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SIGNIFICANT WEATHER - AUGUST 1998
August saw a continuation of this winter's pattern of very active northwest cloudbands over the continent and low pressure systems about the east coast. The impact of these systems was seen in flash flooding in Wollongong, and minor to major flooding across many catchments in Queensland and New South Wales. Other significant weather caused bushfires in the Northern Territory, a tornado to the north-west of Toodyay (Western Australia) and hail and wind damage in parts of suburban Perth on the 29th. A list of rainfall and temperature records set during August are at the end of this summary.
Western Australia A short-lived tornado inflicted major structural damage with the removal of a roof on a house to the north-west of Toodyay (approximately 75 kilometres to the north-east of Perth) on the 5th at around 10.30am. Travelling along a north-west to southeast path the storm also damaged natural vegetation along a trail that measured about 50 metres wide and extended for approximately 1.3 kilometres. The tornado was associated with the passage of an active cold front.
Queensland Ferocious thunderstorms caused flash flooding, tree limbs to be downed and some hail in south west Brisbane suburbs on the 23rd. Victoria On the 14th thunderstorms in the Nothern Country produced localised heavy falls of rain and small hail. Shepparton recorded 56mm of rain. Western Australia Notable wind gusts associated with thunderstorms on the 5th were registered at Rottnest Island (91 km/h) and Ocean Reef (87 km/h). Earlier in the day Cape Leeuwin on the south coast registered gusts to 113 km/h. Severe thunderstorms dumped hail on some northern and eastern areas if suburban Perth early on the 29th. The storms also caused wind damage to buildings and trees in other parts of the city. Ocean Reef, to the north of Perth, registered a wind gust to 89 km/h. Power supplies were interrupted to many parts of the metropolitan area. Rainfall totals around the wider metropolitan area generally ranged from 25 to 40mm. Other storms in the Carnamah - Moora and Morawa areas (Northern Agricultural district) developed during the afternoon of the 28th. There were no reports of damage. South Australia Isolated thunderstorms were reported from a wide area of the state's interior on the 17th and 18th. Coober Pedy, in the Northwest Pastoral District, recorded wind gusts to 93 km/.h from these thunderstorms. There were no reports of damage. Isolated thunderstorms with hail were reported in some Adelaide Hills areas on the morning of the 22nd which resulted in traffic accidents. Hail showers were also reported on the 25th over Adelaide and suburbs. New South Wales
As already described under "Rainfall", the extremely heavy rainfall in the Wollongong area on the 17th was the result of thunderstorms embedded in an area of heavy rainfall.
Victoria Gales and severe gusts occurred in southern and mountain districts. Highest recorded gusts were 102 km/h at Mt Buller, 100 km/h at Geelong, 98 km/h at Dunns Hill, 96 km/h at Pt Wilson and 90 km/h at Falls Creek. Tasmania Strong winds on the 22nd caused minor damage. A house in Evandale lost some roofing iron and trees were uprooted at St Helens.
Western Australia Frosts developed in parts of the agricultural districts on the 22nd, 23rd and 25th when minimum temperatures fell to around freezing. York and Wandering were two of the colder places which reported ground temperatures of -3oC during that interval. Overnight temperatures were also low in parts of the Murchison and Gascoyne and southeastern parts of the state on the 22nd and 23rd. Paynes Find and Kalgoorlie-Boulder recorded terrestrial minimum temperatures of -1oC on the 22nd.
Northern Territory Strong dry southeasterly winds between the 27th and 29th August caused approximately 20 major fires across the Top End of the Northern Territory with a large bushfire in the vicinity of both Katherine and Batchelor townships. The fire near Batchelor caused about $380,000 worth of damage (hay paddock loss and buildings) and burnt 96 square kilometres and took three days to bring under control.
