Thursday, 1 March 2007 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC27R0

Tasmania in summer 2006−07:
Drier and warmer than normal

Summary

Tasmania's weather varied markedly through summer: a very dry December with some cold nights but also some hot days; a wet, warm and windy January with frequent cold fronts; and an exceptionally warm February with little rain but some local very heavy showers. Overall, summer was warmer than normal, with rainfall well below normal in some areas but above normal in others.

Separate monthly summaries are also available for December, January and February.

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Details

Many areas quite dry: Dry weather was common through December and February, but January saw many rain-bearing cold fronts and February did bring local thunderstorms. Rainfall in most of the northern half of Tasmania was below normal for summer, with the far northwest coast especially dry. Heavy showers in February ensured the northeast highlands had near-normal rain for summer, as did King Island. Rainfall was above normal in the southeast, mainly as a result of heavy showers and thunderstorms in both January and February. Rain and showers from cold fronts through January made the west coast the wettest part of the state overall: Mount Read topped the list with 571 mm for the three months. Tunbridge, in the Midlands, received just one-tenth of Mount Read's total: only 56 mm for the whole three months. The wettest single day was at Glenorchy, where 96 mm fell in a thunderstorm on the afternoon of 21 January.

Most days warmer than average: With the notable exception of cold bursts early in December, on Christmas day, and again in late January, most days were warmer than normal. There were several hot days during summer, and an especially long period of very warm days in February. Overall, mean maximum (daytime) temperatures for summer were above normal by about a degree, slightly more in western and central areas and the northern Midlands.Launceston and Tarraleah had their highest summer mean daily maximum temperature on record, whilst Launceston Airport (which has a longer period of record) had its highest since 1980.

Most nights warmer than average:
December followed the pattern set in spring with many cold nights: Flinders Island Airport had its coldest summer night temperature on record. Nights were mostly warmer than normal in January and especially in February, with Geeveston and Wynyard both having their warmest summer night on record. Overall, mean minimum (overnight) temperatures were above normal across the state, typically by around a half to one degree. The southwest was closer to normal, whilst the northeast and the north coast were over a degree above normal; some sites there had their highest summer mean daily minimum temperature on record, or their highest for many years.

Further information

Ian Barnes-Keoghan or Tom Delfatti
Tasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au

Extremes

Hottest day
Highest temperature		 37.0°C at Fingal on 10 Dec 2006
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 25.5°C at Cressy and Launceston Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		14.2°C at Mount Wellington
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 1.7°C at Mount Wellington on 25 Dec 2006
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −2.8°C at Mount Wellington on 12 Dec 2006
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		5.0°C at Mount Wellington
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 14.8°C at Swan Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 21.4°C at Flinders Island Airport on 18 Feb 2007
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 571.2 mm at Mount Read
Driest overall
Lowest total rainfall		 56.4 mm at Tunbridge (Austin-Vale)
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		96.0 mm at Glenorchy (Glenorchy Reservoir) on 22 Jan 2007
Highest wind gust
 131 km/h at Mount Wellington on 30 Jan 2007

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Records


Record highest summer mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for summer 2006−07 (°C) 		Previous highest
for summer		 Years of
record		 Normal for
summer
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 25.1 25.0 in 1980 23 23.6
Tarraleah Village 20.7 = 20.7 in 1988 23 18.8

Highest summer mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for summer 2006−07 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for summer		 Years since
higher		 Normal for
summer
Launceston Airport Comparison 24.6 24.7 in 1980 26 22.5



Record highest summer mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for summer 2006−07 (°C) 		Previous highest
for summer		 Years of
record		 Normal for
summer
Flinders Island Airport 14.3 14.2 in 1973 43 12.9
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) 11.8 = 11.8 in 1998 35 10.3
Wynyard Airport 12.1 = 12.1 in 1998 22 10.5
Scamander 13.5 13.1 in 1975 21 12.1


Highest summer mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for summer 2006−07 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for summer		 Years since
higher		 Normal for
summer
Burnie (Round Hill) 14.1 14.4 in 1980 25 12.4


Record highest summer daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in summer 2006−07 (°C) 		Previous highest
for summer		 Years of
record		 Normal for
summer
Geeveston (Cemetery Road) 18.5 on 17 Jan 2007 18.3 on 13 Feb 1999 22 9.5
Wynyard Airport 20.2 on 22 Feb 2007 20.0 on 24 Feb 1967 22 10.5


Record lowest summer temperature
Lowest temperature
in summer 2006−07 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for summer		 Years of
record		 Normal for
summer
Flinders Island Airport 2.5 on 13 Dec 2006 2.6 on 16 Jan 1990 45 12.9

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Summaries

 In the following table, certain key sites have been highlighted to make them easier to identify.


