.6 28th 26.1 +0.8 22.8 10th 67.2 197.7 low 34%
Derby Aero 36.5 +2.0 39.6 27th 26.0 +0.6 21.7 20th 84.8 201.5 low 42%
Fitzroy Crossing Aero 40.4 +3.6 44.0 15th 25.7 +1.0 21.5 20th 41.4 145.2 low 29%
De Grey (district 04)
Bedout Island 33.4 -0.1 35.0 9th 27.8 +0.4 26.1 1st
Karratha Aero 37.0 +1.3 45.5 16th 28.2 +1.5 26.0 26th 0 75.4 lowest 0%
Legendre Island 32.8   36.8 9th 27.4   26.1 8th
Mandora 35.8 +0.2 41.8 16th 26.3 +1.4 24.0 27th 0.2 104.2 v low 0%
Marble Bar 43.4 +3.9 46.6 3rd 26.9 +0.9 21.3 1st 48.2 76.1 average 63%
Port Hedland Airport 36.5 +0.3 42.7 9th 26.8 +1.3 24.5 26th 1.0 88.7 v low 1%
Roebourne Aero 40.1 +1.9 47.3 16th 27.0 +0.8 24.0 28th 0 58.8 v low 0%
Fortescue (district 05)
Barrow Island Airport 33.8 +0.2 41.2 24th 25.9 -0.4 23.7 21st 0 49.8 lowest 0%
Karijini North 42.4   44.9 27th 26.9   22.1 21st 13.0
Learmonth Airport 40.6 +3.1 47.6 25th 22.7 -1.4 19.4 8th 0 40.3 lowest 0%
Onslow Airport 38.4 +2.1 46.6 3rd 25.0 0.0 21.1 7th 0 59.9 lowest 0%
Thevenard Island 33.9 +0.2 44.0 24th 25.9 -0.2 22.4 7th 0 65.5 lowest 0%
Wittenoom 42.3 +4.5 44.8 17th 27.3 +2.0 23.2 7th 16.4 103.1 low 16%
West Gascoyne (district 06)
Carnarvon Airport 30.4 -2.1 35.7 1st 22.8 -0.6 20.2 23rd 0 19.4 lowest 0%
Denham 29.2 -2.7 32.0 12th 20.5 -2.5 17.0 3rd 0 15.3 lowest 0%
Emu Creek Station 42.5 +2.3 47.3 25th 24.4 -0.7 20.5 7th 0.1 63.7 v low 0%
Murchison 41.3 +2.8 47.0 26th 23.1 -0.2 17.3 21st 1.2 31.1 low 4%
Shark Bay Airport 33.1 -1.8 39.4 1st 20.9 -1.5 16.8 22nd 0 22.9 v low 0%
East Gascoyne (district 07)
Newman Aero 41.7 +4.6 44.5 18th 25.6 +1.6 20.8 15th 46.2 70.4 average 66%
Paraburdoo Aero 43.7 +5.0 45.9 3rd 27.4 +2.4 22.7 20th 0.8 73.6 lowest 1%
Murchison (district 07A)
Meekatharra Airport 41.6 +4.9 45.3 28th 25.9 +2.1 22.3 21st 2.4 36.4 low 7%
Mount Magnet Aero 40.6 +3.8 45.3 28th 24.3 +1.1 19.8 21st 5.4 35.2 low 15%
Paynes Find 39.4 +3.0 45.4 27th 21.5 +0.3 16.8 22nd 16.6 23.4 average 71%
North Coast (district 08)
Dalwallinu 36.3 +1.5 42.9 26th 17.4 -1.1 13.0 12th 0.6 10.8 low 6%
Geraldton Airport 30.7   44.1 9th 17.8   12.3 5th 0
Kalbarri 32.2 -2.0 39.1 4th 19.1 -1.6 11.1 22nd 0 7.7 lowest 0%
Morawa Airport 38.3 +1.5 44.5 1st 19.3 -1.2 13.6 22nd 0 16.2 lowest 0%
Mullewa 37.9 +1.4 44.1 1st 19.4 -0.8 14.8 22nd 0.3 18.7 low 2%
North Island 26.9 -1.5 31.5 9th 21.0 -1.0 19.6 22nd 0 6.9 v low 0%
Wongan Hills 35.7 +1.6 42.7 1st 17.2 -1.0 13.5 4th 6.4 15.3 average 42%
Central Coast (district 09)
Badgingarra Research Stn 34.6 -0.1 41.2 1st 17.1 -0.7 10.5 22nd 0 14.6 lowest 0%
Bickley 30.7 +0.2 37.4 1st 15.5 -0.3 10.7 3rd 1.2 20.1 low 6%
Garden Island HSF 26.6 -1.7 35.4 8th 18.9 -0.5 14.8 3rd 0.2 15.0 low 1%
