Wednesday, 1 September 2021 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Greater Sydney - Product code IDCKGC25L0

Greater Sydney in winter 2021: Warm days, drier than average

Greater Sydney in winter 2021 saw below average rainfall and warmer than average days.

Dry conditions bolstered by a wet end

• Although rainfall was above average during August, below-average rainfall for June and July meant winter rainfall was below average.
• Rainfall was generally 70 to 90% of the long-term seasonal average.
• Rainfall in June was more consistent, with storms delivering up to 30 mm over the northern suburbs on the 20th and onshore stream shower activity bringing 15 to 30 mm to the eastern suburbs on the 29th.
• Onshore flow associated with a Tasman Sea low brought 20 to 40 mm of rainfall on the 9th and 10th of July, which was otherwise a mostly dry month.
• August experienced above average rainfall as a result of a wet two-day period associated with a coastal low where many sites recorded rainfall in excess of their monthly average.

Warm temperatures

• Temperatures were above their seasonal average, especially during August.
• In June, daytime temperatures were close to their monthly average while night-time temperatures were below average with many sites being their coolest since the mid-2000s.
• Some sites had their coldest winter day (lowest maximum temperature) on record as a result of a complex low bringing a large mass of cold air over the state.
• Temperatures were close to slightly above the monthly average in July.
• Warmer than average temperatures were experienced in August, with days being particularly warm.
• Sydney set an August record with 15 consecutive days of 20 °C or above from the 9th to the 23rd.

Sydney (Observatory Hill)

• Total rainfall for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 200.2 mm, which is 65% of the long-term average at the former Observatory Hill site, or 67% of the average over recent decades.
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 19.0 °C, which is 1.9 °C above the long-term average at the former Observatory Hill site, or 0.5 °C above the average over recent decades.
• The warmest day was 25.6 °C on 1 August, and the coolest day was on 10 June when the temperature reached 10.3 °C.
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 9.4 °C, which is 0.6 °C above the long-term average at the former Observatory Hill site, or 0.1 °C below the average over recent decades.
• The coldest morning was 5.2 °C on 22 July, and the warmest morning was on 1 August when the minimum temperature was 14.9 °C.

Snow and heavy fog during June

• Moist easterlies and associated rainfall on the 29th and 30th of June led to heavy fog covering Sydney on both mornings, causing major traffic disruptions.
• The cold outbreak on the 10th of June saw Observatory Hill record its lowest maximum temperature since 1984 (lowest in June since 1899), along with snowfall occuring around the Blue Mountains.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top