Tuesday, 1 March 2011 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC27R0
Tasmania in summer 2010-11: Wet in the north, cooler than usual days
Parts of northern Tasmania had its wettest summer on record after several days of heavy rain, including extremely heavy rain around 14 January. Most other areas of the state were also wetter than usual. Daytime temperatures were cooler than usual overall, though there were a few hot days, and nights were near average after both warm and cool periods.
- 2nd-wettest summer day on record: 282 mm at Falmouth
- Several floods in the north
- A few days with mountain snow
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
Record wet in the north
Several days of heavy rain, including record-breaking rain in January, gave parts of northern Tasmania its wettest summer on record. Many sites in the north had their highest total summer rainfall on record or for many years, with rainfall totals twice their typical summer values. Much of the rain fell between the 10th and 14th of January, when a trough of low pressure persisted over the state for a few days and brought extremely heavy rain to the northwest and northeast. Falmouth received 282 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on 13 January, making it Tasmania's second-wettest summer day on record (the wettest was 23 December 1993, when Falmouth recorded 289 mm). A number of sites had their wettest summer day on record; a special climate statement gives further details about this event. Other particularly wet days in the north included 19 February, when a low pressure system crossed the state bringing 77 mm to Scamander and over 50 mm to many areas, and several days in December when severe thunderstorms brought locally heavy falls.
Elsewhere in the state, summer was wetter than usual except for a few sites in the southeast and central west. The only site to register less than 100 mm was Campania, with a total of 95.4 mm. Mount Read in the western highlands was the wettest site with 688 mm, but Gray in the northeast highlands was not far behind with 639 mm and a number other sites in the northwest and northeast also had over 500 mm.
A cool summer, especially compared to last year
Few hot days and several cool periods meant that summer daytime temperatures were cooler than usual, especially inland. Average maximum temperatures were around a degree cooler than usual, and about two degrees cooler than last summer at many sites. For most areas, it was the coolest summer since 2001. While much of the Midlands, Derwent Valley and southeast had average maximum temperatures of at least 23 °C last summer, this year Launceston, with 23.1 °C, was the only site this warm.
Cloudy conditions and a lack of sunshine meant several days felt cooler than they might otherwise have been. There were still some hot days, notably 7-8 January across the state, 15 January in the east, 30 January and 1 February in the north and east and 13-15 February in the south and west. Temperatures reached 35.0 °C at both Fingal and Flinders Island Airport on 1 February. But cool periods were more common and included much of December, 6 February and 20-21 February when many areas only reached the mid-teens and snow fell on the mountains. Mount Wellington had the coldest day of summer, reaching only 2.9 °C on 21 December.
Many warm nights but some cold ones too
Overall, night time temperatures were near average after both warm and cool periods. The warmest nights occurred between 7 and 15 January when cloud, rain and moist easterly winds inhibited cooling. This gave Bicheno 9 nights in a row over 15 °C, something that has only happened once before, and the warmest night of summer with Flinders Island (20.8 °C), Launceston (20.2 °C) and Strahan (20.1 °C) all not falling below 20 °C on 14 January. Other nights above 20 °C included Flinders Island Airport on 1 February and Strahan on 8 December.
There were also some nights that were much cooler than usual, mainly in the second half of December but also on a few occasions during February. These generally occurred when light winds and clear skies developed behind cold fronts. This was the situation on 27 December, when the coldest summer temperature for most sites was registered. Mount Wellington fell to -3.3 °C on this morning, and Cape Grim, with 6.9 °C, had its lowest summer temperature on record.An average summer for Hobart, but cool compared to last year
Hobart's average maximum temperature for summer was 21.1 °C, right on average but nearly 2 degrees cooler than last year. A major difference was the number of hot days: last summer had 8 days over 30 °C whereas this summer there were only 2 days this warm. Cool days were also more common than last summer, with over 30 days when the temperature didn't reach 20 °C. There were few especially cold days, with just 9 days below 18 °C (compared to 5 last year and 22 in a typical summer). Overnight temperatures were slightly warmer than usual, with an average minimum temperature of 12.1 °C. The warmest night was 19.0 °C on 15 January.