Queensland The additional rainfall during the early part of August prolonged the major flooding in the border rivers, the minor flooding in the Moonie River and the moderate flooding in the western catchments of the Paroo and Bulloo Rivers which began in July. Heavy rainfalls later in the month caused minor to major flooding in the Macintyre and Weir Rivers, Moonie River, Dawson, Mackenzie and Isaac Rivers, Pioneer River, Don River, Haughton River and the Condamine and Balonne Rivers and tributaries. Severe weather warnings for coastal and adjacent inland areas from Ingham to south of Rockhampton were issued on the 28th and 29th for heavy rain, strong winds and heavy seas. New South Wales Heavy rain produced major flooding on the Naomi, Macintyre, Dumaresq, Macquarie, Culgoa, Bokhara, Darling and Lachlan Rivers. Four lives were lost as drivers tried to ford flooded roads. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage resulted. The Macquarie at Bathurst reached its highest ever level with 500 homes inundated. Gunnedah was evacuated five times during July and August as successive flood peaks on the Naomi went through the town. The flood was the highest since 1971.
Highest Mean Maximum Temperature for August
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
øC øC
Queensland
Coen Airport 31.0 30.6 1992 31
Cairns A/P 28.6 27.9 1973 57
Townsville A/P 27.2 27.1 1958 59
Northern Territory
Maningrida 32.0 31.6 1978 29
Highest Mean Minimum Temperature for August
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
øC øC
Queensland
Ingham 16.5 16.2 1995 31
St Lawrence 14.6 14.3 1963 59
Mackay 16.1 16.0 1966 40
Springsure 10.8 10.2 1969 51
Taroom 9.5 9.3 1971 47
Winton 12.8 12.4 1947 61
Birdsville 10.5 10.2 1996 45
Baralaba 11.8 11.3 1971 31
Gayndah 11.1 9.9 1963 95
Rockhampton 14.5 14.1 1971 60
Gladstone Rdr15.8 15.7 1969 39
Gympie 11.0 10.6 1973 84
Kingaroy 8.6 8.2 1973 52
Maryborough 13.0 11.7 1969 91
Nambour 11.7 9.5 1978 41
Stanthorpe 6.7 5.1 1973,87 60
Applethorpe 6.4 5.6 1987 30
Injune 8.0 7.7 1973 32
Mitchell 8.0 7.5 1909 81
Surat 8.6 8.0 1945 55
Cunnamulla 9.4 9.2 1995 92
Thargomindah 10.0 9.6 1945,82 61
Northern Territory
Yuendumu 10.9 10.8 1996,72 29
Lowest Daily Minimum Temperature for August
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Lowest Year Record
øC øC
Queensland
Gladstone Rdr 7.0 1 7.6 1978 39
Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for August
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
øC øC
Queensland
Coen 25.2 24 24.4 1975 31
Innisfail 22.8 24 22.0 1989 42
Springsure 17.0 23&31 17.2 1986 32
Boulia 22.0 22 20.6 1958 42
Windorah 20.0 22 19.4 1964 32
Western Australia
Albany A/P 13.9 27 13.4 1975 34
New South Wales A low pressure trough along the central and southern NSW coast provided favourable conditions for heavy rainfall during the 17th. The heaviest falls occurred during the period from 6pm to 9pm when an area of thunderstorms embedded in the rain remained stationary over the Wollongong area. All major roads and train lines to Wollongong were cut due to rain with mudslides reported on some roads. In north Wollongong 50 houses were flooded and some seaside houses were dislodged from their foundations. Some rainfall reports for the 24 hours to 9am on the 18th were Keiraville 341.4mm, Figtree 316.5mm and Wollongong 316.0mm. Western AustraliaParts of the Northwest received heavy rains as a cloudband moved over the area during the 31st of July and the 1st of August. A number of sites in the Pilbara and Gascoyne reported daily totals of more than 50mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am on the 1st. Significant totals were registered on that day at Kooline (to the south of Karratha, 100mm) and Carnarvon (59.2mm). The following day Hillside, to the south of Port Hedland, reported 94mm of rain. QueenslandThe succession of upper troughs causing north west cloud bands and rain across western and southeast Queensland in July continued into August. A deep upper low then developed in South Australia towards the end of August and moved northwards towards the tropics producing very heavy flood producing rains. Highest Monthly Rainfall on Record for August
Previous Years of
Station Actual Highest Year Record
mm mm
Queensland
Hughenden PO 122.0 75.8 1988 115
Torrens Creek PO 91.0 77.0 1899 105
Halifax Scott Rd 168.2 167.0 1997 101
Townsville A/P 250.4 104.0 1995 59
Paluma Ivy Cottage 402.6 231.0 1995 30
Abergowrie Bridge 200.4 161.4 1995 43
Byfield Childs Rd 247.0 226.1 1940 71
Collinsville PO 200.4 167.8 1940 60
Dalrymple Heights 402.3 350.1 1940 61
Finch Hatton PO 410.8 261.5 1940 85
Giru PO 129.4 117.4 1995 67
Mingela PO 140.6 106.2 1924 100
Ravenswood PO 237.8 100.7 1893 128
Sarina PO 308.0 243.9 1940 89
Yaamba 137.0 105.2 1988 100
Yeppoon Pac.Hts Rd 194.2 142.5 1917 108
Mount Charlton 274.0 122.0 1995 45
Cardowan 237.5 94.7 1957 46
Barnganal Blue Mt 312.0 143.0 1995 50
Moss Vale Station 148.2 136.4 1995 38
Mackay MO 215.4 128.0 1995 40
Claredale 130.2 89.2 1995 104
Paynes Lagoon Stn 62.0 58.1 1995 30
Mirani Shire Council 229.6 136.0 1995 50
Hecate 140.2 115.0 1995 39
Carmilla Beach Rd 317.4 104.0 1988 46
Dalbeg 170.4 107.0 1995 43
Lansdown CSIRO 293.8 80.5 1995 35
Mount McConnell 118.7 102.3 1940 100
Mount Douglas 125.8 110.2 1940 87
Doongara 93.4 67.6 1995 31
Wandoan PO 197.6 99.9 1966 44
Capella PO 184.4 99.7 1966 101
Clermont PO 171.2 125.0 1917 129
Comet PO 109.8 95.5 1966 104
Peakvale Station 152.0 111.0 1988 76
Taroom PO 181.2 121.8 1966 129
Woleebee Nevasa 165.0 92.9 1966 87
Rewan Station 111.4 105.0 1978 89
Winvic 177.0 98.8 1966 37
The Glebe 128.0 100.1 1954 74
Bulliwallah 151.5 102.9 1940 87
Moray Downs 96.0 94.7 1971 85
Baralaba 115.4 81.0 1966 73
Glenlands 126.6 91.6 1988 71
Rockhampton A/P 235.8 105.6 1988 60
Gladstone Radar 141.6 110.8 1986 42
Manly Railway Stn 155.7 117.9 1966 101
Lytton Ampol Refinery 188.0 124.5 1966 35
Mount Mowbullan 120.6 103.2 1978 30
Chinchilla PO 143.6 111.8 1954 110
Inglewood PO 130.2 120.4 1886 116
Millmerran PO 130.5 124.0 1966 99
Tara Shire Council 119.8 87.6 1925 87
Yelarbon 175.2 125.0 1966 76
Wyaga Station 137.8 128.1 1966 100
Barakula Forest Stn 193.4 113.3 1966 59
Drillham PO 164.0 96.8 1966 81
Dulacca PO 152.3 119.1 1944 109
Glenmorgan PO 165.8 153.4 1966 66
Hannaford PO 162.2 101.3 1944 66
Meandarra PO 149.0 117.1 1966 63
Miles PO 171.8 135.1 1886 114
Condamine 159.5 83.9 1954 62
Cunnyana 74.6 66.3 1973 31
New South Wales
Bogan Gate 102.0 88.4 1996 104
Tottenham 131.8 107.9 1952 75
Girilambone 124.8 103.0 1952 115
Trangie 137.0 99.8 1952 100
Warren 144.5 114.1 1887 114
Boggabilla 166.6 146.5 1966 105
Yetman 157.1 149.1 1886 113
Cronulla Sth 502.0 367.7 1986 64
Frenchs Forest 521.8 333.4 1986 41
Gordon 437.8 409.0 1986 91
Mosman 521.6 452.6 1986 103
Riverview 340.9 299.1 1952 93
Rose Bay 529.6 392.0 1986 70
Sydney 483.0 470.6 1986 140
Sydney Apt 410.6 387.8 1986 69
Berowra 372.4 335.6 1987 95
Berry 583.8 507.2 1974 112
Bowral 351.0 306.2 1986 36
Darkes Forest 744.2 574.2 1899 104
Greenwell Pt 490.8 378.0 1990 38
Kiama 728.4 378.1 1899 101
Moss Vale 410.2 404.8 1986 128
Nowra 474.8 365.4 1974 55
Bodalla 377.9 297.5 1901 122
Milton 393.8 364.4 1952 121
Moruya Heads 309.1 279.3 1974 123
Narooma 266.0 151.4 1957 88
Yass 132.7 127.0 1974 100
Gubbata 89.4 85.6 1985 60
Western Australia
Carnarvon 59.2 50.7 1956 54
Hillside 96.0 64.6 1988 77
Kooline 101.0 87.6 1906 78
Northern Territory
Douglas River 22.2 7.4 1996 29
Montejinnie 4.2 3.2 1996 27
Lowest Monthly Rainfall on Record for August
Previous Years of
Station Actual Lowest Year Record
mm mm
Tasmania
Bagdad PO 4.8 6.7 1982 75
Bridgewater 9.2 10.9 1938 42
Highest Daily Rainfall on Record for August
Previous Years of
Station Actual Date Highest Year Record
mm mm
Queensland
Torrens Creek PO 56.0 31 54.0 1995 105
Gordonvale PO 118.0 31 61.0 1970 36
Mt Sophia 160.0 31 75.0 1995 31
Bambaroo 205.6 31 41.9 1920 80
Halifax Scott Rd 109.0 31 91.0 1974 101
Innisfail 310.0 31 235.5 1917 105
Lucinda PO 152.0 31 97.8 1925 107
Townsville A/P 130.0 30 59.4 1947 59
Upper Stone Exelby 44.6 30 38.1 1970 60
Yabulu Qld Nickel 227.7 31 45.0 1933 80
Oonoonba 187.0 30 42.4 1995 40
Paluma Ivy Cottage 348.0 31 90.0 1986 30
Abergowrie Bridge 160.6 31 32.4 1995 43
Elphinstone Pkt No1 152.0 31 47.0 1970 43
Collinsville PO 114.0 30 96.0 1940 60
Dalrymple 175.0 30 125.7 1940 61
Finch Hatton PO 173.0 29 139.7 1940 85
Gargett PO 176.0 29 106.4 1940 85
Giru PO 68.8 31 64.8 1940 67
Gumlu Days Rd 122.0 30 92.5 1940 86
Kuttabul PO 178.2 29 78.0 1995 85
Te Kowai Exp Stn 200.2 31 92.6 1998 110
Mingela PO 70.2 31 48.3 1963 100
Ravenswood 173.0 31 61.7 1917 128
Sarina PO 230.0 31 128.5 1940 89
Mount Charlton 274.0 31 89.0 1988 45
Cardowan 119.0 30 76.0 1988 46
Barnganal Blue Mt 169.0 30 71.0 1988 50
Bowen Cheetham Salt 118.6 31 97.0 1988 39
Orkabie West Hill 268.0 30 114.3 1973 38
Mount Dangar 94.8 30 60.4 1988 38
Moss Vale Station 102.4 30 53.8 1995 38
Roma Peak 105.2 30 80.6 1988 38
Mackay MO 105.0 30 88.4 1988 40
Claredale 70.0 31 55.0 1995 104
Kelsey Ck Dittmer Rd 90.2 30 84.2 1988 40
Jubilee Pocket 71.0 30 58.0 1995 41
Paynes Lagoon Stn 61.0 31 33.0 1995 30
Wilson Beach 99.4 30 49.0 1995 30
Mirani Shire C. 116.8 30 93.4 1988 50
Mirambeena 64.0 31 34.8 1995 37
Hecate 102.0 30 78.2 1988 39
Carmila Beach Rd 125.0 29 78.8 1988 46
Dalbeg 130.0 31 49.0 1995 43
Lansdown CSIRO 276.0 31 50.4 1995 35
Doongara 67.0 29 57.4 1988 31
New Corry Stn 56.0 30 38.1 1971 31
Bogantungan PO 98.6 29 74.0 1988 113
Wandoan PO 80.2 27 39.0 1988 44
Capella PO 93.8 29 77.0 1988 101
Taroom PO 92.0 28 53.3 1906 129
Woleebee Nevasa 90.4 27 52.1 1920 87
The Glebe 72.0 28 52.0 1988 74
Booroondarra 97.0 29 71.2 1988 70
La Palma 62.0 28 53.3 1944 79
Linga Longa 43.0 28 37.0 1988 33
Talagai 76.6 31 59.0 1988 30
Hornet Bank Homest. 94.8 27 68.1 1964 88
Waddy Brae 61.0 28 38.6 1985 34
Maywin Park 76.4 29 59.8 1988 34
Karmoo 84.4 29 66.6 1993 49
Jericho PO 76.0 29 73.7 1924 102
Willesley 95.0 29 68.4 1988 32
Baralaba PO 83.0 28 54.4 1988 73
Boolburra 110.0 28 80.0 1988 81
Wowan PO 40.0 28 38.1 1971 78
Lytton Ampol Ref. 69.9 6 52.3 1966 35
Long Pocket CSIRO 52.0 24 49.4 1996 31
Chinchilla PO 78.0 27 67.6 1906 110
Dunmore State Forest 92.4 27 50.8 1953 59
Inglewood 67.6 27 61.5 1901 116
Millmerran PO 91.0 27 58.7 1906 99
Tara Shire Council 100.6 28 39.9 1925 87
Yelarbon PO 86.4 27 41.7 1944 76
Wyaga Stn 83.0 27 44.5 1966 100
Woodspring 61.0 27 59.9 1966 45
Barakula Forest Stn 103.0 27 39.1 1966 59
Drillham PO 82.0 28 48.8 1944 81
Dulacca PO 78.0 28 74.9 1944 109
Glenmorgan PO 90.2 28 54.9 1966 66
Hannaford PO 81.6 27 41.4 1953 66
Meandarra PO 62.0 27 42.4 1953 63
Miles PO 76.2 27 52.3 1906 114
Toobeah PO 88.0 27 63.5 1966 57
Condamine 75.5 27 42.4 1853 62
Injune PO 56.0 28 48.3 1954 74
Yuleba PO 54.4 28 45.7 1954 115
Amoolee Forest R 238 51.4 28 41.4 1953 75
New South Wales
Darkes Forest 270.6 18 260.0 1996 104
Gerringong 149.0 18 141.4 1987 103
Jervis Bay 163.0 19 119.4 1901 99
Nowra 170.0 8 165.1 1963 56
Woonona (Popes Rd) 436.8 18 191.8 1938 69
Berkely N'cliffe Dr 201.2 18 169.2 1974 34
Windang 155.0 18 151.6 1974 36
Port Kembla 175.0 18 139.7 1974 35
Mount Keira 370.6 18 195.0 1974 32
Sussex Inlet 190.0 19 111.5 1963 46
Warren 62.6 5 61.7 1939 114
Moree 68.4 27 66.8 1966 38
Pallamallawa 64.2 27 63.2 1966 77
Yetman 76.5 27 57.4 1952 114
Western Australia
Carnarvon 59.2 1 35.3 1967 54
Learmonth 46.8 1 39.4 1988 36
Note: Some statistical records mentioned in this report are based on data that have yet to be fully validated.
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