Summary statistics for summer 2006−07
Maximum temperatures
for summer
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for summer
(°C)		 Rainfall
for summer
(millimetres)
Mean for
summer
2006−07		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
summer
2006−07		 Mean for
summer
2006−07		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
summer
2006−07		 Total for
summer
2006−07		 Normal
for
summer		 Rank of
summer
2006−07		 Fraction of
summer
normal
Northern (district 91)
Bridport 21.8 +0.4 27.9 22 Feb 2007 13.1 +0.7 4.6 12 Dec 2006 98.7 124.5 low 79%
Burnie 21.2 +0.7 27.9 14 Jan 2007 14.1 +1.8 6.2 12 Dec 2006 86.8 152.5 low 57%
Cape Grim BAPS 19.3 +0.9 28.0 17 Feb 2007 13.2 +0.4 7.1 25 Dec 2006 88.2 112.6 low 78%
Cressy Research Station 25.5 34.8 17 Feb 2007 10.7 1.3 4 Dec 2006 112.6
Devonport Airport 21.6 +1.0 27.9 14 Jan 2007 12.9 +1.2 3.4 15 Dec 2006 81.8 132.6 low 62%
Launceston 25.1 +1.4 33.7 16 Jan 2007 12.6 +1.1 4.7 12 Dec 2006 94.4 123.0 low 77%
Launceston Airport 25.5 34.8 17 Jan 2007 10.8 1.7 12 Dec 2006 78.4
Launceston Airport Comparison 24.6 +2.1 33.6 17 Jan 2007 10.7 +1.0 3.3 12 Dec 2006 81.4 134.0 low 61%
Low Head 20.3 25.9 22 Feb 2007 14.3 8.5 15 Dec 2006 83.2
Marrawah 20.8 +1.1 30.9 17 Feb 2007 12.4 +0.8 6.5 12 Dec 2006 110.0 156.4 low 70%
Powranna 25.0 +1.6 34.1 17 Feb 2007 10.7 +0.8 3.0 4 Dec 2006 118.1 138.2 normal 85%
Scottsdale 23.2 +1.0 31.3 17 Jan 2007 11.8 +1.5 1.4 12 Dec 2006 135.6 168.4 normal 81%
Sheffield School Farm 22.3 +1.4 31.6 17 Feb 2007 10.9 +0.7 3.2 12 Dec 2006 107.2
Smithton Aerodrome 21.7 +0.9 30.1 10 Dec 2006 11.6 +0.8 2.0 15 Dec 2006 76.8 134.7 lowest 57%
Wynyard Airport 21.7 +1.0 30.2 17 Jan 2007 12.1 +1.6 0.6 12 Dec 2006 90.4 151.4 very low 60%
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno 21.8 +0.9 33.1 5 Jan 2007 13.0 +0.6 4.9 12 Dec 2006 97.0 181.3 low 54%
Eddystone Point 22.2 +1.8 33.0 5 Jan 2007 14.3 +1.0 5.5 12 Dec 2006 100.6 152.1 low 66%
Fingal 23.3 +0.8 37.0 10 Dec 2006 10.5 +0.9 1.5 12 Dec 2006 77.4 132.6 low 58%
Friendly Beaches 22.7 +0.3 35.0 5 Jan 2007 13.0 +0.3 5.7 12 Dec 2006 127.6
Maria Island 21.1 28.3 18 Feb 2007 13.3 7.4 12 Dec 2006 111.0
Orford 21.6 +0.2 33.0 11 Jan 2007 12.2 +0.8 5.2 12 Dec 2006 112.0 160.2 low 70%
Scamander 21.6 +0.3 32.7 11 Jan 2007 13.5 +1.4 6.9 3 Dec 2006 116.8 144.2 normal 81%
St Helens Aerodrome 21.9 31.8 11 Jan 2007 13.2 4.9 12 Dec 2006 118.6
Swan Island 20.4 26.9 17 Feb 2007 14.8 6.8 12 Dec 2006 90.4
Swansea Post Office 22.2 +0.5 35.0 11 Jan 2007 12.4 +1.0 5.4 26 Dec 2006 85.0 152.6 low 56%
Midlands (district 93)
Ross 25.3 +1.8 35.8 17 Feb 2007 10.5 +0.7 1.3 13 Dec 2006 81.4 130.2 low 63%
Southeast (district 94)
Campania 24.1 36.2 18 Feb 2007 11.7 4.0 1 Feb 2007 148.2
Cape Bruny 20.2 +1.2 36.1 18 Feb 2007 11.9 +0.3 6.7 3 Dec 2006 174.2
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 19.3 +1.4 35.0 18 Feb 2007 12.1 +1.0 4.8 12 Dec 2006 210.6 195.2 normal 108%
Dover 20.7 +0.7 36.8 18 Feb 2007 10.0 +0.1 3.5 9 Jan 2007 154.4 179.9 normal 86%
