Tuesday, 1 March 2011 - Seasonal Climate Summary for ACT Monthly Summary - Product code IDCKGC15R0

Canberra in summer 2010-11: Second wettest summer on record

• 2nd wettest summer on record, wettest in 63 years.
• Wettest summer day since 1995.
• Above average minimum temperatures.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Canberra Airport recorded 375.2mm of rainfall during summer 2010/11, double the historical average of 168.7mm and the second wettest summer on record following summer 1947/8 (476.9mm). Throughout the ACT, seasonal rainfall was as high as 635.6mm at Mt Ginini, with Tharwa General Store experiencing its wettest summer on record. The majority of the rain fell during December, which was the second wettest on record in Canberra, with above average rainfall in February but below average falls in January. The rain fell over 30 rain days, well above the historical average of 22 days.

Five days above 25mm were recorded during the season, the second largest number of heavy rain events on record following 6 days in summer 1947/1948. The heaviest rainfall at Canberra Airport was 87mm on December 3rd, the wettest December day on record and the wettest summer day since 21 January 1995, while Tuggeranong recorded daily rainfall of 93mm on December 9th. The heaviest rain day anywhere in Canberra was 102.2mm at Mt Ginini on February 3rd during a strong rainfall event across southern NSW.

Temperature

Maximum temperatures in Canberra were slightly below average during summer at 26.8 °C compared to the historical average of 27.1 °C. The low average maximums were a consequence of cool temperatures during both December and February, with slightly warmer temperatures during January. The warmest days were the 31st of January and the 1st of February, reaching 37.5 °C and 37.1 °C respectively, with only three days exceeding 35 °C during the season, the lowest frequency in ten years.

In comparison, Canberra experienced above average minimum temperatures during summer at 13.8 °C, 1.3 °C higher than the historical average of 12.5 °C. This is the 11th consecutive summer with above average minimum temperatures in Canberra. All three months experienced above average night time temperatures, warmest during January. Mean temperatures were consequently 0.6 °C above average during summer for the ninth consecutive year.

Wind

Canberra experienced predominantly northwesterly winds during summer, with 68% of 3pm winds from a northerly to westerly direction, typical for summer. Only two strong wind days were reported at Canberra Airport during the season, well below the historical average of 5 days, with a maximum wind gust of 91km/hr at Mt Ginini on February 19.

Other phenomena

Canberra recorded an average of 8 hours of sunshine per day during the season, below the historical average of 9.3 hours and the lowest sunshine since 1992. Fourteen thunderstorms were reported at Canberra Airport during summer 2010/11, above the historical average of 12, with 25 storms reported throughout the ACT region. Hail was associated with three events on December 2, December 8 and January 5, the last associated with golf-ball sized hail in Canberra.

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top