Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0
Tasmania in spring 2010: wetter than usual, temperatures near normal
Several troughs and low pressure systems ensured that it was a wetter than usual spring across Tasmania. Temperatures gradually warmed from September to November, and overall nights were generally warmer than usual while days were cooler than usual.
- Some record daily rainfall totals
- Snow to low levels on several days
- Waves to 18 metres on 16 September
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
A wet spring across the state
Troughs and cold fronts regularly affected Tasmania during spring, along with the odd low pressure system, making it wetter than usual nearly everywhere. In the east most sites were not as wet as spring last year, but most other areas had their wettest spring in at least 5 years. Some locations, including Marrawah, Cape Bruny and Bushy Park, had their wettest spring in over 20 years. Mount Read was the wettest site overall with a total of 1164 mm, while Fingal was the driest with 110 mm.
The wettest days were 4 September and 30-31 October, when low pressure systems moved over the state. More than 50 mm fell in most of the north on 4 September, with nearly 100 mm on higher ground in the northeast causing widespread flooding. The highest daily totals were to 9am on 31 October, when 84 mm was recorded at Erriba and 82 mm at South Riana, and Mawbanna (71 mm) and Gowrie Park (68 mm) had their highest spring daily rainfall on record.
Cold, snowy days in September; some hot days in November
Overall, daytime temperatures for spring were slightly cooler than usual in most areas, with several sites having their coldest spring since 2003 or even earlier. The exceptions were a few sites in the southeast, on the northwest coast and in the far northeast. Eddystone Point stood out, having its highest spring mean daily maximum temperature on record, with an average maximum temperature of 17.8 °C. The warmest days on average were at Launceston with 18.1 °C, while the coolest days on averate were at Mount Read with 7.2 °C.
Most of the cold days were in September, with Mount Wellington only reaching -2.2 °C on the 28th and -2.1 °C on the 29th. Snow settled to around 200 metres in the south on these days, behind a cold front that crossed the state on the 27th. It was almost as cold on 15-16 September and 15-16 October, with snow to similarly low levels.
There were a few warm days in October (including the 3rd-4th, 22nd and 29th), but temperatures didn't climb into the 30s until 12 November, in a northerly airstream as a trough and cold front approached the state. The warmest temperature on this day was 31.6 °C at Flinders Island Airport. Temperatures again soared on 23 November in a similar airstream, with many sites climbing into the 30s. Campania registered the hottest spring temperature, reaching 34.8 °C on this day.Many cold nights but mild at the end
There were several very cold nights in September and during the middle part of October, but by November nights were mostly mild. Minima ranged from -7.9 °C at Liawenee on 7 September (the second coldest temperature recorded in Tasmania this year) to 18.4 °C at Hogan Island on 24 November. Liawenee fell below -7 °C on 3 and 8 September and 24 October, and Dover had its lowest spring temperature on record on 8 September, falling to -2.1 °C. The coldest nights were mostly when high pressure ridges moved over the state behind cold fronts, while the warmest were on windy, rainy or cloudy nights.
For the whole season mean minima were within half a degree of normal, with slightly cooler than normal conditions in the west and warmer than normal conditions elsewhere. Mount Wellington had the coolest nights on average (0.2 °C) and Swan Island had the warmest night on average (10.5 °C).
Huge waves on 16 September