Gingin Aero 33.1 0.0 40.4 1st 15.9 -1.1 10.5 23rd 0.2 15.0 low 1%
Jandakot Aero 31.3 -0.3 37.9 1st 17.0 -0.1 12.5 3rd 1.8 17.6 average 10%
Jurien Bay 29.9 -0.9 40.3 9th 17.5 -0.5 14.0 23rd 1.0 14.0 average 7%
Lancelin 28.0 -1.9 37.5 9th 17.7 -0.4 12.1 3rd 0 12.8 lowest 0%
Millendon (Swan Valley) 33.1   40.4 1st 17.2   12.9 23rd 0
Pearce RAAF 34.1 +0.8 41.7 1st 17.0 -0.6 11.7 23rd 0.2 13.0 low 2%
Perth Airport 32.2 +0.3 39.2 1st 17.4 -0.1 13.2 23rd 0.2 14.9 low 1%
Perth Metro 31.3 -0.3 38.5 1st 17.8 -0.5 14.4 3rd 0.2 12.6 low 2%
Rottnest Island 25.9 -1.4 32.0 8th 18.9 -0.6 14.7 3rd 2.4 10.3 average 23%
Swanbourne 28.5 -2.0 36.0 7th 18.5 -0.2 13.9 3rd 0.2 11.7 v low 2%
South Coast (district 09A)
Albany 22.2 -0.7 27.2 1st 17.0 +1.4 13.1 13th 0.9 22.5 v low 4%
Albany Airport 24.5   36.7 1st 14.7   7.5 13th 2.4
Bridgetown 30.5 +0.7 38.0 1st 13.1 -0.4 8.7 3rd 0.2 11.7 v low 2%
Bunbury 29.9 -0.1 36.1 6th 15.3 -0.6 9.4 3rd 0 6.9 lowest 0%
Busselton Aero 30.7 +0.6 37.1 26th 14.3 -0.3 9.1 12th 0 4.2 lowest 0%
Cape Leeuwin 22.8 -0.6 24.6 15th 17.4 +0.1 15.3 13th 1.2 15.5 v low 8%
Cape Naturaliste 26.5 +0.6 32.5 7th 15.3 -0.4 11.1 17th 0.6 11.2 low 5%
Collie East 31.3 +0.6 37.1 1st 13.3 -0.6 6.7 3rd 1.4 9.7 low 14%
Donnybrook 31.6 +1.1 37.0 26th 15.3 +0.9 9.0 3rd 0 14.8 lowest 0%
Dwellingup 31.2 +1.6 37.3 1st 14.8 +0.2 10.8 3rd 0.2 21.4 low 1%
Esperance 25.7 -0.5 39.3 21st 16.5 +0.4 12.2 19th 0.6 25.8 v low 2%
Esperance Aero 28.6 +1.1 39.9 21st 15.4 -0.1 10.3 10th 1.8 29.5 low 6%
Hopetoun North 24.3 -1.2 32.1 1st 16.3 +0.6 12.2 5th 1.6 25.3 v low 6%
Jarrahwood 31.5 +1.6 38.0 1st 13.2 -0.3 7.4 12th 0.4 12.1 low 3%
Mandurah 29.3 -0.4 35.7 25th 18.6 -0.7 14.3 3rd 0 12.1 v low 0%
Manjimup 28.8 +1.7 36.6 1st 13.2 -0.2 8.4 18th 0.6 18.3 v low 3%
North Walpole 23.8 -1.1 30.7 26th 14.6 -0.5 9.9 13th 5.0 20.6 v low 24%
Rocky Gully 27.8 +0.4 37.7 1st 12.9 -0.3 7.2 18th 1.4 16.7 lowest 8%
Shannon 27.0 +0.3 33.7 1st 13.0 -0.4 9.4 5th 2.8 16.2 lowest 17%
Witchcliffe 26.2 -0.9 33.0 26th 14.1 -0.3 10.4 13th 0.4 8.5 v low 5%
North Central (district 10)
Bencubbin 35.6 +2.1 42.5 26th 18.4 +0.2 13.6 4th 0.7 19.9 low 4%
Cunderdin Airfield 35.6 +1.5 42.9 1st 16.2 -1.3 11.3 22nd 0.4 14.2 low 3%
Merredin 35.6 +2.4 43.2 26th 17.9 -0.2 13.4 3rd 2.8 15.5 average 18%
Northam 35.1 +1.4 42.1 1st 16.9 -0.3 12.7 3rd 0.8 13.8 low 6%
York 34.8 +1.2 42.5 1st 15.8 -0.8 12.1 3rd 0 18.1 lowest 0%
South Central (district 10A)
Beverley 35.3 +1.7 42.4 1st 16.1 -0.6 11.6 3rd 21.2 14.1 high 150%
Brookton 33.5 +1.2 41.5 1st 15.4 -0.6 10.2 3rd 10.1 15.4 average 66%
Corrigin 33.3 +1.7 40.7 1st 15.5 -0.5 12.0 3rd 3.6 17.0 average 21%
Hyden 35.0 +2.0 41.3 1st 15.2 -0.7 11.2 4th 0.5 20.0 low 3%