Hobart's rainfall was also average with a total of 145 mm, but wetter than last year's 108 mm. The rain was much more consistent this year, with rain falling on 43 days this summer compared to just 21 days last summer. This also made it less sunny: on average there were 2 hours less sunshine each day this summer compared to last summer. The heaviest rain fell with a low pressure system on 19 February, bringing 22 mm for the day.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
| Extremes in summer 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 35.0 °C at Fingal (Legge Street) and Flinders
Island Airport on 1 Feb 2011 |
| Warmest days on average | 23.1 °C at Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) |
| Coolest days on average | 12.0 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Coldest day | 2.9 °C at Mount Wellington on
21 Dec 2010 |
| Coldest night | -3.3 °C at Mount Wellington on
27 Dec 2010 |
| Coolest nights on average | 3.7 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Warmest nights on average | 14.5 °C at Hogan Island |
| Warmest night | 20.8 °C at Flinders Island Airport
on 14 Jan 2011 |
| Warmest on average overall | 17.6 °C at Flinders Island Airport and Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) |
| Coolest on average overall | 7.8 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Wettest overall | 688.4 mm at Mount Read |
| Driest overall | 95.4 mm at Campania (Kincora) |
| Wettest day | 282.0 mm at Falmouth (Glencoe)
on 13 Jan 2011 |
| Highest wind gust | 157 km/h at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse
on 10 Dec 2010 |
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 summer daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Highest daily rainfall in summer 2010-11 (mm) |
Previous wettest for summer |
Years of record |
||||
| Yolla (Sea View) | 131.0 | on 14 Jan 2011 | 127.0 | on 28 Dec 1934 | 105 | |
| Tomahawk (Carisbrooke) | 123.2 | on 13 Jan 2011 | 94.8 | on 23 Dec 1993 | 47 | |
| Wynyard Airport | 115.6 | on 13 Jan 2011 | 66.0 | on 25 Jan 1996 | 40 | |
| Mawbanna (Harby Hills) | 72.8 | on 13 Jan 2011 | 60.4 | on 23 Dec 1993 | 30 | |
| Scamander | 278.0 | on 13 Jan 2011 | 116.4 | on 29 Jan 2004 | 29 | |
| Loongana (Serendipity) | 130.6 | on 14 Jan 2011 | 90.0 | on 11 Dec 1986 | 28 | |
| Record highest total summer rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for summer 2010-11 (mm) |
Previous wettest for summer |
Years of record |
Average for summer |
||
| Frankford (Rossville) | 403.6 | 400.8 | in 1944 | 117 | 168.3 |
| Latrobe (Coal Road) | 419.0 | 365.3 | in 1937 | 109 | 149.6 |
| Yolla (Sea View) | 584.2 | 476.9 | in 1916 | 106 | 219.0 |
| Ulverstone (Knights Road) | 413.1 | 327.0 | in 1993 | 105 | 152.4 |
| Mole Creek | 514.8 | 436.2 | in 1955 | 96 | 182.5 |
| Burnie (Round Hill) | 365.7 | 288.8 | in 1993 | 66 | 153.5 |
| Devonport Airport | 282.4 | 247.2 | in 2003 | 47 | 133.6 |
| Barrington Post Office | 498.4 | 331.6 | in 1970 | 44 | 185.2 |
| Forthside Research Station | 407.4 | 341.7 | in 1993 | 44 | 167.1 |
