Monday, 3 September 2012 - Seasonal Climate Summary for New South Wales - Product code IDCKGC15R0

NSW in winter 2012: Dry, clear winter brings warm days and cool nights

• Driest winter since 2009
• Above average maximum temperatures
• Coldest winter nights since 2006

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall - Driest winter since 2009

NSW recorded a statewide average rainfall of 96.7 mm during winter, below the historical average of 116 mm and the driest winter since 2009. The Murray Darling Basin also recorded below average rainfall during winter with 97.3 mm (average 111.1 mm), but wetter than 2011 (73.7 mm). Most of the state recorded below average rainfall during the season, associated with a strong high pressure ridge during winter, with pockets of above average rainfall in the north of the state; nowhere experienced record-breaking conditions.

Rainfall was close to average during June and July, with heavy falls along the east coast during early June, while parts of western NSW experienced their wettest July day on record as a trough crossed the state mid-July. Conditions were drier during August, which was the 10th driest on record for the state, with most of the state recording well below average rainfall. Conditions were driest in the north of the state and along the coast with almost no rainfall recorded, and several stations experienced their driest August on record.

Temperature - Warm days and cold nights

NSW recorded a statewide average maximum temperature of 16.8 °C during winter, 0.7 above the historical average. Temperatures were above average across the state, associated with a strong high pressure ridge and below average cloudiness, with particularly warm temperatures during August when conditions were driest. The warmest event occurred as a trough crossed the state on the 22nd and 23rd, with warm northerly winds causing the warmest winter day on record at Williamtown and other Hunter stations.

The statewide average minimum temperature for winter was 3.8 °C, 0.5 °C below the historical average and the coolest winter for minimum temperatures since 2006. The cold nights were also associated with clear conditions during the season, with particularly cold nights during August, which was the 8th coolest on record.

Nights were coldest in western NSW, while temperatures were average to above average in the northeast. Cobar, Tibooburra, Griffith and Grenfell all recorded their coldest winter minimum temperatures in at least twenty years, with Cobar MO recording its 3rd coldest winter on record.

The mean temperature in NSW was consequently 0.1 °C above average, for the 15th consecutive warm winter.

See a list of winter temperature records.

Wind - Fronts and ECLs cause strong winds along the coast

There were several periods of strong winds during winter that caused widespread damage, particularly along the coast. An East Coast Low on June 5th-6th caused widespread wind gusts above 90 km/hr as it moved up the coast, reaching 128 km/hr at Wattamolla. A low pressure system off the coast also caused winds of up to 106 km/hr at Sydney Airport on the 10th of August, with gusts reaching 111 km/hr at Murrurrundi Gap as a front crossed the state on the 17th, while gusts reached 91 km/hr at Bellambi as widespread thunderstorms hit the state on August 23rd.

For more information about the impacts of strong wind events please see the relevant Monthly Weather Review.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top