The waverider buoy off Cape Sorell on Tasmania’s west coast registered an 18.4 metre wave at about 11 am on 16 September. This approaches the record wave of 19.8 metres measured by a similar buoy operated by CSIRO in July 1985. The peak was a single wave, but for most of the day waves at the buoy were averaging over 8 metres. The observers at Maatsuyker Island just off Tasmania’s south coast reported an exceptional 11 metre swell, and at Cape Bruny 10 metres was reported. The huge waves were generated by strong winds around a deep low pressure system over the Southern Ocean south of Tasmania as a cold front swept across the state. The same system brought damaging winds, rain, hail and snow, with road closures, building damage and failed power lines reported across the state. Wind gusts reached 148 km/h at Maatsuyker Island and 141 km/h at Cape Bruny. A few days later the same system brought extreme weather to New Zealand.Hobart: warm and wet
Hobart
was one of the few sites that had warmer then usual day and nights
during spring. Both the mean maximum temperature of 17.4 °C and the
mean minimum temperature of 8.2 °C were about half a degree above
average. There were a number of days when the temperature didn't reach
12 °C in September and October, the coldest being just 10.5 °C on 28
September — a day when snow settled in suburban Mount Nelson. Another cold day
was 16 September, when the temperature stayed below 6 °C for much of
the day. In contrast, the temperature reached 33.9 °C on 23 November,
making it Hobart's hottest spring day since 1988 and by far the warmest
day for the season. Overnight temperatures varied from 1.7 °C on 7 September to 15.7 °C on 25 November.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
| Extremes in spring 2010 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day |
34.8 °C at Campania (Kincora) on 23 Nov |
| Warmest days on average | 18.1 °C at Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) |
| Coolest days on average | 7.2 °C at Mount Read |
| Coldest day |
-2.2 °C at Mount Wellington on 28 Sep |
| Coldest night |
-7.9 °C at Liawenee on 7 Sep |
| Coolest nights on average | 0.2 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Warmest nights on average | 10.5 °C at Swan Island |
| Warmest night |
18.4 °C at Hogan Island on 24 Nov |
| Warmest on average overall | 13.7 °C at Eddystone Point |
| Coolest on average overall | 3.8 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Wettest overall |
1164.2 mm at Mount Read |
| Driest overall | 109.6 mm at Fingal (Legge Street) |
| Wettest day | 84.4 mm at Erriba (Jubb Road) on 31 Oct |
| Highest wind gust |
148 km/h at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse on 15 Sep |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Record highest spring daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily rainfall in spring 2010 (mm) |
Previous wettest for spring |
Years of record |
||||
| Mawbanna (Mawbanna Road) | 71.2 | on 31 Oct | 70.4 | on 29 Nov 1977 | 66 | |
| Gowrie Park | 68.4 | on 31 Oct | 65.0 | on 14 Oct 1986 | 39 | |
| Record highest total spring rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for spring 2010 (mm) |
Previous wettest for spring |
Years of record |
Average for spring |
||
| Cape Grim BAPS * | 309.0 | 304.2 | in 1988 | 23 | 190.2 |
| Highest total spring rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for spring 2010 (mm) |
Most recent spring at least this wet |
Years since wetter |
Average for spring |
||
| Macquarie Island | 307.0 | 309.9 | in 1955 | 53 | 222.5 |
| Marrawah | 379.0 | 423.0 | in 1979 | 31 | 264.6 |
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 352.6 | 401.0 | in 1984 | 26 | 240.7 |
| Woodbridge | 338.6 | 364.3 | in 1962 | 23 | 249.6 |
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | 223.0 | 271.0 | in 1988 | 22 | 164.5 |
| Lunawanna | 297.2 | 298.6 | in 1988 | 20 | 209.1 |
| Record highest spring mean daily maximum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mean daily maximum temperature for spring 2010 (°C) |