Geeveston 22.0 +1.0 36.6 18 Feb 2007 10.0 +0.4 3.0 9 Jan 2007 186.2 179.5 normal 104%
Grove 23.0 +1.4 35.5 18 Feb 2007 9.6 +0.4 2.1 20 Dec 2006 160.0 157.2 normal 102%
Grove 23.1 35.4 16 Feb 2007 9.0 1.4 20 Dec 2006 165.6
Hobart 22.2 +1.0 35.2 18 Feb 2007 12.5 +1.0 6.4 12 Dec 2006 171.2 145.3 high 118%
Hobart Airport 22.8 +1.1 35.9 18 Feb 2007 12.5 +0.9 6.6 12 Dec 2006 172.2 132.3 high 130%
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse 17.4 +0.8 31.8 16 Feb 2007 11.3 +0.9 6.1 3 Dec 2006 189.0 241.0 low 78%
Melton Mowbray 23.8 +0.8 34.9 16 Jan 2007 10.4 +0.7 1.9 13 Dec 2006 124.6 104.1 high 120%
Mount Wellington 14.2 +1.6 25.4 17 Feb 2007 5.0 +0.7 −2.8 12 Dec 2006 239.8 255.4 normal 94%
Tasman Island 17.6 28.0 17 Feb 2007 11.1 5.0 27 Jan 2007 263.4
Tunnack Fire Station 21.5 +0.7 33.2 17 Feb 2007 8.8 +0.4 −0.4 13 Dec 2006 145.2 143.3 normal 101%
Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park 24.9 +1.8 36.2 18 Feb 2007 9.9 +0.2 2.4 1 Feb 2007
Maydena Post Office 22.4 +1.1 35.0 16 Feb 2007 8.8 +0.5 1.5 16 Dec 2006 158.2 218.4 low 72%
Moogara 20.6 +1.8 32.5 18 Feb 2007 8.5 +0.5 1.5 15 Dec 2006 128.2 163.9 low 78%
Ouse Fire Station 25.4 36.6 17 Feb 2007 9.8 0.8 13 Dec 2006 103.4
Tarraleah Village 20.7 +1.9 32.2 16 Jan 2007 6.9 +0.2 −0.1 1 Feb 2007 190.4 223.6 normal 85%
Central Plateau (district 96)
Lake St Clair National Park 19.7 +1.2 31.0 17 Feb 2007 6.3 +0.6 −1.6 13 Dec 2006 310.4 326.1 normal 95%
Liawenee 18.8 29.2 10 Dec 2006 5.3 −2.6 16 Dec 2006 119.2
West Coast (district 97)
Hartz Mountain 17.9 +1.2 32.6 18 Feb 2007 6.8 +0.3 −0.2 12 Dec 2006 210.8 195.3 normal 108%
Mount Read 14.8 +1.5 27.2 16 Jan 2007 5.8 +0.5 −1.7 26 Dec 2006 571.2
Scotts Peak Dam 21.2 35.3 16 Feb 2007 9.2 2.2 12 Dec 2006 335.2
Strahan Aerodrome 21.7 +1.4 35.7 18 Feb 2007 10.7 +0.3 4.8 8 Dec 2006 279.6 236.2 high 118%
Strathgordon Village 20.3 +1.7 33.2 18 Feb 2007 9.2 +0.1 2.6 15 Dec 2006 437.2 463.6 normal 94%
Warra 19.4 32.4 18 Feb 2007 8.3 1.9 20 Dec 2006 276.0
King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport 20.6 +0.7 34.4 18 Feb 2007 12.4 +0.3 2.5 13 Dec 2006 133.0 116.6 high 114%
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport 22.9 +1.3 33.2 5 Jan 2007 14.3 +1.5 2.5 13 Dec 2006 86.6 143.5 low 60%
Hogan Island 21.2 32.9 5 Jan 2007 14.7 9.4 25 Dec 2006 73.6
Macquarie Island (district 300)
Macquarie Island 8.3 −0.2 12.2 31 Jan 2007 4.8 −0.2 0.7 1 Dec 2006 191.2 246.0 low 78%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11 am on Thursday 1 March 2007. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Normals 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 "normal" 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, normal in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of normal shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Further information

Ian Barnes-Keoghan or Tom Delfatti
Tasmania and Antarctica Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 6221 2043
Email climate.tas@bom.gov.au