SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - JUNE 1996

Summary Thunderstorms Wind Temperature

SUMMARY

At the beginning of the month severe winds were experienced in Victoria and Tasmania. Severe thunderstorms spawned tornadoes in South Australia and Western Australia later in the month which caused damage to vegetation.

THUNDERSTORMS

New South Wales

At Lord Howe Island between midnight and 8am on the 18th, approximately 449mm of rain fell at the Lord Howe Island meteorological office. Flash flooding damaged many guesthouses and the airport runway. As a result the airport was closed for more than 24 hours.

South Australia

Thunderstorms brought heavy rain and hail to many parts of Adelaide and the Mt Lofty Ranges on the 22nd. One thunderstorm produced 13mm of rain in 6 minutes at Forreston and spawned a tornado near Mt Torrens. The tornado damaged trees over a track 2km long and 60-80 metres wide.

A line of thunderstorms moved across southern Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges just after midnight on the 26th, causing minor wind damage and local flooding. A 90 km/h gust was recorded at Strathalbyn. Another thunderstorm on the 26th brought down trees and caused local flooding around Yorke Valley and Ardrossan on Yorke Peninsula.

Western Australia

On the 15th a severe hailstorm occurred in the Badgingarra area and a weak tornado caused minor damage in Mandurah. From the 17th to the 21st a deep low pressure system to the south of the state produced a prolonged period of windy and wet weather in the Lower Southwest districts. Perth experienced thunderstorms each night during this period. On the 17th at Yanchep (metropolitan) the roof of a house was blown off by wind gusts associated with the thunderstorms. A wind gust of 102 km/h was recorded at Swanbourne on the 20th and on the 21st vegetation was damaged by a weak tornado near Dwellingup.

On the 27th minor roof damage and trees were uprooted along a straight path from Mt Claremont to Nedlands, Perth, as a weak tornado or a straight-line wind gust affected the area. A wind gust of 106 km/h was recorded at Swanbourne. No damage was reported.

On the 30th a thunderstorm caused widespread power surges in the metropolitan area overnight.

WIND

Victoria

On the 3rd and 4th, severe wind gusts were recorded in elevated areas in the Western and Central districts and Alpine areas. Maximum wind gusts were recorded at Lookout Hill 120 km/h, Mt Hotham 117 km/h, Falls Creek 115 km/h, Mt Buller 113 km/h and at Dunns Hill 91 km/h.

Tasmania

Strong winds and heavy rain were reported on the 3rd in the north of the State. The highest wind gust of 137 km/h was reported at Hartz Mountains. Power was cut when lightning struck a main feeder in the Tamar Valley. A yacht drifted in the storm and was wrecked on rocks near Devonport. In Queenstown fences were blown down and windows were blown in at one residence.

TEMPERATURE

Highest Mean Maximum Temperature for June

                     Previous           Years of
Station      Actual   Highest    Year    Record
               øC       øC
Queensland

Mt Isa        28.8       27.2       1973        30
Georgetown    30.9       30.8       1973        87
Hughenden     28.9       28.6       1931        89
Richmond      29.7       29.5       1973        89
Longreach     26.9       26.1       1991        31
Camooweal     29.9       29.1       1931        89
Urandangie    28.5       26.9       1991        58
Windorah      25.0       24.8       1991        61

Western Australia

Halls Creek   30.1       30.0       1969        49
Port Hedland  29.8       29.3       1970        48

Northern Territory

Darwin A/P    32.1       32.0       1942        55
Jabiru A/P    33.3       33.0       1987        25
Mango Farm    33.4       32.8       1981        16
Centre Island 29.2       27.6       1986        22
Wollogorang   31.5       27.8       1974        22
Timber Creek  33.1       32.1       1981        15
Wave Hill     31.3       30.5       1988        23
Elliott       32.4       30.6       1988        16
Tennant Creek 28.6       26.9       1970        27
Rabbit Flat   30.5       28.9       1988        27
Yuendumu      25.7       24.7       1988        31     

                      Previous         Years of
Station       Actual   Highest  Year    Record
                øC       øC

Queensland

Burketown      18.2     17.6    1973      80
Normanton      19.6     19.5    1916      86
Hughenden      13.6     13.4    1973      88
Urandangie     12.8     12.0    1955      57
Winton         13.3     12.3    1987      59
Boulia         13.2     12.5    1957      98
Gladstone      15.9     15.7    1987      39
Lady Elliot Is.19.1     18.8    1945      57

                      Previous         Years of
Station       Actual   Highest  Year    Record
                øC       øC

Western Australia

Giles          13.1     11.3    1957      40
Port Hedland   18.5     17.1    1968      48

Northern Territory

Katherine A/P  15.8     15.4    1970      26
Centre Island  21.5     20.9    1986      22
Wollogorang    14.1     12.4    1988      22
Wave Hill      13.9     13.5    1986      23
Elliott        15.0     14.7    1986      16
Tennant Creek  16.9     14.7    1973      27
Alice Springs   9.8      9.7    1957      55
Curtain Springs 9.5      8.8    1968      43
Yuendumu       11.6     10.0    1968      31 

                              Previous            Years of
Station     Actual    Date     Highest   Year      Record
              øC                 øC

Queensland

Hughenden     33.5      22       33.2     1978       32
Birdsville    32.4      22       31.5     1973       40
Mt Isa        33.5      21       32.3     1981       30
Longreach     34.3      22       32.2     1981       31
Townsville    32.0      27       30.5     1963       55

Western Australia

Port Hedland  35.3       3       34.4     1961       48

Northern Territory

Alice Springs 31.6      22       30.3     1995       54
Tennant Creek 32.6      21       32.4     1981       26
Yuendumu      30.5      22       29.9     1980       29

Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.