Previous warmest for spring |
Years of record |
Average for spring |
||
| Eddystone Point | 17.8 | 17.7 | in 2009 | 51 | 16.3 |
| Record lowest spring temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest temperature in spring 2010 (°C) |
Previous coolest for spring |
Years of record |
Average for spring |
|||
| Dover | -2.1 | on 8 Sep | -1.0 | on 9 Sep 1992 | 21 | 6.4 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for spring 2010 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures for spring (°C) |
Minimum temperatures for spring (°C) |
Rainfall for spring (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for spring 2010 |
Diff from average |
Highest for spring 2010 |
Mean for spring 2010 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for spring 2010 |
Total for spring 2010 |
Average for spring |
Rank of spring 2010 |
Fraction of spring average |
|||
| Northern (district 91) | ||||||||||||
| Bridport (Sea View Villas) | 16.1 | -0.4 | 24.9 | 23 Nov | 8.4 | +0.1 | 0.6 | 29 Sep | 216.4 | 182.5 | high | 119% |
| Burnie (Round Hill) | 16.1 | +0.1 | 22.0 | 23 Nov | 8.9 | +0.7 | 2.3 | 29 Sep | 275.4 | 242.4 | average | 114% |
| Cape Grim BAPS | 14.4 | -0.1 | 23.4 | 23 Nov | 9.3 | -0.1 | 3.7 | 16 Oct | 309.0 | 190.2 | highest | 162% |
| Cressy Research Station | 17.0 | -0.4 | 27.7 | 23 Nov | 6.1 | +0.8 | -2.5 | 8 Sep | 208.0 | 166.3 | high | 125% |
| Devonport Airport | 16.1 | +0.3 | 22.6 | 24 Nov | 8.2 | +0.8 | -0.1 | 30 Sep | 215.3 | 196.2 | average | 110% |
| Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) | 18.1 | +0.1 | 27.8 | 12 Nov | 7.6 | +0.6 | -0.6 | 30 Sep | 179.4 | 166.7 | average | 108% |
| Launceston Airport | 17.1 | 27.4 | 23 Nov | 6.0 | -2.5 | 30 Sep | 178.4 | |||||
| Low Head | 15.3 | -0.2 | 21.7 | 28 Nov | 10.0 | +0.3 | 2.3 | 30 Sep | 209.2 | 164.5 | high | 127% |
| Luncheon Hill (Forestry) | 14.2 | -0.6 | 28.3 | 23 Nov | 6.2 | -0.1 | 0.3 | 16 Oct | 516.2 | 408.4 | high | 126% |
| Marrawah | 27.2 | 23 Nov | 8.4 | +0.2 | 3.3 | 16 Oct | 379.0 | 264.6 | v high | 143% | ||
| Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) | 16.1 | -0.3 | 26.6 | 23 Nov | 6.6 | +0.5 | -2.2 | 30 Sep | 288.8 | 253.2 | average | 114% |
| Sheffield School Farm | 14.9 | -0.5 | 24.6 | 23 Nov | 6.2 | +0.2 | -0.9 | 30 Sep | 371.6 | 292.1 | average | 127% |
| Smithton Aerodrome | 15.8 | -0.7 | 23.6 | 23 Nov | 7.0 | -0.3 | -0.6 | 2 Sep | 314.0 | 243.1 | high | 129% |
| Wynyard Airport | 16.3 | +0.2 | 22.2 | 20 Nov | 6.9 | +0.6 | -0.1 | 14 Sep | 303.0 | 260.1 | high | 116% |
| East Coast (district 92) | ||||||||||||
| Bicheno (Council Depot) | 17.0 | -0.3 | 32.5 | 23 Nov | 8.8 | +0.2 | 1.7 | 8 Sep | 150.8 | 157.8 | average | 96% |
| Eddystone Point | 17.8 | +1.5 | 28.9 | 23 Nov | 9.5 | +0.2 | 2.1 | 29 Sep | 190.8 | 193.0 | average | 99% |
| Fingal (Legge Street) | 17.0 | -0.4 | 30.3 | 12 Nov | 5.5 | +0.4 | -3.2 | 30 Sep | 109.6 | 149.2 | low | 73% |
| Friendly Beaches | 17.7 | -0.4 | 33.9 | 23 Nov | 8.7 | -0.1 | 1.3 | 8 Sep | 167.8 | 152.2 | average | 110% |
| Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) | 13.4 | -0.1 | 26.6 | 12 Nov | 3.9 | +0.3 | -3.8 | 2 Sep | 191.2 | 209.4 | average | 91% |
| Maria Island (Point Lesueur) | 16.2 | 28.0 | 23 Nov | 9.2 | 2.5 | 16 Oct | 157.4 | |||||
| Orford (Aubin Court) | 16.8 | -0.4 | 31.9 | 23 Nov | 7.4 | +0.1 | -0.4 | 8 Sep | 190.8 | 177.2 | average | 108% |
| Scamander | 17.4 | -0.2 | 31.8 | 23 Nov | 8.7 | +0.4 | 1.2 | 14 Sep | 153.9 | 180.3 | average | 85% |
| St Helens Aerodrome | 17.4 | 30.1 | 23 Nov | 8.4 | 0.7 | 14 Sep | 160.0 | |||||
| Swan Island | 15.9 | 25.7 | 23 Nov | 10.5 | 4.0 | 30 Sep | 155.0 | |||||
| Swansea Post Office | 17.6 | 0.0 | 33.3 | 23 Nov | 7.3 | 0.0 | -0.7 | 8 Sep | 132.5 | 146.0 | average | 91% |
| Midlands (district 93) | ||||||||||||
| Ross (The Boulevards) | 17.1 | 0.0 | 29.6 | 23 Nov | 5.5 | +0.4 | -4.6 | 7 Sep | 183.6 | 144.2 | high | 127% |
| Southeast (district 94) | ||||||||||||
