Monday, 3 September 2012 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Tasmania - Product code IDCKGC17R0
Tasmania in winter 2012: Dry, except in the northwest
Winter rainfall was below average across most of Tasmania, except in the northwest which had close to average winter rainfall. There were only a few very cold days and nights, most of those in June, with temperatures close to average overall.
- Driest winter on record at Scamander
- A few cold winter days and nights in June
- Record 20 m wave off Cape Sorell
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
A dry winter, except in the northwest
Winter rainfall was on the dry side of average for most areas, largely due to widespread dry conditions in July. The East Coast was particularly dry: Scamander only recorded 86.7 mm of rain, its driest winter on record (its previous winter record low of 90.0 mm was in 2002). The northwest was an exception, with winter rainfall totals close to average in some areas following wet conditions in August. Despite a dry July and average June, in parts of the northwest it rained on slightly more days than is usual for winter. Compared to winter last year, which had two significant flooding events in the northeast, winter 2012 tended to be drier in most areas.
The wettest winter days tended to be in June: on 4 June a low pressure system and southeasterly airflow brought rain to the northeast and Bass Strait with 69 mm falling at Gray, and on the 15 June a cold front delivered 65 mm to Loongana. Other wet days include 17 and 30 June when cold fronts delivered daily totals in excess of 20 mm to parts of the north and west.
Mount Read was the wettest location, recording at least 1154.6 mm (it is likely snow was not fully captured on several days). Campbell Town (Elizabeth R) was the driest site with only 65 mm for the whole of winter.
A few cold winter days and nights
Both maximum and minimum temperatures were within a degree of the winter average, with some areas a bit cooler than average and others a bit warmer. There were a few very cold days and nights, but most of those were in June and overall there weren't as many as is usual for winter. The coldest period was around 19 to 27 June when several cold fronts crossed Tasmania. Many areas had their coldest June day in several years as maximum temperatures struggled to reach 10 °C in the south and west, and 12 °C in the north and east. Mount Wellington reached only -2.9 °C on 25 June, the coldest day this year. Nights were also quite cold during this period; several sites had their coldest June night for many years. In Liawenee the temperature fell to -10.6 °C on 27 June, the coldest winter morning this year, before dropping to -9.7 °C the next day.
The mildest winter days were around 23 August when temperatures rose into the mid to high teens. Hobart recorded the highest temperature of 20.3 °C under clear sunny skies, followed by Fingal with 20.0 °C. Minimum temperatures were also warmer than average around 23 August, but were mildest around 14 June when moist northerly winds kept minima above 10 °C at sites in the north and east. Burnie recorded the warmest morning on this day, the temperature not dropping below 12.9 °C.
Snow
There were several days of snow this winter, the most significant of which was on 6 August when ice and snow down to 300 metres caused road closures across the south, west and midlands areas. Another cold outbreak saw snow settle below 200 metres in the south on the morning of 26 August. Between 18 and 26 June it also snowed down to 700 m on most days as several cold fronts affected the state, with snow down as low as 400 m on the 25th.
Record 20 m wave at Cape Sorell
A deep low pressure system passed to the south of Tasmania on 5 and 6 August, directing very strong winds across the Tasmanian region. A wind gust of 154 km/h was recorded at Maatsuyker Island. The waverider buoy at Cape Sorell reported a wave height of 20.0 m at 4:27 am on 6 August. The wave was probably the result of two wave trains combining. This is a new record wave for Cape Sorell, eclipsing both the 18.68 m reported there in July 2011 and the 19.83 m reported from the old CSIRO buoy in July 1985.
Mild and dry in Hobart
Winter was milder than usual in Hobart this year. The average maximum temperature of 13.1 °C was close to one degree warmer than the long-term average, though not as warm as in winter last year. There weren't many cold days: the temperature stayed below 10 °C on 7 days, compared to the long-term winter average of 17 such cold days. Mild days were more common, the temperature rising above 15 °C on 19 days which is slightly more than the long-term winter average of 14 days (but less than the 25 seen last winter). The warmest day was on 23 August when the temperature rose to 20.3 °C, the warmest winter temperature in Tasmania this year.
Nights were close to average in Hobart, the mean minimum of 5.2 °C just 0.2 °C above the long-term winter average. The temperature dropped below 2 °C seven times, which is a few nights less than the winter average of 11. Most of those frosty mornings were in June, and Hobart's coldest temperature for 2012 of 0.9 °C occurred on 28 June.
