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SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - APRIL 1999
Significant events during April included the severe hailstorm that affected some Sydney suburbs on the 14th
and Tropical cyclone Gwenda that crossed the Western Australian coast near Port Hedland on the 7th.
Record rainfall also occurred at Gove in the Northern Territory on the 22nd.
The combination of a low in the Tasman and a high pressure system over southern Australia combined to
drive exceptionally cold, dry air into Queensland on the 25th and 26th and again between the 28th and 30th.
Record lowest minimum temperatures were recorded southwest of a line from Burketown to Gladstone.
Western Australia Tropical cyclone Gwenda was named on the morning of the 5th while northwest of the Kimberley coast.
The cyclone tracked initially to the west then to the southwest developing into a category 5 cyclone by the
6th when it was about 500km north of Karratha. Gwenda then moved on a more southerly track and weakened as
it approached the coast. By the time Gwenda crossed the coast about 60 km northeast of Port Hedland at about
midnight on the evening of the 7th it was a category 2 cyclone generating winds up to 140 km/h. The cyclone
rapidly weakened over land dropping below cyclone strength by 6am on the 8th. Relatively minor property damage
occurred at stations in the Port Hedland area. Gwenda also produced heavy rainfall in the eastern Pilbara.
Carlindi station received a total of 205mm in the 48 hours to 9am on the 8th.
Queensland Thunderstorms brought heavy rain and hail followed by a waterspout to the Bokarina/ Warana area of the Sunshine Coast. Minor damage to several houses and more extensive damage to an industrial area including the unroofing of a gymnasium were reported. New South Wales On the 10th at Kyogle (Northern Rivers) 50mm of rain fell in 30 minutes. On the 14th hail up to 9cm was reported in some eastern suburbs of Sydney. A number of eastern suburbs reported hail from 4cm to 9cm. Hail 2cm to 4cm hail was also reported from Wollongong to Newcastle. Damage to cars and homes was extensive with an estimated 20,000 homes damaged, mainly to tiled roofs. One man died from a lightning strike while fishing. The worst affected suburbs were Botany, Randwick, Waverley, Sutherland, Woollahra and City although extensive damage was also reported in Alexandria, Kingsford, Surry Hills and Newtown. Insurance estimates of the damage are about 1.3 billion dollars. It is only the second time that hail larger than 2cm had been recorded in April in Sydney. On the 21st, Watagan Mountain, Raymond Terrace and Hawks Nest (Hunter) reported 4cm hail. At Taree (Mid-North Coast) 4cm hail was also reported and 3cm hail at Crescent Head. Victoria On the 5th slow moving non-severe thunderstorms produced very localised heavy rain in the northern suburbs of Geelong and in East Gippsland. Heavy rain was also reported at Paynesville. Western Australia On the evening of the 14th thunderstorms across the Perth metropolitan area caused power outages, sparked fires and disrupted traffic. Wind blew part of the roof off a house in the northern suburb of Karrinyup, while lightning strikes ignited fires which burnt down one house in the southern suburb of Samson. Northern Territory On the 8th flash flooding caused the closure of Darwin Airport for 2 hours. Heavy rain from a slow moving line of thunderstorms produced 93mm between 6 and 9am at Northern Territory University and 102mm at Woolner Station 65 km east of Darwin. Also on the 8th a funnel cloud which persisted for about 10 minutes was observed over Beagle Gulf, north of Darwin, in a line of heavy showers. Heavy rainfall was recorded twice during at Gove Airport, resulting in flash flooding. 164mm was
reported on the 13th and 436.8mm on the 22nd. The latter event was a record for April. Also on the
22nd Nabalco mine and Yirrkala reported 509.4mm and 500mm of rain respectively.
Queensland Widespread rain and storms early in April resulted in minor to moderate flooding in the Thomson, Lower Barcoo, Diamantina, Bulloo and Paroo Rivers and Cooper Creek with the first warnings beginning on the 6th and finalised mid month. Tasmania Heavy rainfall on the 5th caused some flash flooding across the north of the state. Buildings were flooded in Devonport and Launceston. Northern Territory Between the 11th and 27th, a tropical low remained slow moving in the Arafura Sea northeast of
Nhulunbuy causing significant rainfall and flooding over the Arnhem region. Flash flooding throughout
the Gove Peninsula area caused significant damage to roads, disruption to telephone services for
several days and also cut the Arnhem Highway for an extended period.
