Data Services, Bureau of Meteorology

The Bureau of Meteorology's Climate Data Services Section will be closed for the Easter Public Holidays. Due to reduced staffing levels and office closure, there may also be delays in processing your data enquiry between Wednesday 20th March and Friday 5th April 2013.

Past Weather & Climate Data

We provide past weather and climate information from the Bureau's vast Australian climate data archive. Popular climate datasets are available for free download. Charges apply for the provision of other data types. To reduce fees please use our new Weather Station Directory to provide us with the relevant station details to process your request. Data requests submitted without the necessary station details incur additional charges.

Download free online data

Download daily and monthly rainfall, maximum temperature, minimum temperature and solar exposure data files for your area of interest, using the Weather Station Directory.

View these data as tables and graphs using Climate Data Online.
Climate Data Online also provides access to daily and monthly climate statistics, and weather observation tables. The Daily Weather observations include observations (where available) of maximum and minimum temperature, rainfall, evaporation, sunshine duration, wind speed, direction and gust, air pressure, humidity and cloud for the previous 14 months.

Build standard data requests using the Weather Station Directory

Send a
Data Request (opens new window)

Search for weather stations that provide the data which best meet your needs and send your request using our new Weather Station Directory. Standard Data Requests are $94 (incl. GST) as detailed in the Charges section.

Standard request data types

Assisted information requests and enquiries

Send an
Enquiry (opens new window)

Fill out our Enquiry form to contact us for information.

For assisted data requests, please use the same form.
Assisted data requests, from: $147 (incl. GST)
Data requests can also include data analysis.
Additional services and costs are detailed in the Charges section.

Repeat clients

Customers who already know the relevant weather station details may continue to send requests using the Enquiry form.

Charges for weather station data from the Bureau's archive

We are committed to providing as much free data as possible online, however where data requirements fall outside the Basic Product Set, cost recovery charges are applied. These charges are set according to the Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines.
Charges below are GST inclusive.

Prices below apply after 13 August 2012.

Quoting and Payment

You will receive a quote confirming your request details, the cost, and our contact information for payment.
Payment options: MasterCard, Visa, AMEX, cheque or money order.
Requests are processed after payment.
A payment receipt will be supplied with your data.
Example.

Delivery

Data files are dispatched via email attachments. Alternatively FTP, USB or Hard Drive options are available on request.

Requests
Standard Requests You supply all relevant request details. Use the Weather Station Directory to select weather stations and send your requests. Example	$94
Assisted Requests These require us to identify the relevant weather station site numbers for you, or provide other assistance or advice. Use the Enquiries form to send your requests. Example	$147
Complex Requests These are charged on a time and resource basis. They often involve specialised analysis relating to requests for large datasets, mapped products, radar data, model ocean data and model atmospheric data. Use the Enquiries form to send your requests. Example	Quoted
Certified Extract If you need data to be certified for legal proceedings we can provide a Certified Extract. Use the Data Enquiries form to send your requests.
Standard Certified Extract Station information provided	$312
Assisted Certified Extract No Station information provided.	$392

Urgency Fee
Requests are generally processed within 5 working days of payment. If your request is urgent, priority handling may be available. Specify this in each form.	$160

Annual Subscriptions Use the Enquiries form to send your requests.
Standard Subscription Station information provided, no clarification required	$482
Assisted Subscription Station details not provided, clarification required	$562
Subscriptions Renewal	$401

Thunderstorm confirmation service	$2,938

Australian Climate Datasets

We have a range of climate datasets available for purchase on USB.
Please use the Enquiries form to order these datasets.

Weather station data

Historical climate and weather station datasets include synoptic wind, daily wind, rainfall, maximum and minimum temperature, humidity, pressure, and evaporation.

Gridded data

These datasets can be used in a geographic information system (GIS) or similar visualisation system. You can use the GIS to investigate the data or generate maps.

About gridded climate data

Rainfall

Temperature

Solar Exposure

Evapotranspiration

Monthly and annual evapotranspiration

Vapour pressure

Daily vapour pressure

Wave model data (WAM)

Daily wave model (WAM) data

Climate of Australia

ISBN:9780642706010
Cost: $64.95 (GST inc. )
Available at bookstores.

Our latest book, Climate of Australia, includes a fully illustrated, comprehensive description of Australia's climate since records began early in the 20th century.

The accompanying CD-ROM contains a full set of monthly climate maps, together with statistical tables from a selection of the Bureau's observation sites.

