Friday, 1 June, 2012 — Seasonal Climate Summary for Australia — Product Code IDCKGC1A00

Australia in autumn 2012

Temperatures Rainfall Extremes Important notes the top

In Brief

Autumn 2012 was a period of transition, beginning with La Niña in place over the tropical Pacific Ocean, and shifting to neutral conditions by the end. Rainfall was generally above average across northern and eastern parts of the country, with the southwest a notable exception.

Temperatures were generally below average, with the exception of Tasmania and the southwest daytime temperatures.

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Temperatures

Autumn maximum temperatures across the nation were generally close to normal, with parts of northern Australia notably cooler than normal, and much of the southern half of WA warmer than normal. For Australia as a whole, autumn maximum temperatures were 0.37°C below normal and 17th coolest of 63 years. The NT experienced its 8th coolest autumn daytime temperatures, with an anomaly of −1.11°C.

Maximum temperatures more than 1°C below normal were measured in the eastern Kimberley of WA, much of the central region of the NT, and parts of northern inland Queensland. Some of this area was in the coolest 10% of records (first decile). Parts of northeast Victoria and adjacent southern inland NSW also recorded daytime temperatures more than 1°C below normal. Conversely, further west much of the WA western coastline was more than 1°C above average, as was the Nullarbor near the WA-SA border. Much of this area was in the highest decile, with an area around Carnarvon and Shark Bay on the WA coast measuring its warmest autumn daytime temperatures on record.

Minimum temperatures for autumn were below average across most of mainland Australia, except for parts of the coastal fringe, mainly in the south and far north. Nationally averaged overnight temperatures were 0.93°C below normal, the 4th coolest autumn out of 63 years, and the coldest since 1994. State-wise, WA received its 5th lowest autumn minima, with an anomaly of −0.86°C, while the NT and NSW each ranked 6th (−1.26°C and −1.31°C, respectively), and SA 10th. In contrast to the mainland, Tasmania was the only State to record above average overnight temperatures, recording its 4th warmest autumn minima.

Anomalies below −1°C were measured over much of the eastern mainland, away from the coast, as well as areas in northern and central WA, and in central Australia (see map below). Parts of this area were in decile 1, namely, parts of the Kimberley in WA, an area near the SA-NT-WA border intersection, eastern SA and central NSW. Southern and western Tasmania by comparison, recorded minima in decile 10 (warmest 10% of records).

Areal average temperatures
	Maximum Temperature			Minimum Temperature
	Rank (out of 63)	Anomaly* (°C)	Comment	Rank (out of 63)	Anomaly* (°C)	Comment
Australia	16.5	−0.37		4	−0.93	lowest since 1994
Queensland	13	−0.64		13	−0.84
New South Wales	17.5	−0.33		6.5	−1.31
Victoria	28	−0.11		27	−0.50
Tasmania	49	+0.46		60	+0.98	4th highest
South Australia	30	+0.03		9.5	−0.70	lowest since 1995
Western Australia	30	−0.02		5	−0.86	lowest since 2000
Northern Territory	8	−1.11		6	−1.26

^*Anomaly is the departure from the long-term (1961-1990) average.

Temperature maps
	Mean	Anomaly	Deciles
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Temperatures Rainfall Extremes Important notes the top

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Rainfall

Rainfall for autumn 2012 was generally above average across the northern and eastern parts of the country, with much of this a result of the heavy falls received during March. The autumn period began with La Niña conditions in place over the Pacific Ocean, and as is typical during La Ninña events, the tropical Pacific Ocean progressed to neutral conditions over the course of autumn.

For Australia as a whole, the area-averaged rainfall was 150.9 mm (25% above normal), and ranked as the 18th wettest autumn of 113 years. All States and Territories, except for WA, received above average falls. While no State or Territory recorded rainfall in the top/bottom 10 of records, southwest WA (southwest of a line joining Jurien Bay and Bremer Bay) received its 7th lowest autumn rainfall. Tasmania experienced its wettest autumn since 1977, and Victoria since 1989.

Rainfall was generally above average north of a line joining Rockhampton in Queensland, Alice Springs in the NT and Port Hedland in WA. Other areas of above average falls included eastern SA, and a band from southwest Queensland reaching down through most of NSW (except the northeast) to eastern Victoria and Tasmania. Highest on record falls were measured in isolated areas across the northern tropics, including a larger area at the western base of the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, as well as locally in southern NSW and far northeast SA. The above-average falls in inland NSW and northeast Victoria, where it was widely the wettest autumn since 1989, were largely the result of a single major rain event at the start of March, with rainfall then near or below normal for the remainder of the season.

Rainfall was below normal over large parts of western WA from Karratha southwards and was in the lowest decile in most of the southwest. Record low autumn falls occurred locally around Jurien Bay and north of Albany. Rainfall was also below normal in some eastern border areas of WA, in parts of northeast NSW and the Darling Downs of Queensland, and locally in far southwest Victoria.

During autumn, two tropical cyclones were recorded in the Australian region in early March, Tropical Cyclone Koji-Joni and Severe Tropical Cyclone Lua. Lua made landfall over the WA Pilbara coastline near Pardoo as a category 4 cyclone, making it the strongest cyclone to hit the Australian coast since Yasi in 2011. Lua caused significant damage from strong winds, and moderate to major flooding was reported.

Areal average rainfall
	Rank (out of 113)	Average (mm)	Departure from mean*	Comment
Australia	96	150.9	+25%
Queensland	100	240.5	+47%
New South Wales	92	166.1	+16%	highest since 2000
Victoria	89	183.9	+17%	highest since 1989
Tasmania	87	395.6	+16%	highest since 1977
South Australia	79	57.0	+1%
Western Australia	55	88.6	−2%
Northern Territory	95	194.7	+40%
Murray-Darling Basin	87	133.5	+12%

^*The mean is calculated for the 1961-1990 reference period.

Rainfall maps
	Totals	Percentages	Deciles
Total rainfall

Temperatures Rainfall Extremes Important notes the top

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Australian weather extremes in autumn 2012
Hottest day	44.6 °C at Kalbarri (WA) on the 9th March
Coldest day	−3.1 °C at Thredbo (NSW) on the 25th May
Coldest night	−10.0 °C at Charlotte Pass (NSW) on the 30th May
Warmest night	29.9 °C at Thevenard Island (WA) on the 10th March
Wettest day	388.0 mm at Mount Jukes (Qld) on the 21st March

Temperatures Rainfall Extremes Important notes the top

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