Tasmania in spring 2023

Rainfall

  • Most of Tasmania had below average spring rainfall; it was very much drier than average along the west coast and across the north, tending to close to average in the south-east.
  • For Tasmania as a whole, spring rainfall was 33% below average (based on 1961–1990) and the 5th lowest on record going back to 1900.
  • The wettest day was the 20th when Strathgordon (Gordon Power Station) recorded 74.6 mm when a rainband from the south-west slowly crossed the state.
  • Warra, with 20 years of rainfall records, had its highest spring daily rainfall with 66 mm.

Temperature

  • Maximum temperatures were very much above average for most of the state.
  • For Tasmania as a whole, the mean maximum temperature was 1.37 °C above average (based on 1961–1990) and the 4th highest on record.
  • Minimum temperatures were warmer than average for most of the state, and very much warmer than average along the north coast and the Furneaux Islands.
  • For Tasmania as a whole, the mean minimum temperature was 0.38 °C above average (based on 1961–1990) and the highest since 2020.
  • Some sites had their highest spring mean daily maximum temperature on record, including larapuna (Eddystone Point) with 111 years of records.
  • Some of those same sites also had their highest spring mean temperature on record.

Hobart (Ellerslie Road)

  • Total rainfall for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 134.8 mm, which is 80% of the long-term average of 169.0 mm.
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 18.2 °C, which is 1.2 °C above the long-term average of 17.0 °C.
  • The warmest day was 27.2 °C on 10 November, and the coolest day was on 25 October when the temperature reached 11.2 °C.
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 8.7 °C, which is 0.8 °C above the long-term average of 7.9 °C.
  • The coldest morning was 1.8 °C on 22 September, and the warmest morning was on 9 November when the minimum temperature was 14.8 °C.

Extremes in spring 2023
Hottest day 30.4 °C at Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) on 10 Nov
Warmest days on average 19.6 °C at Launceston (Ti Tree Bend)
Coolest days on average 8.5 °C at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle)
Coldest day -0.7 °C at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle) on 25 Oct
-0.7 °C at Mount Read on 25 Oct
Coldest night -6.8 °C at Liawenee on 26 Sep
Coolest nights on average 1.1 °C at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle)
1.1 °C at Liawenee
Warmest nights on average 11.0 °C at Swan Island
Warmest night 18.1 °C at Flinders Island Airport on 25 Nov
Warmest on average overall 14.2 °C at larapuna (Eddystone Point)
Coolest on average overall 4.8 °C at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle)
Wettest overall 758.0 mm at Mount Read
Wettest day 74.6 mm at Strathgordon (Gordon Power Station) on 20 Sep
Strongest wind gust 159 km/h at kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle) on 25 Oct

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall
Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures
Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures
Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window


Record highest spring daily rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Warra 66.0 on 20 Sep 53.4 on 26 Nov 2015 20



Record highest spring mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
spring
larapuna (Eddystone Point) 18.4 18.3 in 2011 111 16.3
Devonport Airport 17.4 17.0 in 2015 31 16.1
Luncheon Hill (Forestry) 16.4 = 16.4 in 2015 26 14.9
Smithton Aerodrome 17.4 = 17.4 in 2009 26 16.5
Low Head 16.8 16.2 in 2015 25 15.6
St Helens Aerodrome 18.8 = 18.8 in 2017 22 17.7



Record highest spring mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
spring
Swan Island 11.0 = 11.0 in 2020 21 10.5



Record highest spring mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
spring
larapuna (Eddystone Point) 14.2 = 14.2 in 2015 111 12.7
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 13.7 13.6 in 2015 39 12.7
Devonport Airport 12.7 = 12.7 in 2020 31 11.9
Low Head 13.5 13.3 in 2009 25 12.7
St Helens Aerodrome 13.8 = 13.8 in 2017 22 13.0
Swan Island 14.0 = 14.0 in 2015 21 13.3