Climate Books and CDs

Frequently Asked Questions

Data Enquiries

Do you provide data feeds and web services.: Currently only real-time observations and forecasts are available.
I would like a storm confirmation.: Send a detailed Enquiry.
I frequently require storm confirmations.: Our registered user storm confirmation service provides summary information for industry use.
I have an insurance or legal related enquiry.: Send a detailed Enquiry.
Where can I find rainfall Intensity-Frequency-Duration data? (e.g. 1 in 100 year events): Intensity-Frequency-Duration data are available from Design Rainfalls.
How much, or how often, did it rain near a specific location, during a specific day, month or year?: Go to: Climate Data Online
Select daily rainfall, search for weather stations near your location, click a station dot, select the year you want. Review the day or month of interest.
What was the weather like on a particular day and location?: Go to: Climate Data Online
Select 'Daily weather observations', search for a weather station near the location of interest, click the station dot. Links under the monthly table to go to previous months. the latest 14 months of data are available.
I'm planning an event. How can I find out what the weather is normally like on a particular day of the year?: Go to: Climate Data Online
Select 'Climate calendar', search for a weather station near the location of interest, click the station dot.
Where can I find temperature and rainfall records?: Go to: Climate Extremes

Technical Questions

How do I unzip data files?: 1. Double-click the ZIP file in your email attachment.
2. A window will open to show you the files inside - these are text (.txt) files.
3. Drag each of the .txt files from the window to a location on your computer.
What do the zipped files contain?: - The text file containing the word 'Data': holds your requested data. The file is comma separated for importing into your spreadsheet software (e.g. Excel).
- The text file containing the word 'Notes': includes information relating to the file format and quality of the requested data. This file can be opened in word processing software (e.g. Word, Notepad).
- The text file containing the word 'StnDet': includes important information on the recording station (station name, latitude & longitude, elevation & when the station opened). This file can be opened in word processing software (e.g. Word, Notepad).
How can I import .txt files into Microsoft Excel?: 1. Open Microsoft Excel
2. Select 'File' , then, 'Open'.
3. In the 'Open' window ensure 'Files of Type' is set to 'All Files'.
4. Navigate to the location where you unzipped your files.
5. Select the text file containing the word 'Data'. Click 'Open'.
6. The 'Text Import Wizard' will appear.
7. In the 'Text Import Wizard Step 1 of 3' choose 'Delimited' then click the 'Next' button.
8. In the 'Text Import Wizard Step 2 of 3' choose 'Comma' then click the 'Next' button.
9. In the 'Text Import Wizard Step 3 of 3' click 'Finish'.
10. The data will now appear in your spreadsheet.
What does 'gridded data' mean?: It is a spatial data format that can be used in GIS applications.
What can I do with PDF documents?: If you do not already have a PDF reader application, you will need to download one, for example Adobe Reader, to read .pdf documents.

Related Information

About weather stations

Other data services

Weather data services
Forecasts, warnings and real-time data including latest observations, satellite, radar.
Water Information
- Rain, river and water storage data

Bureau rainfall districts

Bureau rainfall districts

Climate Service Centres

Please use the online forms to contact us for Standard data requests and Assisted data requests & Enquiries.

National Climate Centre See details Bureau of Meteorology PO Box 1289 Melbourne VIC 3001, Australia Contact Hours: 10am-12pm and 2-4pm Telephone: (03) 9669 4082 International: +61 3 9669 4082 Fax:(03) 9669 4515 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries	New South Wales & ACT See details Bureau of Meteorology PO Box 413 Darlinghurst NSW 1300 (Level 16, 300 Elizabeth Street) Contact Hours: 10am-12pm and 2-4pm Telephone: (02) 9296 1500 Fax: (02) 9296 1567 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries
Tasmania & Antarctica See details Bureau of Meteorology GPO Box 727 Hobart TAS 7001 (Level 5, 111 Macquarie Street) Contact Hours: 10am-12pm and 2-4pm Telephone: (03) 6221 2043 Fax: (03) 6221 2045 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries	Queensland See details Bureau of Meteorology GPO Box 413 Brisbane QLD 4001 (Level 22, 69 Ann Street) Contact Hours: 10am-12pm and 2-4pm Telephone: (07) 3239 8700 Fax: (07) 3239 8679 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries
Victoria See details Bureau of Meteorology PO Box 1636 Melbourne VIC 3001 (6th Floor, 1010 Latrobe Street, Docklands) Contact Hours: 10am-12pm and 2-4pm Telephone: (03) 9669 4956 Fax: (03) 9669 4977 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries	Western Australia See details Bureau of Meteorology PO Box 1370 West Perth WA 6872 (5th Floor, 1100 Hay Street) Contact Hours: 9:30-11:30am and 1:30-3:30pm Telephone: (08) 9263 2222 Fax: (08) 9263 2233 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries
Northern Territory See details Bureau of Meteorology PO Box 40050 Casuarina NT 0811 (3rd Floor, 13 Scaturchio Street) Contact Hours: 9:30-11:30am and 1:30-3:30pm Telephone: (08) 8920 3800 Fax: (08) 8920 3832 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries	South Australia See details Bureau of Meteorology PO Box 421 Kent Town SA 5071 (25 College Road) Contact Hours: 10am-12pm and 2-4pm Telephone: (08) 8366 2600 (switchboard) Fax: (08) 8366 2693 Online: Standard data requests or Assisted requests & Enquiries

Data Services