SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - JULY 2001

Summary Thunderstorms Wind Bushfires Flooding Temperature Rainfall

SUMMARY

Record high rainfall occurred at the end of the month in Western Australia providing relief to the Wheat Belt. In contrast many places in Victoria and Tasmania experienced the driest July on record. There were several bushfires in the Northern Territory. At the end of the month an intense East Coast low off the New South Wales coast resulted in storm force winds and heavy rain.

THUNDERSTORMS

New South Wales

On the 3rd at Grafton (Northern Rivers) golfball sized hail was reported.

On the 25th at Sydney (Metropolitan) waterspouts were reported off the northern beaches and landspouts from Mona Vale and the Collaroy Plateau. No damage was reported.

Victoria

On the 6th a thunderstorm at Anglesea produced 24mm of rain in less than 1 hour.

Western Australia

On the 8th a small waterspout was observed in the afternoon over Meadow Springs golf course near Mandurah which lasted for 10 minutes. It caused some minor damage to fences and golf carts on the course.

WIND

Queensland

The passage of an upper trough caused a deep low to form off the New South Wales coast which circulated strong gusty southwest winds over southeast Queensland from the 27th until the 30th. Wind gusts to 70 km/h were recorded on the 28th after which the low moved east and weakened. A construction crane was blown over into the Brisbane River. On the 28th the wind felled trees and caused damage to powerlines.

New South Wales

From the 27th to 29th the East Coast Low, which intensified off the New South Wales coast, brought storm-force winds to coastal and ocean waters and gale force winds to land areas. Wind gusts of 115 km/h were recorded on the 28th off Sydney; the police launch Nemesis recorded constant winds of 93 km/h on the 29th with 10 metre seas on a 6-8 metre swell. Gales were recorded at Sydney Airport, Bellambi and Norah Head on the 27th and 28th with a peak gust of 100 km/h at Sydney Airport on the 28th.

The start of the Sydney to Southport yacht race was postponed three times. Sydney Harbour was closed on the 28th. A yacht overturned off Newcastle but all three sailors on board were rescued on the 29th. Another vessel got into difficulties off Maroubra and several surfers were rescued by helicopter over the period.

BUSHFIRES

Northern Territory

On the 2nd fire fighters battled more then 66 grass fires in Darwin suburbs and adjacent rural areas in the 24 hours up to 7.30am resulting from public use of fireworks. Six people were treated for burns, houses were threatened and a pergola was destroyed in the fires.

On the 8th a series of deliberately lit fires came within metres of a housing estate in Palmerston, and threatened a chicken farm, several mango farms and other properties in Howard Springs.

On the 9th fresh northerly winds in the southern half of the Northern Territory caused high fire danger near Tennant Creek, Jervois and the Davenport Range. Controlled burning operations were also affected in the Yulara area. Early in July two large fires burnt over 6,000 square kilometres at Nutwood Downs and Birrimba pastoral stations in the Sturt Plateau region near Daly Waters.

On the 13th a bushfire caused $50,000 damage at Beatrice Hill, east of Darwin and on the 14th another fire swept through 10 properties at Corroboree Park, destroying a car, caravan, outbuilding and a fire truck. On the 22nd a series of bushfires burnt through at least 30 properties at Berry Springs, south of Darwin, threatening houses and damaging mango crops, hay bales a tractor and several cars. All available fire units were utilised in a fire fighting operation that lasted 5 hours.

FLOODING

Tasmania

Moderate flooding was reported in the upper reaches of the Macquarie river between the 5th and 7th. The river at Mt Moorston reached a moderate flood level of 2.12 metres.