109 mm of rain was recorded in Hobart, which is less than the winter average of 160 mm. Both June and July were drier than usual, and August's rain was only just above average. It rained on 44 days which is average for winter, but daily totals were often less than 5 mm when it did fall. The wettest day was 6 August when a vigorous cold front delivered 15 mm of rain.
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
| Extremes in winter 2012 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day | 20.3 °C at Hobart (Ellerslie Road) on 23 Aug |
| Warmest days on average | 14.3 °C at Eddystone Point |
| Coolest days on average | 2.9 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Coldest day | -2.9 °C at Mount Wellington on 25 Jun |
| Coldest night | -10.6 °C at Liawenee on 27 Jun |
| Coolest nights on average | -1.3 °C at Liawenee and Mount Wellington |
| Warmest nights on average |
8.4 °C at Cape Grim and Swan Island |
| Warmest night | 12.9 °C at Burnie (Round Hill) on 14 Jun |
| Warmest on average overall | 11.0 °C at Swan Island |
| Coolest on average overall | 0.8 °C at Mount Wellington |
| Wettest overall | 1154.6 mm at Mount Read* |
| Driest overall | 65.1 mm at Campbell Town (Elizabeth R) |
| Wettest day | 68.6 mm at Gray (Dalmayne Rd) on 4 Jun |
| Highest wind gust | 154 km/h at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse on 6 Aug |
* The true total at Mount Read is probably higher, as it is likely some snow was lost.
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
|
|
|
| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
|
|
|
| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
|
|
|
Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Record lowest total winter rainfall | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total rainfall for winter 2012 (mm) |
Previous driest for winter |
Years of record |
Average for winter |
||
| Scamander | 86.7 | 90.0 | in 2002 | 29 | 173.2 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for winter 2012 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures for winter (°C) |
Minimum temperatures for winter (°C) |
Rainfall for winter (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for winter 2012 |
Diff from average |
Highest for winter 2012 |
Mean for winter 2012 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for winter 2012 |
Total for winter 2012 |
Average for winter |
Rank of winter 2012 |
Fraction of winter average |
|||
| Northern (district 91) | ||||||||||||
| Bridport (Sea View Villas) | 13.5 | -0.2 | 17.0 | 23 Aug | 5.4 | -0.4 | 0.1 | 26 Jun | 210.9 | 246.5 | average | 86% |
| Burnie (Round Hill) | 13.9 | +0.8 | 17.5 | 11 Aug | 1.8 | 31 Aug | 266.6 | 337.1 | low | 79% | ||
| Cape Grim | 12.4 | 15.4 | 1 Jun | 8.4 | 4.4 | 9 Aug | 330.2 | |||||
| Cape Grim BAPS (Comparison) | 12.6 | -0.2 | 16.2 | 1 Jun | 8.2 | -0.2 | 5.0 | 6 Aug | 351.8 | 281.8 | high | 125% |
| Cressy Research Station | 12.0 | -0.4 | 18.1 | 23 Aug | 1.9 | -0.1 | -5.2 | 27 Jun | 155.4 | 193.2 | low | 80% |
| Devonport Airport | 13.2 | +0.1 | 16.4 | 8 Jun | 4.5 | -0.4 | -1.7 | 27 Jun | 180.8 | 263.4 | low | 69% |
| Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) | 13.3 | +0.1 | 19.6 | 23 Aug | 2.9 | 0.0 | -3.5 | 27 Jun | 173.3 | 229.8 | low | 75% |
| Launceston Airport | 12.2 | 19.3 | 23 Aug | 2.3 | -5.6 | 27 Jun | 153.8 | |||||
| Low Head | 13.0 | -0.1 | 15.1 | 1 Jun | 6.9 | -0.3 | 1.7 | 27 Jun | 197.4 | 222.8 | low | 89% |
| Luncheon Hill (Forestry) | 10.6 | -0.4 | 14.2 | 28 Aug | 4.8 | -0.4 | 0.2 | 31 Aug | 551.6 | 545.5 | average | 101% |
| Marrawah | 12.7 | +0.1 | 15.3 | 23 Aug | 7.4 | +0.4 | 3.4 | 31 Jul | 362.8 | 391.4 | average | 93% |
| Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) | 12.2 | -0.2 | 17.7 | 23 Aug | 3.8 | -0.1 | -2.8 | 26 Jun | 273.8 | 342.4 | low | 80% |
| Sheffield School Farm | 11.5 | +0.1 | 15.6 | 11 Aug | 3.1 | -0.6 | -1.6 | 20 Jun | 354.6 | 364.0 | average | 97% |
| Smithton Aerodrome | 13.3 | -0.2 | 16.2 | 1 Jun | 4.7 | -0.3 | -1.4 | 26 Jun | 310.4 | 322.2 | average | 96% |
| Wynyard Airport | 13.4 | +0.3 | 16.2 | 11 Aug | 3.4 | -0.5 | -2.5 | 26 Jun | 302.0 | 354.3 | low | 85% |
| East Coast (district 92) | ||||||||||||
| Bicheno (Council Depot) | 14.2 | -0.2 | 18.0 | 28 Aug | 6.6 | +0.2 | 1.0 | 20 Jun | 84.9 | 163.9 | low | 52% |
| Eddystone Point | 14.3 | +0.8 | 18.4 | 23 Aug | 7.2 | -0.2 | 2.5 | 29 Jul | 144.2 | 222.8 | low | 65% |
| Fingal (Legge Street) | 12.4 | -0.3 | 20.0 | 23 Aug | 0.8 | -0.2 | -6.9 | 27 Jun | 106.4 | 180.6 | low | 59% |
| Friendly Beaches | 13.8 | -0.4 | 19.2 | 22 Aug | 5.9 | -0.2 | -0.6 | 27 Jun | 107.0 | 149.3 | low | 72% |
| Lake Leake (Elizabeth River) | 8.7 | -0.3 | 16.9 | 23 Aug | 0.6 | +0.1 | -6.8 | 27 Jun | 126.7 | 242.5 | v low | 52% |
| Maria Island (Point Lesueur) | 12.6 | 17.0 | 23 Aug | 7.6 | 3.9 | 26 Aug | 109.0 | |||||
| Orford (Aubin Court) | 13.0 | -0.5 | 18.0 | 23 Aug | 4.0 | +0.1 | -1.5 | 28 Jun | 107.6 | 171.6 | low | 63% |
| Scamander | 14.0 | -0.3 | 18.8 | 23 Aug | 4.7 | -0.4 | 0.4 | 28 Jun | 86.7 | 173.2 | lowest | 50% |
| St Helens Aerodrome | 13.8 | -0.1 | 18.4 | 23 Aug | 4.8 | -0.4 | -0.8 | 27 Jun | 116.0 | 175.1 | low | 66% |
| Swan Island | 13.5 | -0.1 | 16.4 | 1 Jun | 8.4 | -0.3 | 3.2 | 29 Jul | ||||
| Swansea (Francis Street) | 13.5 | 19.4 | 23 Aug | 4.2 | -2.1 | 28 Jun | 92.3 | |||||
| Midlands (district 93) | ||||||||||||
| Ross (The Boulevards) | 11.4 | -0.5 | 17.7 | 23 Aug | 1.7 | -0.2 | -6.5 | 27 Jun | 84.2 | 127.0 | average | 66% |
| Southeast (district 94) | ||||||||||||
| Campania (Kincora) | 13.2 | -0.5 | 19.7 | 23 Aug | 3.4 | -0.3 | -2.9 | 28 Jun | 94.2 | 124.4 | low | 76% |
| Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny) | 12.3 | -0.1 | 18.9 | 23 Aug | 2.7 | 28 Jun | ||||||
| Cape Bruny Lighthouse | 12.0 | +0.4 | 18.3 | 23 Aug | 6.7 | +0.3 | 0.7 | 25 Jun | 222.6 | 278.3 | low | 80% |
| Dover | 12.4 | -0.3 | 17.2 | 29 Aug | 3.5 | -0.3 | -1.3 | 28 Jun | 198.6 | 254.3 | average | 78% |
| Dunalley (Stroud Point) | 12.9 | 19.8 | 23 Aug | 6.2 | 0.8 | 28 Jun | 106.4 | |||||
| Geeveston (Cemetery Road) | 12.3 | -0.2 | 19.4 | 23 Aug | 2.6 | +0.2 | -3.2 | 28 Jun | 220.6 | 267.9 | average | 82% |
| Grove (Research Station) | 12.5 | 19.6 | 23 Aug | 1.7 | -4.1 | 27 Jun | 159.0 | |||||
| Hobart (Ellerslie Road) | 13.1 | +0.9 | 20.3 | 23 Aug | 5.2 | +0.2 | 0.9 | 28 Jun | 109.2 | 159.5 | low | 68% |