| Marrawah | 267.8 | 264.3 | in 1974 | 40 | 159.0 |
| Wynyard Airport | 420.7 | 296.6 | in 1995 | 38 | 157.4 |
| King Island Airport | 249.8 | 219.6 | in 1976 | 36 | 120.8 |
| Scamander | 576.6 | 327.8 | in 2007 | 26 | 167.6 |
| Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) | 217.0 | 205.8 | in 1989 | 23 | 118.2 |
| Highest total summer rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for summer 2010-11 (mm) |
Most recent summer at least this wet |
Years since wetter |
Average for summer |
||
| Deal Island | 282.7 | 303.0 | in 1934 | 73 | 127.7 |
| City of Melbourne Bay | 243.4 | 252.8 | in 1953 | 57 | 148.2 |
| Naracoopa | 259.0 | 261.6 | in 1953 | 54 | 141.0 |
| Lorinna | 433.8 | 439.5 | in 1934 | 38 | 215.0 |
| Memana (Babel Farm) | 252.8 | 263.7 | in 1970 | 34 | 152.4 |
| Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) | 278.8 | 291.8 | in 1985 | 25 | 166.3 |
| Ringarooma (Charles Street) | 291.8 | 315.0 | in 1985 | 24 | 197.0 |
| Record lowest summer temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lowest temperature in summer 2010-11 (°C) |
Previous coolest for summer |
Years of record |
Average for summer |
|||
| Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) | 6.9 | on 27 Dec 2010 | 7.0 | on 6 Dec 2002 | 20 | 12.9 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for summer 2010-11 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures for summer (°C) |
Minimum temperatures for summer (°C) |
Rainfall for summer (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for summer 2010-11 |
Diff from average |
Highest for summer 2010-11 |
Mean for summer 2010-11 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for summer 2010-11 |
Total for summer 2010-11 |
Average for summer |
Rank of summer 2010-11 |
Fraction of summer average |
|||
| Northern (district 91) | ||||||||||||
| Bridport (Sea View Villas) | 20.4 | -1.0 | 25.5 | 7 Jan 2011 | 12.3 | -0.1 | 4.5 | 28 Dec 2010 | 249.3 | 132.6 | v high | 188% |
| Burnie (Round Hill) | 20.5 | -0.1 | 30.6 | 30 Jan 2011 | 12.6 | +0.2 | 6.0 | 27 Dec 2010 | 365.7 | 153.5 | highest | 238% |
| Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) | 18.1 | -0.4 | 23.8 | 8 Jan 2011 | 12.6 | -0.3 | 6.9 | 27 Dec 2010 | 217.0 | 118.2 | highest | 184% |
| Cressy Research Station | 22.4 | -2.0 | 31.5 | 1 Feb 2011 | 9.5 | -0.1 | -0.5 | 28 Dec 2010 | 221.6 | |||
| Devonport Airport | 20.3 | -0.5 | 28.3 | 30 Jan 2011 | 11.9 | +0.2 | 3.9 | 28 Dec 2010 | 282.4 | 133.6 | highest | 211% |
| Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) | 23.1 | -0.6 | 30.3 | 7 Jan 2011 | 12.2 | +0.5 | 3.7 | 28 Dec 2010 | 188.6 | 124.8 | high | 151% |
| Launceston Airport | 22.6 | 31.0 | 1 Feb 2011 | 10.1 | 1.3 | 28 Dec 2010 | 148.0 | |||||
| Low Head | 19.7 | -0.3 | 24.1 | 1 Feb 2011 | 13.8 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 28 Dec 2010 | 227.6 | 121.1 | high | 188% |
| Luncheon Hill (Forestry) | 18.8 | -1.4 | 27.3 | 7 Jan 2011 | 9.8 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 27 Dec 2010 | 326.4 | 226.8 | high | 144% |
