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

Tasmania in autumn 2007
A very warm season

Summary

Most of the state had record or near-record daytime temperatures for Autumn, while minimum temperatures were also very much above average. A very dry April, a damp March and a wet May also produced a mixed bag in terms of autumn rainfall, with average to above average falls across most of the state apart from the southeast and parts of the southwest which were below average. 

Separate monthly summaries are also available for March, April and May.

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Details

Some record warm days: In all three months, daytime temperatures were above average by 1 to 3°C, with a particularly warm May that saw many maximum temperature records broken.  March and April had their share of especially hot days where temperatures were around 30°C, but it was the lack of cold days in May that ensured mean maximum temperatures for this autumn were the warmest on record. Slow moving high pressure systems sitting over Bass Strait and the Tasman Sea, with the persistent lack of cold fronts and polar air that is normally seen in April and May were the main cause for these high daytime temperatures.

Record warm nights too: Although not as extensive as daytime temperatures, overnight temperatures were still above average by up to 2°C for autumn. March and April were mostly about average in the south, with slightly warmer than normal temperatures in the north, but temperatures were well above average for May and were mostly close to record breaking. Due to this exceptionally warm May, minimum temperaturs for Autumn were well above average, with a few sites including Hobart having their highest autumn mean minimum temperatures on record.    

Rainfall close to average: March saw the typical precessesion of westerlies bringing cold fronts and showers, but April saw a pattern of slow moving high pressure sysytems and very few cold fronts, and then in May a pesistent pattern of moist northwesterly winds brought moderate to heavy rain to the north and west of Tasmania. Overall, rainfall was average (or slightly above) across the state apart from the southeast which missed out on most of the rain in every month of the season. 

Further information

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		 33.4°C at Flinders Island Airport on 23 March
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 20.1°C at Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		9.6°C at Mount Wellington
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		2.3°C at Mount Wellington on 31 May
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −5.5°C at Liawenee on 7 Apr
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 2.6°C at Liawenee
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 13.7°C at Hogan Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 20.0°C at Burnie (Round Hill) on 3 Mar
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 1057.6 mm at Mount Read
Driest overall
Lowest total rainfall		 55.7 mm at Bagdad Post Office
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		 83.8 mm at Mount Read on 30 Mar
Highest wind gust
 157 km/h at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse on 30 May

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Records

Highest total autumn rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for autumn 2007 (mm) 		Most recent higher
for autumn		 Years since
higher		 Normal for
autumn
Gladstone (Old Post Office) 321.0 342.4 in 1983 22 209.6


Lowest total autumn rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for autumn 2007 (mm) 		Most recent lower
for autumn		 Years since
lower		 Normal for
autumn
Premaydena Hatchery 101.4 86.8 in 1967 40 190.9


Record highest autumn temperature
Highest temperature
in autumn 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for autumn		 Years of
record		 Normal for
autumn
Wynyard Airport 27.8 on 23 Mar 27.5 on 7 Mar 1992 22 17.3



Record highest autumn mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for autumn 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for autumn		 Years of
record		 Normal for
autumn
Swansea Post Office 19.6 = 19.6 in 1972 51 18.5
Eddystone Point 19.9 19.4 in 2002 49 18.0
Grove (Comparison) 18.8 = 18.8 in 2002 49 17.5
Hobart Airport 19.2 = 19.2 in 2002 49 17.9
Bicheno (Council Depot) 19.9 19.5 in 2002 33 18.6
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 20.1 19.9 in 2002 23 18.9
Tarraleah Village 15.3 = 15.3 in 2002 23 14.0
Wynyard Airport 19.1 18.6 in 2002 23 17.3
Scamander 19.8 = 19.8 in 1988 21 18.6


Highest autumn mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for autumn 2007 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for autumn		 Years since
higher		 Normal for
autumn
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 16.7 16.8 in 1972 34 15.5



Record highest autumn mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for autumn 2007 (°C) 		Previous highest
for autumn		 Years of
record		 Normal for
autumn
Hobart (Ellerslie Road) 10.4 10.3 in 1989 124 8.9
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 11.0 10.9 in 1989 81 9.6
Hobart Airport 10.0 9.7 in 1989 49 8.6
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 9.1 8.6 in 1985 23 7.3
Wynyard Airport 8.4 8.1 in 1992 23 7.1
Scamander 11.0 10.3 in 2003 20 9.4

Highest autumn mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for autumn 2007 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for autumn		 Years since
higher		 Normal for
autumn
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse 10.8 11.0 in 1974 33 9.5
Marrawah 11.3 11.4 in 1974 29 10.3
Bicheno (Council Depot) 11.5 11.6 in 1971 26 10.2
Grove (Comparison) 7.2 7.5 in 1980 24 6.2


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Summaries

In this table, key sites have been highlighted to make them easier to find. This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.