| Campania (Kincora) | 17.8 | -0.5 | 34.8 | 23 Nov | 6.6 | -0.2 | -1.5 | 7 Sep | 194.6 | |||
| Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny) | 15.3 | -0.1 | 31.9 | 23 Nov | 7.8 | -0.7 | 2.2 | 16 Oct | 294.8 | 196.0 | v high | 150% |
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 14.6 | +0.2 | 31.3 | 23 Nov | 7.9 | -0.1 | 1.2 | 17 Oct | 352.6 | 240.7 | v high | 146% |
| Dover | 15.5 | -0.6 | 32.2 | 23 Nov | 6.0 | -0.4 | -2.1 | 8 Sep | ||||
| Geeveston (Cemetery Road) | 16.2 | -0.2 | 31.4 | 23 Nov | 6.3 | +0.3 | -1.2 | 3 Sep | 326.8 | 255.5 | high | 128% |
| Grove (Research Station) | 16.6 | 31.1 | 23 Nov | 5.5 | -3.1 | 3 Sep | 328.8 | |||||
| Hobart (Ellerslie Road) | 17.4 | +0.5 | 33.9 | 23 Nov | 8.2 | +0.4 | 1.7 | 7 Sep | 231.8 | 169.5 | high | 137% |
| Hobart Airport | 17.4 | +0.2 | 33.3 | 23 Nov | 7.9 | +0.3 | 0.5 | 8 Sep | 179.4 | 133.3 | high | 135% |
| Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse | 12.8 | -0.5 | 26.5 | 23 Nov | 7.6 | +0.1 | 2.6 | 14 Sep | 304.0 | 308.2 | average | 99% |
| Melton Mowbray (North Stockman) | 16.3 | -0.7 | 32.6 | 23 Nov | 6.0 | +0.2 | -2.6 | 7 Sep | 199.6 | 138.2 | high | 144% |
| Mount Wellington | 7.4 | +0.5 | 23.3 | 23 Nov | 0.2 | 0.0 | -6.1 | 16 Oct | ||||
| Tasman Island | 13.3 | 31.7 | 23 Nov | 7.4 | 0.8 | 17 Sep | 249.8 | |||||
| Tunnack Fire Station | 14.4 | -0.3 | 27.4 | 23 Nov | 4.5 | -0.1 | -4.3 | 7 Sep | 249.6 | 187.4 | high | 133% |
| Derwent Valley (district 95) | ||||||||||||
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | 17.9 | +0.3 | 32.9 | 23 Nov | 5.6 | -0.1 | -3.5 | 8 Sep | 223.0 | 164.5 | high | 136% |
| Maydena Post Office | 15.1 | -0.7 | 29.2 | 23 Nov | 5.0 | +0.2 | -2.0 | 3 Sep | 370.8 | 355.1 | average | 104% |
| Ouse Fire Station | 17.5 | -0.6 | 33.2 | 23 Nov | 5.5 | +0.1 | -3.9 | 8 Sep | 181.4 | 169.1 | average | 107% |
| Tarraleah Village | 13.4 | -0.3 | 27.5 | 23 Nov | -3.0 | 3 Sep | 366.2 | 327.7 | average | 112% | ||
| Central Plateau (district 96) | ||||||||||||
| Butlers Gorge | 12.3 | 0.0 | 26.8 | 23 Nov | 2.7 | +0.3 | -3.9 | 24 Oct | 490.6 | 468.0 | average | 105% |
| Lake St Clair National Park | 12.7 | 0.0 | 27.2 | 23 Nov | 2.3 | +0.2 | -4.9 | 8 Sep | 533.2 | 528.6 | average | 101% |
| Liawenee | 11.3 | 24.2 | 23 Nov | 1.1 | -7.9 | 7 Sep | 262.6 | 268.5 | average | 98% | ||
| West Coast (district 97) | ||||||||||||
| Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple) | 10.3 | -0.7 | 25.5 | 23 Nov | 2.5 | -0.4 | -3.2 | 16 Oct | 317.4 | 268.2 | high | 118% |
| Mount Read | 7.2 | -0.5 | 20.8 | 23 Nov | 1.2 | -0.3 | -4.7 | 16 Oct | 1164.2 | |||
| Scotts Peak Dam | 14.5 | -0.3 | 28.3 | 22 Nov | 5.1 | -0.3 | -1.6 | 8 Sep | 599.2 | |||
| Strahan Aerodrome | 15.8 | -0.2 | 29.7 | 23 Nov | 7.2 | -0.1 | -0.6 | 3 Sep | 496.4 | 328.0 | v high | 151% |
| Strathgordon Village | 13.4 | -0.4 | 28.2 | 23 Nov | 5.4 | -0.2 | -0.5 | 3 Sep | 807.6 | 707.7 | high | 114% |
| Warra | 13.0 | 28.8 | 23 Nov | 4.1 | -2.7 | 7 Sep | 594.0 | |||||
| King Island (district 98) | ||||||||||||
| King Island Airport | 15.8 | 0.0 | 29.3 | 23 Nov | 8.7 | -0.3 | 2.6 | 28 Oct | 225.8 | 219.2 | average | 103% |
| Flinders Island (district 99) | ||||||||||||
| Flinders Island Airport | 17.1 | +0.3 | 31.7 | 23 Nov | 9.6 | +0.9 | -0.1 | 8 Sep | 152.5 | 179.9 | average | 85% |
| Hogan Island | 15.9 | 30.2 | 23 Nov | 10.4 | 5.3 | 28 Sep | 154.6 | |||||
| Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300) | ||||||||||||
| Macquarie Island | 5.8 | -0.1 | 8.9 | 27 Nov | 2.1 | 0.0 | -6.8 | 25 Sep | 307.0 | 222.5 | v high | 138% |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Notes
A Seasonal Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in Tasmania using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.
This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9 am on Wednesday 1 December 2010. 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
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