TEMPERATURE

Highest Mean Minimum Temperature for July
Station	Actual	Previous Highest	Year	Years of Record
	°C	°C
New South Wales
Bankstown	7.2	7.2	1973	33
Wollongong	10.5	10.5	1973	30
Montague Island	11.4	11.0	1999	32
Tasmania
Maatsuyker Island	8.3	8.0	1988	64
Burnie	8.1	7.9	1993	51
Eddystone Point	9.0	8.6	1988	42
Orford	5.4	5.2	1991	32

Lowest Mean MaximumTemperature for July
Station	Actual	Previous Lowest	Year	Years of Record
	°C	°C
Northern Territory
Pirlangimpi	29.1	29.4	1984	20

Highest Daily Maximum Temperature for July
Station	Actual	Date	Previous Highest	Year	Years of Record
	°C		°C
New South Wales
Bombala	18.5	31	18.4	1993	89
Tasmania
Waratah	12.5	7	12.2	1957	76
Eddystone Point	19.0	19	18.1	1975	41
Western Australia
Eyre	31.0	30	28.6	1994	39
Kalgoorlie-Boulder	28.7	30	28.1	1969	60

Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for July
Station	Actual	Date	Previous Highest	Year	Years of Record
	°C		°C
New South Wales
Wollongong	14.6	15	14.6	1993	30
Western Australia
Bencubbin	15.0	30	14.4	1985	42
Brookton	13.5	30	13.3	1971	33
Carnamah	15.8	29	14.5	1996	31
Carnarvon	19.6	28	19.3	1996	54
Geraldton	18.1	29	17.3	1964	57
Kalgoorlie-Boulder	15.8	30	15.1	1970	60
Merredin	14.8	30	13.4	1978	35
Norseman	15.8	30	14.9	1970	44
Ongerup	13.5	30	12.4	1994	33
Perth Airport	15.7	30	15.1	1976	57
Salmon Gums RS	15.0	30	14.7	1985	31
Southern Cross	15.6	30	13.9	1959	44
Lowest Daily Maximum Temperature for July
Station	Actual	Date	Previous Lowest	Year	Years of Record
	°C		°C
Western Australia
Dalwallinu	9.5	4	9.8	1978	44
Mandora	18.0	16	19.6	1998	34

RAINFALL

South Australia

Rainfall recordings over the Lower Southeast district were exceptionally low for July. Kalangadoo and Kingston SE received record low July totals, while several others had their lowest July totals for several decades.

Western Australia

A strong cold front at the end of the month produced widespread heavy rain over the southwest of the state. Local flooding in Perth caused water damage to many properties and caused road washaways. Perth registered 88.8mm its fifth wettest day on record. Many metropolitan sites registered more then 100mm including Mundaring 156mm, Bickley 137mm, Pickering Brook 126mm, Perth Airport 108mm and Wanneroo recorded a two day fall of 174mm. Widespread significant rainfall of between 20 and 60mm extended throughout most of the Wheat Belt giving substantial relief from the drought conditions.

 

Highest Monthly Rainfall on Record for July
Station	Actual	Previous Highest	Year	Years of Record
	mm	mm
New South Wales
Montague Island	168.0	152.9	1961	45
Bermagui	246.6	231.0	1934	76
Eden	249.2	220.5	1902	132
Western Australia
Broome Airport	101.4	71.9	1956	63
Roebuck Plains	95.1	41.7	1939	100
Bidyadanga	96.8	63.0	1956	111
Pardoo Station	93.7	66.8	1904	97
Warrawagine	92.2	77.0	1904	93
Kalbarri	157.6	146.0	1978	32
Northern Territory
Berrimah Farm	20.3	11.6	1978	31
Cox Peninsula	10.8	7.0	1986	22
Darwin Airport	26.6	9.7	1955	61
Darwin Botanical Gardens	31.8	10.0	1978	39
Eleven Mile RAAF	21.9	15.6	1990	31
Howard Springs	12.8	11.0	1980	25
Larrakeyah	21.8	9.4	1978	27
McMinn's Lagoon	13.0	12.8	1986	20
Parap	33.4	6.5	1978	28
Elcho Island	20.2	17.8	1957	59
Kulgera	68.6	51.6	1998	31

Lowest Monthly Rainfall on Record for July
Station	Actual	Previous Lowest	Year	Years of Record
	mm	mm
Victoria
Lilydale	25.4	26.1	1926	113
Plenty	17.6	18.4	1979	33
Warrandyte	20.4	23.9	1982	35
Marysville	37.7	54.8	1982	97
Ballarat	20.2	27.6	1924	94
Derrinallum	22.8	23.2	1957	46
Waubra	18.6	28.4	1976	32
Addington	25.2	28.3	1982	46
Red Hill South	33.0	34.9	19.2	103
Ventnor	27.4	29.4	1976	84
Rosebud	23.2	31.3	1967	51
Tasmania
Yolla	42.6	49.0	1922	95
Cape Sorell	49.0	64.9	1938	71
Burnie	26.4	38.6	1957	56
Mawbanna	66.2	69.3	1957	56
Preolenna	51.6	76.3	1957	46
Lorinna	39.4	40.4	1959	45
South Riana	38.6	84.9	1971	34
Barrington	48.2	53.0	1971	34
Penguin	43.2	51.8	1971	33
Zeehan	134.6	138.6	1983	32
South Australia
Kalangadoo	31.0	31.2	1957	86
Kingston SE	33.6	33.8	1997	126
Western Australia
Cape Naturaliste	67.6	83.0	1951	99
Margaret River PO	99.0	107.9	1979	74
Northcliffe	82.8	125.0	1969	77
Pemberton	68.8	130.4	1957	61
Rosa Brook	73.3	141.6	1937	32
Warner Glen	86.6	94.2	1985	60
Cowaramup	94.6	118.1	1953	76
Roelands	62.2	82.0	1998	60
Rocky Gully	45.2	56.0	1957	48
Yoongarillup	55.4	79.8	1976	45
Aston Downs	48.8	84.1	1979	30
Glenmore	85.0	104.6	1969	37
Moningarin	10.8	11.2	1937	92
Chamingup	15.9	30.1	1957	89

Highest Daily Rainfall on Record for July
Station	Actual	Date	Previous Highest	Year	Years of Record
	mm		mm
Queensland
Coen Airport	7.4	1	7.2	1981	49
Thallon PO	93.4	26	71.1	1921	89
Havelock	63.6	26	49.8	1973	46
New South Wales
Mungindi	71.5	26	69.9	1950	113
Bellata	64.4	26	52.3	1942	87
Western Australia
Broome Airport	96.2	17	54.9	1956	61
Roebuck Plains	79.4	17	26.8	1998	89
Marble Bar Comp.	74.4	15	62.7	1946	107
Wongan Hills	45.8	30	40.9	1907	94
Dandaragan West	51.4	30	49.3	1958	41
Perth Airport	99.0	30	97.2	1987	57
Mundaring	155.8	30	97.5	1932	100
Pearce RAAF	74.8	30	64.4	1978	46
Roleystone	82.0	30	68.2	2000	33
Bickley	137.0	30	116.8	1987	32
Mount Howick	36.8	10	35.0	1976	39
Wattening	52.4	30	48.8	1915	89
Brookton	71.3	30	61.7	1930	94
Corrigin	45.6	30	37.6	1930	92
Karlgarin PO	44.6	30	31.4	1978	64
Kondinin PO	45.6	30	38.1	1926	84
Lake King	39.8	30	33.5	1932	66
Malyalling	39.5	30	39.1	1930	50
Truro	47.0	30	29.0	1991	70
Quanaminning	44.0	30	40.9	1930	83
Ravensthorpe	48.0	30	30.7	1958	100
Redlands	68.4	30	66.0	1987	90
Yealering	47.4	30	45.2	1930	79
Koorikin	45.2	30	39.6	1926	89
Amrista Park	60.2	30	32.0	1991	46
Avondale Research Station	47.0	30	36.4	1987	37
Falcondale	45.0	30	42.4	1939	68
Cascades Creek Station	31.0	10	29.6	1986	33
Northern Territory
Darwin Airport	19.2	17	9.7	1955	61
Darwin Botanical Gardens	23.4	17	10.0	1978	39
Larrakeyah	15.6	17	9.4	1978	27
McMinns Lagoon	7.0	17	4.6	1986	20
Parap	24.4	17	6.5	1978	28
Ali Curung	20.1	11	14.2	1969	24

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