| Hobart Airport | 13.1 | +0.2 | 19.4 | 23 Aug | 4.5 | 0.0 | -0.6 | 28 Jun | 109.2 | 122.3 | average | 89% |
| Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse | 11.2 | 0.0 | 16.6 | 13 Jun | 7.3 | +0.5 | 3.2 | 26 Aug | 362.4 | 369.8 | average | 98% |
| Melton Mowbray (North Stockman) | 11.5 | -0.5 | 17.5 | 23 Aug | 1.9 | -0.4 | -4.2 | 20 Jun | 89.8 | 116.1 | average | 77% |
| Mount Wellington | 2.9 | 0.0 | 8.4 | 18 Jun | -1.3 | +0.1 | -5.5 | 26 Aug | ||||
| Tasman Island | 11.1 | -0.1 | 15.6 | 23 Aug | 6.6 | -0.2 | 2.1 | 26 Aug | 197.8 | |||
| Tunnack Fire Station | 9.6 | -0.4 | 15.6 | 23 Aug | 1.5 | -0.5 | -4.1 | 23 Jul | 132.2 | 174.5 | low | 76% |
| Derwent Valley (district 95) | ||||||||||||
| Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) | 12.4 | +0.6 | 19.9 | 23 Aug | 1.7 | -0.2 | -2.7 | 20 Jun | 108.0 | 151.3 | low | 71% |
| Maydena Post Office | 10.9 | -0.2 | 17.9 | 23 Aug | 2.8 | +0.4 | -1.0 | 20 Jun | 296.1 | 359.3 | average | 82% |
| Ouse Fire Station | 12.1 | -0.3 | 18.3 | 23 Aug | 1.2 | -0.4 | -4.8 | 8 Jul | 101.6 | 158.3 | low | 64% |
| Tarraleah Village | 8.8 | -0.1 | 14.4 | 23 Aug | 1.2 | +0.5 | -3.1 | 8 Jul | 258.7 | 343.4 | low | 75% |
| Central Plateau (district 96) | ||||||||||||
| Butlers Gorge | 7.9 | +0.4 | 13.9 | 23 Aug | 0.2 | +0.3 | -6.7 | 8 Jul | 381.8 | 510.1 | low | 75% |
| Lake St Clair National Park | 7.3 | -0.4 | 12.6 | 23 Aug | 0.3 | +0.1 | -4.6 | 8 Jul | 541.1 | 622.0 | average | 87% |
| Liawenee | 5.5 | -0.8 | 9.5 | 23 Aug | -1.3 | -0.1 | -10.6 | 27 Jun | 306.8 | 366.2 | low | 84% |
| West Coast (district 97) | ||||||||||||
| Cape Sorell | 12.6 | +0.6 | 15.9 | 14 Jun | 7.9 | +0.6 | 3.7 | 31 Aug | 407.0 | 449.6 | average | 91% |
| Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple) | 5.9 | -0.6 | 13.0 | 23 Aug | 1.3 | -0.4 | -2.8 | 26 Aug | ||||
| Low Rocky Point | 12.5 | 16.5 | 14 Jun | 7.2 | 3.6 | 20 Jun | 332.0 | 414.7 | low | 80% | ||
| Mount Read | 3.4 | -0.7 | 6.6 | 13 Aug | 0.0 | -0.4 | -3.6 | 6 Aug | 1154.6* | |||
| Scotts Peak Dam | 9.7 | 0.0 | 18.8 | 23 Aug | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 28 Jun | 601.8 | 606.9 | average | 99% |
| Strahan Aerodrome | 12.4 | -0.2 | 17.0 | 23 Aug | 5.4 | 0.0 | -0.5 | 1 Aug | 561.2 | 500.8 | average | 112% |
| Strathgordon Village | 9.5 | 0.0 | 15.0 | 23 Aug | 3.4 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 28 Jun | 687.8 | 777.7 | average | 88% |
| Warra | 8.9 | 15.4 | 23 Aug | 2.4 | -2.6 | 20 Jun | 468.6 | |||||
| King Island (district 98) | ||||||||||||
| King Island Airport | 13.3 | -0.3 | 16.4 | 28 Aug | 7.8 | +0.1 | 2.5 | 1 Aug | 324.8 | 328.0 | average | 99% |
| Flinders Island (district 99) | ||||||||||||
| Flinders Island Airport | 13.9 | +0.2 | 19.8 | 23 Aug | 6.1 | -0.5 | -1.7 | 26 Jun | ||||
| Antarctica and Macquarie Island (district 300) | ||||||||||||
| Macquarie Island | 5.6 | +0.6 | 7.9 | 11 Jul | 2.1 | +0.5 | -4.4 | 5 Jun | 266.6 | 222.8 | high | 120% |
* The true total at Mount Read is probably higher, as it is likely some snow was lost.
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 8 am on Monday 3 September 2012. 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