Summary statistics for spring 2023
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
spring
2023
Diff
from
average
Highest for
spring
2023
Mean for
spring
2023
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
spring
2023
Total for
spring
2023
Average
for
spring
Rank of
spring
2023
Fraction of
spring
average
Northern (district 91)
Cape Grim 14.8 +0.4 20.6 24 Nov 9.8 +0.3 5.0 26 Oct 108.8 207.9 v low 52%
Cressy (Brumbys Creek) 18.8   27.2 23 Nov 5.8   -2.0 7 Oct 71.4
Devonport Airport 17.4 +1.3 23.7 11 Nov 8.1 +0.5 1.8 22 Sep 81.4 191.8 v low 42%
Launceston (Ti Tree Bend) 19.6 +1.4 26.6 11 Nov 7.8 +0.7 1.2 26 Oct 93.5 166.2 v low 56%
Launceston Airport 18.8 +1.1 26.9 23 Nov 6.1 +0.4 -1.0 17 Oct 82.4 150.4 lowest 55%
Low Head 16.8 +1.2 23.0 26 Nov 10.2 +0.4 4.7 2 Sep 71.2 159.9 v low 45%
Luncheon Hill (Forestry) 16.4 +1.5 26.6 23 Nov 6.8 +0.3 2.0 27 Oct 256.2 387.0 v low 66%
Marrawah 16.0 +0.9 22.7 25 Nov     3.0 15 Oct 161.4 261.4 v low 62%
Scottsdale (West Minstone Road) 17.6 +1.1 25.1 11 Nov 6.7 +0.5 0.7 17 Oct 138.8 244.4 v low 57%
Sheffield School Farm 16.7 +1.2 23.2 8 Nov 5.9 -0.1 0.0 17 Oct 122.0 276.0 v low 44%
Smithton Aerodrome 17.4 +0.9 24.0 20 Nov 7.5 +0.2 0.5 17 Oct 128.4 233.5 v low 55%
Wynyard Airport 17.6 +1.3 24.5 18 Nov 7.1 +0.6 0.6 22 Sep 136.6 254.8 v low 54%
East Coast (district 92)
Bicheno (Council Depot) 17.9 +0.6 27.8 11 Nov 9.5 +0.7 3.4 11 Sep 92.9 163.6 low 57%
Fingal (Fleming St) 18.8   27.6 11 Nov 4.9   -2.7 10 Sep 97.6
Friendly Beaches 19.1 +0.8 28.6 11 Nov 9.2 +0.4 2.1 2 Sep 101.2 180.4 low 56%
larapuna (Eddystone Point) 18.4 +2.1 26.8 11 Nov 10.0 +0.9 4.7 26 Oct 107.6 192.1 v low 56%
Maria Island (Point Lesueur) 16.6 +0.1 23.9 10 Nov 9.9 +0.3 5.1 11 Sep 131.6 149.7 average 88%
St Helens Aerodrome 18.8 +1.1 26.8 11 Nov 8.7 +0.4 2.0 10 Sep 84.4 204.4 low 41%
Swan Island 17.0 +0.8 21.8 8 Nov 11.0 +0.5 5.6 17 Oct 88.6 153.4 low 58%
Swansea (Francis Street) 18.3 +0.5 29.8 10 Nov 7.3 -0.4 -0.7 11 Sep 77.3 163.7 low 47%
Midlands (district 93)
Ross (The Boulevards) 18.5 +1.2 26.9 23 Nov 4.4 -0.7 -4.4 22 Sep 79.0 135.3 low 58%
Southeast (district 94)
Campania (Kincora) 19.2 +0.9 28.3 10 Nov 6.6 -0.3 -1.2 22 Sep 134.4 139.5 average 96%
Cape Bruny (Cape Bruny) 15.7 0.0 22.1 24 Nov 8.8 +0.3 4.9 21 Sep 216.0 197.0 high 110%
Dennes Point 17.0 +0.4 24.0 13 Sep 8.7 -0.1 3.0 22 Sep 131.8 142.6 average 92%
Dover 16.8 +0.5 23.4 24 Nov 6.3 -0.1 1.0 22 Sep 243.8 239.4 average 102%
Dunalley (Stroud Point) 17.4 +0.4 26.6 10 Nov 9.2 0.0 4.5 2 Sep 123.4 143.7 average 86%