Summary statistics for autumn 2007
Maximum temperatures
for autumn
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for autumn
(°C)		 Rainfall
for autumn
(millimetres)
Mean for
autumn
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
autumn
2007		 Mean for
autumn
2007		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
autumn
2007		 Total for
autumn
2007		 Normal
for
autumn		 Rank of
autumn
2007		 Fraction of
autumn
normal
Northern (district 91)
Bridport 19.2 +0.9 26.0 23 Mar 10.7 +1.3 4.8 25 Mar 220.3 155.9 very high 141%
Burnie 18.8 +1.2 26.2 10 Apr 11.8 +1.8 6.0 26 Mar 226.8 219.6 normal 103%
Cape Grim BAPS 17.5 +1.1 25.1 15 Mar 12.4 +0.9 7.9 30 May 248.8 181.1 high 137%
Cressy Research Station 19.5 29.1 3 Mar 7.1 −0.5 7 Apr 136.4
Devonport Airport 18.8 +1.2 25.2 23 Mar 10.2 +1.8 4.2 25 Mar 159.3 183.2 normal 87%
Launceston 20.1 +1.2 28.9 2 Mar 9.1 +1.8 3.1 7 Apr 175.6 148.6 normal 118%
Launceston Airport 19.5 29.4 3 Mar 7.9 2.3 25 Mar 160.6
Launceston Airport Comparison 18.8 +1.4 28.4 3 Mar 8.1 +1.5 1.6 25 Mar 174.2 152.9 normal 114%
Low Head 18.7 +1.2 25.8 2 Mar 12.3 +1.3 7.0 25 Mar 150.0 141.1 normal 106%
Luncheon Hill 17.0 +1.4 28.0 1 Mar 9.2 +1.2 4.5 6 Mar 434.0 344.0 high 126%
Marrawah 18.0 +1.1 26.0 15 Mar 11.3 +1.0 7.2 12 Apr 248.6 253.0 normal 98%
Powranna 19.1 +1.1 28.7 15 Mar 7.3 +1.2 0.5 7 May 150.9 119.3 high 126%
Scottsdale 18.7 +0.7 27.4 15 Mar 8.8 +1.0 3.0 3 Apr 269.2 233.7 normal 115%
Sheffield School Farm 18.1 +1.6 28.2 2 Mar 8.1 +1.0 2.2 25 Mar
Smithton Aerodrome 18.9 +1.3 28.8 1 Mar 9.1 +1.7 0.3 25 Mar 240.0 174.4 very high 138%
Wynyard Airport 19.1 +1.7 27.8 23 Mar 8.4 +1.3 0.8 25 Mar 274.2 217.4 high 126%
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno 19.9 +1.4 29.0 11 Mar 11.5 +1.3 5.7 25 Mar 122.9 173.8 normal 71%
Eddystone Point 19.9 +1.9 27.0 16 Mar 12.5 +1.1 6.8 22 May 142.6 190.5 low 75%
Fingal 19.0 +0.7 30.9 23 Mar 6.7 +1.4 −1.0 7 Apr 140.4 146.7 normal 96%
Friendly Beaches 19.6 +1.0 30.3 23 Mar 10.9 +1.1 5.4 4 Apr
Lake Leake 15.4 +1.2 26.4 23 Mar 5.2 +1.2 −1.7 25 Mar 197.4 207.0 normal 95%
Maria Island 18.6 27.6 23 Mar 12.2 8.2 25 Mar 98.4
Orford 18.6 +0.4 27.4 3 Mar 9.8 +1.5 4.0 8 Apr 115.8 163.1 normal 71%
Scamander 19.8 +1.3 32.2 23 Mar 11.0 +1.6 6.2 25 Mar 150.3 190.3 normal 79%
St Helens Aerodrome 19.5 29.3 15 Mar 10.6 4.9 25 Mar 149.4
Swan Island 19.0 27.0 23 Mar 13.3 8.3 22 May 271.0
Swansea Post Office 19.6 +1.1 31.7 23 Mar 9.7 +1.4 3.7 12 Apr 114.8 149.5 normal 77%
Midlands (district 93)
Ross 19.2 +1.6 29.9 3 Mar 7.4 +2.1 −0.2 7 May 101.0 95.8 normal 105%
Southeast (district 94)
Bull Bay 18.3 +1.0 30.0 23 Mar 10.2 +0.6 5.5 22 May 91.4 127.9 low 71%
Campania 19.8 32.3 23 Mar 8.8 1.6 12 Apr 70.4
Cape Bruny 17.3 +1.1 28.3 3 Mar 10.9 +1.1 6.3 22 May 145.4 164.6 normal 88%
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 16.7 +1.3 27.0 3 Mar 11.0 +1.4 6.4 22 May 179.2 232.9 low 77%
Dover 17.8 +1.0 27.8 23 Mar 8.3 +1.0 1.2 26 Apr 119.2 204.0 low 58%
Geeveston 18.1 +1.0 28.6 22 Mar 7.7 +1.3 −0.5 26 Apr 150.6 193.8 normal 78%
Grove 18.8 +1.3 30.2 23 Mar 7.2 +1.1 −0.2 12 Apr 90.6 169.4 low 53%
Grove 18.8 30.3 23 Mar 6.8 −0.9 12 Apr 92.0
Hobart 18.4 +1.2 30.7 23 Mar 10.4 +1.5 5.1 22 May 81.6 143.4 low 57%
Hobart Airport 19.2 +1.3 31.6 23 Mar 10.0 +1.3 1.8 12 Apr 59.6 114.7 very low 52%
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse 15.3 +0.9 27.1 3 Mar 10.8 +1.3 6.7 22 May 251.5 310.3 low 81%
Melton Mowbray 18.6 +1.3 30.6 23 Mar 7.4 +1.6 0.7 12 Apr 63.2 88.8 low 71%
Mount Wellington 9.6 +1.3 19.4 23 Mar 3.6 +1.4 −1.5 31 May 299.0 225.5 high 133%
Tasman Island 15.9 26.5 23 Mar 10.7 6.9 31 May 107.4
Tunnack Fire Station 16.6 +1.3 27.9 15 Mar 6.6 +1.4 −0.5 25 Mar 110.8 139.1 normal 80%
Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park 19.8 +1.8 31.0 22 Mar 6.8 +0.5 0.6 22 May
Maydena Post Office 17.2 +1.2 29.0 22 Mar 6.5 +1.2 0.0 26 Apr 230.2 257.7 normal 89%
Moogara 15.7 +1.9 26.2 22 Mar 6.7 +1.3 0.4 4 Apr 120.8 171.9 very low 70%
Ouse Fire Station 19.5 30.6 22 Mar 6.3 −0.9 8 Apr
Tarraleah Village 15.3 +1.3 26.6 3 Mar 4.4 +0.5 −1.8 12 Apr 238.5 269.7 normal 88%
Central Plateau (district 96)
Lake St Clair National Park 14.4 +1.4 26.0 10 Mar 3.8 +1.1 −2.6 12 Apr 475.8 420.0 high 113%
Liawenee 13.6 23.6 15 Mar 2.6 −5.5 7 Apr 288.2
West Coast (district 97)
Hartz Mountain 12.4 +1.0 22.9 3 Mar 5.7 +1.1 0.5 30 May 230.0
Mount Read 10.4 +1.5 20.4 15 Mar 4.3 +1.0 −0.7 30 May 1057.6 930.7 normal 114%
Scotts Peak Dam 15.8 27.0 22 Mar 7.7 1.6 26 Apr 427.4
Strahan Aerodrome 17.7 +1.1 28.6 3 Mar 9.4 +1.0 2.8 27 Apr 428.0 349.5 high 122%
Warra 14.5 24.9 3 Mar 7.2 1.4 26 Apr 364.4
King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport 18.8 +1.3 30.9 15 Mar 11.3 +1.0 3.0 13 Apr 209.2 189.8 high 110%
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport 19.8 +1.2 33.4 23 Mar 11.4 +0.7 3.1 7 Apr 223.8 190.5 high 117%
Hogan Island 18.9 31.9 23 Mar 13.7 6.8 22 May 182.6
Macquarie Island (district 300)
Macquarie Island 7.0 +0.1 10.6 3 Mar 3.8 +0.2 −3.7 16 May 322.6 276.3 high 117%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Friday 1 June 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

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