Highest Mean Maximum Temperature for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
C C
Western Australia
Albany Airport 24.2 24.2 1994 33
Bridgetown 26.6 26.1 1950 98
Cape Leeuwin 23.8 23.6 1910 103
Cape Naturaliste 25.8 23.7 1994 96
Katanning 26.0 26.0 1994 105
Lake Grace 26.4 26.4 1994 44
Manjimup 24.8 23.7 1937 60
Pemberton 25.1 23.8 1994 54
Perth Airport 28.9 28.0 1978/1994 55
Lowest Mean Maximum Temperature for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Lowest Year Record
C C
Queensland
Mackay M.O. 25.1 25.5 1976 41
Western Australia
Wittenoom 28.3 30.1 1980 46
Northern Territory
Centre Island 30.1 30.7 1985 23
Highest Mean Minimum Temperature for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
C C
Queensland
Musgrave 23.2 22.3 1910 31
Western Australia
Manjimup 13.0 12.6 1997 59
Mount Barker 13.5 13.0 1991 81
Lowest Mean Minimum Temperature for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Lowest Year Record
C C
Tasmania
Flinders Is. A/P 8.8 8.9 1965 36
Western Australia
Giles 13.3 13.3 1983 43
Wittenoom 18.1 18.9 1980 46
Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
C C
Queensland
Kowanyama 26.5 6 26.1 1970 33
Springsure 21.9 2 21.4 1986 33
Lowest Daily Maximum Temperature for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Lowest Year Record
C C
Queensland
Georgetown 21.8 23 22.7 1982 43
Collinsville 19.7 23 20.0 1983 42
Western Australia
Port Hedland 20.6 7 23.0 1992 57
Lowest Daily Minimum Temperature for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Lowest Year Record
C C
Queensland
Burketown 11.6 29
11.5 30 12.4 1994 42
Julia Creek 6.7 30 7.8 1972 34
Mount Isa 8.6 24
8.3 27 8.8 1990 34
St Lawrence 9.7 25
7.7 30 9.8 1994 41
Clermont 6.4 29
4.6 30 6.5 1990 38
Tambo 0.0 29 1.6 1972 43
Barcaldine 5.6 29 6.7 1994 38
Isisford 3.9 29 5.0 1960 40
Longreach 4.6 29
2.9 30 5.5 1994 34
Blackhall 4.1 29 4.8 1994 43
Birdsville 5.9 29
5.6 30 6.0 1978 43
Baralaba 4.3 29 6.0 1994 32
Lady Elliot Is 14.0 25
13.7 29 15.0 1960 43
Gladstone Radar 11.0 29 13.0 1990 40
Cape Moreton 12.7 28 12.9 1994 42
Kingaroy -0.6 28
0.9 29 1.5 1996 43
Brisbane Aero 7.5 28 7.6 1990 51
Surat 1.3 28 2.0 1978 36
South Australia
Polda Basin -0.7 24 1.7 1994 34
Kadina 1.2 24 3.3 1957 43
Northern Territory
Maningrida 15.3 30 15.3 1985 31
Elcho Island 18.3 30 19.7 1969 32
Flying Fox 11.2 29
11.1 30 16.6 1997 25
Centre Island 18.8 30 19.4 1988 23
Brunette Downs 8.7 30 9.1 1976 32
Highest Monthly Rainfall on Record for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
mm mm
Queensland
Bamaga 832.0 575.9 1972 38
Kowanyama 260.4 243.1 1921 88
Western Australia
Dartmoor 132.2 105.1 1968 65
Jurien 127.8 87.7 1975 31
Northern Territory
Alyangula Police 641.0 329.0 1989 21
Gove Airport 1080.3 549.3 1973 23
Nabalco Mine Site 1084.3 683.0 1977 28
Lowest Monthly Rainfall on Record for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Lowest Year Record
mm mm
Tasmania
Trowutta 42.4 46.6 1987 35
Togari (Renison Rd) 45.4 48.0 1967 33
Savage River Mine 63.2 67.8 1988 33
Western Australia
Albany Airport 9.4 15.8 1986 34
Erinair 4.2 8.2 1981 32
Esperance 3.2 4.6 1994 30
Esperance Airport 2.0 2.6 1950 30
Mount Barker 2.8 3.8 1950 113
Nannup 2.0 2.0 1982 100
Northcliffe 7.8 10.8 1982 73
Walpole 10.0 29.8 1986 47
Highest Daily Rainfall on Record for April
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
mm mm
Queensland
Barcaldine Downs 110.0 3 85.3 1990 103
Western Australia
Dartmoor 105.0 16 62.5 1968 65
Jurien 125.2 10 56.8 1987 31
Port Hedland 117.2 8 111.3 1966 57
Yuin 78.0 15 58.7 1966 51
Northern Territory
Gove Airport 436.8 22 239.5 1973 22
Nabalco Mine Site 509.4 22 238.0 1973 28
Nhulunbuy DTW 230.4 22 200.0 1992 23
<Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.
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