Grove (Research Station) 17.7 +0.4 27.1 10 Nov 4.9 -0.8 -2.2 11 Sep 177.8 200.2 average 89%
Hobart (Ellerslie Road) 18.2 +1.2 27.2 10 Nov 8.7 +0.8 1.8 22 Sep 134.8 169.0 average 80%
Hobart Airport 18.5   27.6 10 Nov 7.3   -1.8 11 Sep 95.2
kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle) 8.5 +1.2 18.8 10 Nov 1.1 +0.7 -5.0 11 Sep 243.2 258.1 average 94%
Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse 13.1 -0.2 20.3 4 Sep 8.5 +0.9 4.4 26 Oct 272.2 303.7 average 90%
Tasman Island 14.1 +0.2 21.3 19 Sep 8.5 +0.6 3.5 15 Oct 206.6 195.2 average 106%
Tunnack Fire Station 16.1 +1.2 24.0 10 Nov 4.5 -0.1 -5.0 22 Sep 112.8 183.7 low 61%
Derwent Valley (district 95)
Bushy Park (Bushy Park Estates) 19.5 +1.7 30.4 10 Nov 5.4 -0.4 -2.4 4 Sep 112.6 162.1 low 69%
Ouse Fire Station 19.1 +0.9 29.6 10 Nov 5.1 -0.4 -3.2 4 Sep 144.6 156.9 average 92%
Central Plateau (district 96)
Butlers Gorge 13.8 +1.3 25.6 23 Nov 2.7 +0.2 -6.0 26 Sep 422.4 462.9 average 91%
Liawenee 13.2 +1.3 22.3 23 Nov 1.1 0.0 -6.8 26 Sep 144.4 241.2 low 60%
West Coast (district 97)
Cape Sorell 16.3 +1.8 24.5 29 Nov 9.7 +0.9 4.5 26 Sep 143.6 310.3 v low 46%
Hartz Mountain (Keoghs Pimple) 11.3 +0.2 24.7 24 Nov 3.3 +0.3 -1.3 15 Oct 293.6 278.2 average 106%
Low Rocky Point 15.3 0.0 22.5 21 Oct 8.9 +0.4 4.3 26 Sep 196.4 322.7 v low 61%
Mount Read 8.9 +1.0 19.9 10 Nov 2.1 +0.5 -2.4 9 Sep 758.0 934.6 low 81%
Strahan Aerodrome 16.7 +0.5 24.5 14 Sep 7.9 +0.5 0.6 26 Sep 237.2 365.4 v low 65%
Warra 13.8 +0.1 24.7 24 Nov 5.0 +0.4 0.3 3 Sep 524.6 487.0 average 108%
King Island (district 98)
King Island Airport 16.9 +0.8 24.4 14 Sep 9.2 +0.1 2.6 17 Oct 84.4 212.1 lowest 40%
Flinders Island (district 99)
Flinders Island Airport 17.9 +1.0 26.8 11 Nov 8.9 0.0 0.8 2 Sep 122.8 176.2 low 70%
Hogan Island 17.0 +0.6 24.8 8 Nov 10.9 +0.5 6.8 9 Sep 147.4 147.5 average 100%
Note: From 2017, information about Macquarie Island can be found in the climate summary for the Remote Islands and Antarctica

Notes

The Seasonal climate summary, usually published in the first week of the following month, lists 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.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Friday 1 December 2023. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.

Averages for individual sites 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.

Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.

Information about Australian Indigenous seasonal calendars is available at the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website.


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