Jacup 28.7 +1.3 39.2 1st 13.5 -0.2 8.9 13th 0 20.2 lowest 0%
Katanning 30.6 +1.0 39.3 1st 13.3 -0.8 8.8 12th 0 13.6 lowest 0%
Lake Grace 32.1 +1.5 39.6 1st 15.0 -0.6 11.0 12th 0 16.2 lowest 0%
Narembeen 35.4 +2.3 41.0 1st 16.0 -0.9 12.0 3rd 1.3 18.2 low 7%
Narrogin 31.8 +1.6 39.5 1st 14.5 +0.2 10.4 3rd 0 16.8 lowest 0%
Newdegate Research Station 32.1 +1.6 38.8 1st 13.4 -0.7 8.5 18th 0 22.1 lowest 0%
Pingelly 33.0 +1.7 40.6 1st 15.3 -0.7 11.2 3rd 0 14.3 lowest 0%
Ravensthorpe 29.0 +0.7 39.6 21st 15.2 +0.6 11.6 19th 5.2 26.4 low 20%
Wagin 31.9 +1.5 40.0 1st 14.4 -0.5 11.0 13th 0 16.1 lowest 0%
Wandering 32.5 +0.8 40.5 1st 13.6 -1.1 10.4 3rd 0 14.6 lowest 0%
Eucla (district 11)
Balladonia 32.4 +1.9 43.6 22nd 15.4 +0.5 9.9 13th 1.4 20.1 low 7%
Eucla 28.8 +3.1 43.9 28th 17.1 0.0 10.6 14th 0 19.1 lowest 0%
Eyre 28.2 +1.6 38.3 15th 15.9 -0.1 4.5 20th 1.1 19.5 low 6%
Forrest 34.6 +2.5 44.6 28th 15.6 -1.0 11.0 14th 0.2 31.2 v low 1%
Red Rocks Point 26.7 +1.7 45.2 28th 18.3 -0.2 12.3 14th 0.6 38.5 v low 2%
South East (district 12)
Bulga Downs 39.7 +3.1 46.0 28th 22.0 +0.3 18.8 22nd
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport 35.7 +3.6 45.3 28th 19.1 +1.2 14.4 13th 7.2 31.2 average 23%
Laverton Aero 38.1 +4.4 45.3 28th 22.1 +1.3 16.8 5th 0.2 58.6 v low 0%
Leinster Aero 39.3 +4.0 44.0 27th 23.3 +1.1 18.9 10th 24.2 40.9 average 59%
Leonora Aero 38.7 +4.1 45.5 28th 22.4 +0.9 16.8 4th 12.6 40.2 low 31%
Munglinup West 29.3 +0.4 40.5 21st 14.1 -1.0 9.3 13th 1.2 38.5 v low 3%
Norseman Aero 34.5 +3.1 44.8 27th 16.0 -0.1 10.5 13th 0 26.7 lowest 0%
Salmon Gums Res.Stn. 32.2 +2.6 43.1 27th 14.7 +0.7 5.5 13th 1.0 24.1 low 4%
Southern Cross Airfield 35.9 +2.2 43.5 26th 17.8 +0.1 12.9 4th 22.8 24.1 average 95%
North East (district 13)
Carnegie 40.5 +3.5 44.5 17th 23.6 +0.7 18.4 10th 0.7 53.2 low 1%
Giles Meteorological Office 39.1 +3.1 42.6 18th 23.4 +0.6 17.6 10th 0 43.7 lowest 0%
Telfer Aero 43.4 +4.8 46.9 3rd 27.1 +1.7 24.2 7th 4.0 98.1 v low 4%
Warburton Airfield 39.0 +2.5 44.2 17th 23.7 +1.5 17.9 11th 0.2 35.3 low 1%
Wiluna 40.9 +4.4 44.0 28th 24.5 +2.4 20.0 10th 22.5 38.7 average 58%
Wiluna Aero 41.2   45.8 28th 24.5   20.6 8th 16.6
Offshore Islands (district 200)
Adele Island 31.2   32.1 28th 27.3   25.0 23rd
Browse Island 30.4   32.1 27th 28.1   24.7 1st
Rowley Shoals 29.1   31.6 27th      
Varanus Island 32.0 -0.5 36.0 3rd 26.4 -0.3 24.3 6th 0.2 49.3 low 0%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each 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 10 am on Friday 1 March 2019. 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.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries