Monday, 1 December 2008 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0

Tasmania in spring 2008: near average overall

Most places had near average rainfall during spring: a very dry October was balanced by a wet November. Each month had some very cold nights and severe frosts, but overall temperatures were within half a degree of average.

An archive of previous seasonal summaries for Tasmania is also available, as are summaries for other states and many other climate summaries and diagnostics.

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Details

Some rain at last: Spring 2008 was wetter than the springs of 2007 and 2006 — but significantly drier than the very wet 2005. This was despite October 2008 being very dry. Over the whole season, rainfall was near average across much of the state, although parts of the northwest and the southeast were drier than usual. The highest daily totals fell when low pressure systems passed near the state on the 7th and 21st of November, and with an active cold front on the 15th of September.

Cool and warm days average out: The mostly cool days in November were more than compensated for by the warmth of September and October, so that overall mean daily maximum temperatures were above average by about half to one degree, except on the northern West Coast where they were a shade below average. Temperatures reached into the low 30s on the 26th and 27th of October, and again on the 13th of November. October was the warmer than November for many sites in the east — something that has happened only about one year in eight.  For most places, spring 2008 was cooler than 2007 but warmer than 2006; the main exceptions were Flinders Island which had its warmest spring since 1980 and some other sites (including Burnie, Scottsdale and Swansea) which had their coolest since 2003.

Some cold nights: There were several very cold nights and severe frosts during spring, especially on the 4th of September, 23rd of October and 5th of November. On each of these mornings, Liawenee dropped to around −7°C. Bushy Park and Fingal recorded their lowest spring temperature on record on the 4th of September. Although there were few especially warm nights, there were plenty at least a little above average. Taken over the whole season, mean minima were mostly within half a degree of average — a little below in north and a little above in the south. For most sites, mean minimum temperatures were warmer than those of 2006 but cooler than 2007.

Changing synoptic patterns: Cold fronts were the major synoptic feature affecting Tasmania in September, bringing both warm and cool days, some rainfall and lots of wind. Fronts were weak and infrequent during October and high pressure systems dominated for a period in the middle of the month. As a result, October was warm and dry. The situation changed again in November, with low pressure systems repeatedly passing near the state. These sometimes brought in a lot of moisture from the tropics which fell as welcome rain over Tasmania.

Further information

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

Extremes

Hottest day
Highest temperature		 32.3°C at Friendly Beaches on 27 Oct
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		18.7°C at Campania (Kincora)
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 7.2°C at Mount Read
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 −1.4°C at Mount Wellington on 16 Sep
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −7.5°C at Liawenee on 23 Oct
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 0.0°C at Mount Wellington
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 10.4°C at Hogan Island
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 18.1°C at Flinders Island Airport on 27 Oct
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 788.5 mm at Cradle Valley (Waldheim)
Driest overall
Lowest total rainfall		 90.2 mm at Bellerive (York Street)
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		 84.2 mm at Preolenna on 8 Nov
Highest wind gust
 156 km/h at Mount Wellington on 26 Sep

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Records


Highest spring mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for spring 2008 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for spring		 Years since
higher		 Average for
spring
Flinders Island Airport 17.7 17.9 in 1980 27 16.7


Record lowest spring temperature
Lowest temperature
in spring 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for spring		 Years of
record		 Average for
spring
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) −3.7 on 4 Sep −3.4 on 8 Sep 2003 47 5.7
Fingal (Legge Street) −6.2 on 4 Sep −4.8 on 13 Sep 1993 23 5.0


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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 spring 2008
Maximum temperatures
for spring
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for spring
(°C)		 Rainfall
for spring
(millimetres)
Mean for
spring
2008		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
spring
2008		 Mean for
spring
2008		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
spring
2008		 Total for
spring
2008		 Average
for
spring		 Rank of
spring
2008		 Fraction of
spring
average
Northern (district 91)
Bridport 16.5 0.0 23.5 12 Nov 8.1 −0.1 −0.1 3 Sep 163.5 179.8 average 91%
Burnie 16.4 +0.4 22.6 28 Nov 8.9 +0.8 3.4 17 Sep 169.2 242.5 low 70%
Cape Grim BAPS 14.6 +0.1 21.1 13 Nov 9.5 +0.1 4.0 4 Sep 150.0 183.4 average 82%
Cressy Research Station 17.4   28.4 12 Nov 4.8   −4.4 3 Sep 164.6 165.8 average 99%
Devonport Airport 16.2 +0.4 24.8 31 Oct 7.5 +0.2 0.1 3 Sep 135.9 195.6 low 69%
Launceston 18.2 +0.3 28.5 12 Nov 7.0 +0.1 −1.6 3 Sep 166.9 165.8 average 101%
Launceston Airport 17.3   27.1 13 Nov 5.2   −3.0 3 Sep 164.2
Launceston Airport Comparison 16.5 +0.1 26.3 12 Nov 5.7 +0.1 −2.4 3 Sep 184.6 174.4 average 106%
Low Head 15.4 −0.1 20.8 12 Nov 9.6 0.0 2.8 3 Sep 125.6 158.5 average 79%
Luncheon Hill 13.0 −1.6 24.9 12 Nov 5.0 −1.3 −0.5 4 Nov 352.4 407.5 low 86%
Marrawah 15.2 +0.1 24.0 12 Nov 8.7 +0.5 3.3 3 Sep 187.2 261.4 low 72%
Scottsdale 16.0 −0.4 26.2 12 Nov 5.9 −0.2 −1.9 3 Sep 209.8 254.0 average 83%
Sheffield School Farm 15.2 −0.1 24.5 12 Nov 5.5 −0.5 −1.8 3 Sep 283.2
Smithton Aerodrome 16.4 −0.1 22.8 26 Oct 7.4 +0.2 −0.6 3 Sep 166.4 239.4 very low 70%
Wynyard Airport 16.6 +0.6 23.4 28 Nov 6.5 +0.3 −0.9 8 Sep 166.3 259.6 very low 64%
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno 18.0 +0.7 28.1 27 Oct 8.8 +0.2 1.7 4 Sep 157.8 155.2 average 102%
Eddystone Point 17.3 +1.0 24.1 12 Oct 9.3 0.0 3.5 3 Sep 193.8 191.1 average 101%
Fingal 18.2 +0.8 29.7 27 Oct 4.6 −0.4 −6.2 4 Sep 128.4 148.7 average 86%
Friendly Beaches 18.4 +0.3 32.3 27 Oct 8.6 −0.2 1.2 17 Sep 118.4
Lake Leake 14.0 +0.5 26.7 13 Nov 3.3 −0.3 −6.3 4 Sep 210.6 209.0 average 101%
Maria Island 17.0   26.8 27 Oct 9.2   4.3 8 Sep 98.2
Orford 17.7 +0.5 31.2 27 Oct 7.7 +0.4 −0.6 4 Sep 132.8 174.7 average 76%
Scamander 18.1 +0.5 29.3 27 Oct 8.2 −0.1 1.2 3 Sep 208.0 177.7 average 117%
St Helens Aerodrome 17.5   26.3 27 Oct 8.1   −0.1 3 Sep 178.4
Swan Island 15.7   21.3 13 Nov 10.1   4.5 3 Sep 205.8
Swansea Post Office 18.2 +0.6 32.2 27 Oct 7.1 −0.2 −1.5 10 Sep 96.0 145.3 low 66%
Midlands (district 93)
Ross 17.3 +0.2 27.9 27 Oct 5.0 0.0 −5.6 23 Oct 166.6 139.4 high 120%
Southeast (district 94)
Bull Bay 16.6 +0.3 29.5 13 Nov 7.9 −0.1 2.5 29 Sep 126.2 157.4 low 80%
Campania 18.7   31.0 13 Nov 6.7   −1.6 23 Oct
Cape Bruny 15.5 +0.1 29.9 13 Nov 8.3 −0.2 3.4 4 Sep 169.0 187.0 low 90%
Cape Bruny Lighthouse 14.9 +0.5 28.2 13 Nov 8.2 +0.2 3.0 29 Sep 216.8 239.9 average 90%
Dover 16.0 −0.1 30.4 13 Nov 6.6 +0.2 −0.6 4 Sep 194.0 239.2 low 81%
Geeveston 16.5 +0.1 29.9 13 Nov 6.4 +0.4 −1.6 4 Sep 223.4 252.7 average 88%
Grove (Comparison) 17.1 +0.3 30.6 13 Nov 6.3 +0.6 −2.6 4 Sep 157.2 208.0 low 76%
Grove 16.7   27.5 27 Oct 5.6   −3.2 4 Sep 162.6
Hobart 17.9 +1.0 30.6 27 Oct 8.5 +0.7 2.1 23 Oct 120.8 168.2 low 72%
Hobart Airport 18.1 +0.9 31.2 13 Nov 8.0 +0.5 0.9 4 Sep 94.4 131.0 low 72%
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse 13.0 −0.3 26.3 13 Nov 7.6 +0.1 3.9 23 Sep 291.4 308.2 average 95%
Melton Mowbray 17.2 +0.2 30.2 26 Oct 5.7 0.0 −3.5 23 Oct 114.4 128.1 average 89%
Mount Wellington 7.6 +0.7 20.6 27 Oct 0.0 −0.2 −5.2 4 Nov
Tasman Island 13.9   25.9 27 Oct 7.5   2.3 29 Sep 175.8
Tunnack Fire Station 15.0 +0.3 27.0 27 Oct 4.4 −0.1 −3.6 23 Oct 146.6 163.9 average 89%
Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park 18.6 +1.0 30.7 13 Nov 5.5 −0.3 −3.7 4 Sep 109.0 164.1 low 66%
Maydena Post Office 15.5 −0.2 29.0 13 Nov 5.2 +0.4 −2.7 5 Sep 328.4 357.0 average 92%
Ouse Fire Station 18.1 0.0 31.2 13 Nov 5.4 +0.1 −3.5 23 Oct 164.4 171.6 average 96%
Tarraleah Village 13.7 0.0 25.5 13 Nov 3.7 +0.5 −2.7 3 Sep 352.6 328.4 average 107%
Central Plateau (district 96)
Butlers Gorge 12.5 +0.2 24.5 26 Oct 2.5 +0.1 −5.5 5 Nov 489.6 469.8 average 104%
Lake St Clair National Park 12.6 0.0 24.3 26 Oct 2.5 +0.5 −5.5 4 Sep 518.8 535.2 average 97%
Liawenee 11.1   22.9 27 Oct 0.6   −7.5 23 Oct 310.0
West Coast (district 97)
Hartz Mountain 10.3 −0.7 23.2 13 Nov 2.6 −0.3 −1.8 29 Sep 261.8
Mount Read 7.2 −0.6 19.0 12 Nov 1.3 −0.2 −3.7 9 Sep
Scotts Peak Dam 14.3   26.9 13 Nov 5.4   0.6 3 Sep
Strahan Aerodrome 16.0 +0.1 27.8 13 Nov 7.6 +0.4 0.0 4 Sep 359.6 384.5 average 94%
Strathgordon Village 13.7 0.0 27.5 13 Nov 5.6 0.0 −0.5 5 Sep 760.7 710.7 average 107%
Warra 13.2   26.6 13 Nov 4.6   −1.2 4 Sep 560.0
King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport 16.4 +0.6 29.6 13 Nov 9.2 +0.2 0.8 23 Oct 154.4 218.8 very low 71%
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport 17.7 +1.0 27.3 12 Oct 9.0 +0.3 −0.5 4 Sep 131.1 179.6 low 73%
Hogan Island 16.5   28.0 13 Nov 10.4   6.1 17 Sep
Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300)
Macquarie Island 5.5 −0.4 7.8 13 Oct 1.6 −0.4 −2.6 4 Nov 290.6 220.2 very high 132%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Monday 1 December 2008. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

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

Further information

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