| Marrawah | 18.8 | -0.9 | 25.0 | 1 Feb 2011 | 11.8 | +0.2 | 6.0 | 27 Dec 2010 | 267.8 | 159.0 | highest | 168% |
| Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) | 20.9 | -1.3 | 31.8 | 1 Feb 2011 | 10.6 | +0.3 | 2.8 | 28 Dec 2010 | 278.8 | 166.3 | v high | 168% |
| Sheffield School Farm | 19.8 | -1.3 | 28.9 | 30 Jan 2011 | 9.7 | -0.5 | 2.8 | 27 Dec 2010 | ||||
| Smithton Aerodrome | 20.1 | -0.8 | 27.2 | 1 Feb 2011 | 10.7 | -0.1 | 3.2 | 30 Dec 2010 | 240.4 | 139.7 | v high | 172% |
| Wynyard Airport | 20.7 | -0.1 | 30.8 | 30 Jan 2011 | 10.7 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 28 Dec 2010 | 420.7 | 157.4 | highest | 267% |
| East Coast (district 92) | ||||||||||||
| Bicheno (Council Depot) | 20.4 | -0.6 | 30.7 | 15 Jan 2011 | 12.8 | +0.3 | 5.5 | 28 Dec 2010 | 270.2 | 182.0 | high | 148% |
| Eddystone Point | 21.6 | +1.1 | 31.9 | 1 Feb 2011 | 13.3 | -0.1 | 7.1 | 22 Dec 2010 | 231.8 | 152.4 | high | 152% |
| Fingal (Legge Street) | 21.6 | -0.9 | 35.0 | 1 Feb 2011 | 9.6 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 28 Dec 2010 | ||||
| Friendly Beaches | 21.5 | -0.9 | 31.3 | 15 Jan 2011 | 12.3 | -0.4 | 6.0 | 27 Dec 2010 | 244.6 | 169.1 | high | 145% |
| Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) | 17.9 | -0.7 | 28.4 | 8 Jan 2011 | 7.9 | +0.1 | 0.3 | 28 Dec 2010 | 200.8 | 172.9 | high | 116% |
| Maria Island (Point Lesueur) | 19.7 | 29.4 | 15 Jan 2011 | 12.7 | 7.2 | 27 Dec 2010 | 161.6 | |||||
| Orford (Aubin Court) | 20.3 | -1.1 | 29.6 | 15 Jan 2011 | 11.5 | 0.0 | 5.3 | 27 Dec 2010 | 184.0 | 158.9 | high | 116% |
| Scamander | 20.8 | -0.5 | 33.7 | 1 Feb 2011 | 12.6 | +0.3 | 5.3 | 27 Dec 2010 | 576.6 | 167.6 | highest | 344% |
| St Helens Aerodrome | 21.4 | 32.4 | 1 Feb 2011 | 12.6 | 5.3 | 28 Dec 2010 | 319.8 | |||||
| Swan Island | 20.0 | 25.8 | 1 Feb 2011 | 14.2 | 8.6 | 28 Dec 2010 | 195.0 | |||||
| Swansea Post Office | 21.1 | -0.6 | 31.5 | 15 Jan 2011 | 11.1 | -0.3 | 2.0 | 28 Dec 2010 | 175.6 | 152.5 | high | 115% |
| Midlands (district 93) | ||||||||||||
| Ross (The Boulevards) | 22.5 | -1.2 | 30.7 | 30 Jan 2011 | 9.8 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 28 Dec 2010 | 168.6 | 128.2 | high | 132% |
| Southeast (district 94) | ||||||||||||
| Campania (Kincora) | 22.5 | -1.1 | 34.7 | 8 Jan 2011 | 10.4 | -0.4 | 3.4 | 13 Dec 2010 | 95.4 | 104.6 | average | 91% |
| Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny) | 18.5 | -0.7 | 31.2 | 7 Jan 2011 | 11.3 | -0.4 | 5.0 | 27 Dec 2010 | 195.0 | 168.5 | high | 116% |
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 17.8 | -0.1 | 29.8 | 7 Jan 2011 | 11.5 | +0.3 | 4.6 | 22 Feb 2011 | 233.4 | 195.6 | high | 119% |
| Geeveston (Cemetery Road) | 20.1 | -1.0 | 32.0 | 7 Jan 2011 | 9.9 | +0.5 | 3.4 | 27 Dec 2010 | 208.8 | 179.4 | high | 116% |
| Grove (Research Station) | 20.7 | 32.2 | 7 Jan 2011 | 9.0 | 2.6 | 6 Feb 2011 | 179.8 | |||||
| Hobart (Ellerslie Road) | 21.1 | -0.1 | 33.6 | 8 Jan 2011 | 12.1 | +0.5 | 6.4 | 27 Dec 2010 | 145.2 | 144.7 | average | 100% |
| Hobart Airport | 21.4 | -0.4 | 34.4 | 8 Jan 2011 | 11.8 | +0.2 | 5.4 | 21 Feb 2011 | 109.0 | 130.4 | average | 84% |
| Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse | 16.0 | -0.7 | 26.6 | 8 Dec 2010 | 10.8 | +0.3 | 5.5 | 27 Dec 2010 | 311.4 | 240.4 | high | 130% |
| Melton Mowbray (North Stockman) | 21.4 | -1.7 | 33.8 | 8 Jan 2011 | 9.7 | -0.1 | 3.6 | 27 Dec 2010 | 107.6 | 103.6 | average | 104% |
| Mount Wellington | 12.0 | -0.7 | 23.1 | 8 Jan 2011 | 3.7 | -0.6 | -3.3 | 27 Dec 2010 | 396.4 | 253.7 | high | 156% |
| Tasman Island | 16.4 | 25.9 | 7 Jan 2011 | 10.7 | 4.5 | 27 Dec 2010 | 241.4 | |||||
| Tunnack Fire Station | 19.2 | -1.6 | 28.6 | 8 Jan 2011 | 8.1 | -0.3 | 0.7 | 12 Feb 2011 | 186.8 | 147.5 | high | 127% |
| Derwent Valley (district 95) | ||||||||||||
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | 22.6 | -0.7 | 32.5 | 7 Jan 2011 | 10.0 | +0.3 | 3.0 | 16 Dec 2010 | 159.0 | 127.0 | high | 125% |
| Maydena Post Office | 19.4 | -2.0 | 29.8 | 7 Jan 2011 | 8.8 | +0.4 | 2.5 | 27 Dec 2010 | 272.0 | 216.8 | high | 125% |
| Ouse Fire Station | 22.8 | -1.8 | 32.1 | 7 Jan 2011 | 9.7 | +0.2 | 2.5 | 27 Dec 2010 | 128.2 | 96.4 | high | 133% |
| Tarraleah Village | 18.5 | -0.5 | 27.2 | 8 Jan 2011 | 2.1 | 21 Feb 2011 | ||||||
| Central Plateau (district 96) | ||||||||||||
| Butlers Gorge | 17.1 | -0.9 | 27.7 | 7 Jan 2011 | 6.5 | +0.5 | 0.2 | 31 Dec 2010 | 315.8 | 306.0 | average | 103% |
| Lake St Clair National Park | 17.6 | -1.0 | 26.6 | 8 Jan 2011 | 6.1 | +0.4 | -0.2 | 31 Dec 2010 | 322.8 | 319.9 | average | 101% |
| Liawenee | 16.7 | 24.5 | 8 Jan 2011 | 4.9 | -1.7 | 27 Dec 2010 | 267.2 | |||||
| West Coast (district 97) | ||||||||||||
| Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple) | 14.7 | -2.1 | 25.9 | 7 Jan 2011 | 5.8 | -0.7 | -1.1 | 27 Dec 2010 | 241.4 | 201.9 | high | 120% |
| Mount Read | 12.3 | -1.1 | 21.1 | 14 Feb 2011 | 5.0 | -0.3 | -2.3 | 27 Dec 2010 | 688.4 | 683.1 | average | 101% |
| Scotts Peak Dam | 19.0 | -1.0 | 31.2 | 7 Jan 2011 | 8.7 | -0.1 | 1.5 | 27 Dec 2010 | 395.8 | 326.8 | high | 121% |
| Strahan Aerodrome | 19.5 | -0.8 | 29.8 | 13 Jan 2011 | 10.8 | +0.5 | 5.1 | 27 Dec 2010 | 292.0 | 230.7 | high | 127% |
| Strathgordon Village | 17.8 | -0.9 | 27.4 | 7 Jan 2011 | 9.1 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 27 Dec 2010 | 494.6 | 462.7 | average | 107% |
| Warra | 17.0 | 28.1 | 7 Jan 2011 | 7.6 | 0.5 | 27 Dec 2010 | 392.8 | |||||
| King Island (district 98) | ||||||||||||
| King Island Airport | 19.5 | -0.7 | 31.6 | 7 Jan 2011 | 12.2 | +0.1 | 5.8 | 30 Dec 2010 | 249.8 | 120.8 | highest | 207% |
| Flinders Island (district 99) | ||||||||||||
| Flinders Island Airport | 21.5 | -0.1 | 35.0 | 1 Feb 2011 | 13.7 | +0.8 | 4.5 | 31 Dec 2010 | 204.2 | 143.5 | high | 142% |
| Hogan Island | 20.4 | 31.2 | 1 Feb 2011 | 14.5 | 8.3 | 27 Dec 2010 | 222.8 | |||||
| Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300) | ||||||||||||
| Macquarie Island | 8.7 | +0.3 | 11.5 | 20 Dec 2010 | 5.1 | +0.1 | 1.4 | 6 Dec 2010 | 333.0 | 248.4 | v high | 134% |
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 Tuesday 1 March 2011. 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
