Monday, 1 March 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for New South Wales - Product code IDCKGC15R0

New South Wales in February 2021: cool with wet conditions inland

Rainfall in February was below to very much below average in the far west of the state, but it was a wetter than average month through central parts and in the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast districts. New South Wales minimum temperatures in February were the coolest since 2019 for the state as a whole overall. The state's mean temperature was the lowest since 2012.

Wet in central parts of the state and dry in west

• Rainfall in February was average to above average across central and eastern parts of the state from the Upper Western to Riverina districts, and very much above average for the south-eastern Upper Western and eastern Riverina districts. Rainfall in February was also average to above average about the northern half the coast.
• Rainfall in February was below average about most of the Lower Western and western Upper Western, southern Northern Tablelands and parts of Northwest Slopes & Plains districts.
• February rainfall was 27% above the historical (1961–1990) average across the state, but this was much less than in February 2020.
• Widespread showers or heavy rain were observed over central and northern parts of the coast as an offshore trough developed into a Tasman Low near northern New South Wales from the 18th to 23rd.
• Onshore flow showers were observed over the central and northern coast during 7th to 10th,14th to 19th and the 23rd to the 24th
• Some sites had their highest February daily rainfall on record on the 2nd and the 6th.
• Some sites had their highest total February rainfall since 1973.

Relatively cool conditions

• The February mean temperature was 0.45 °C below average for the state as whole, the coolest February since 2012.
• February temperatures were cooler than in recent years and generally within 1 °C of average across most of the state.
• The mean maximum temperature for New South Wales was 0.71 °C below average.
• The mean minimum temperature was 0.22 °C below average, the lowest for February since 2012.
• A few sites had their lowest February mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years

Damaging winds and dangerous surf

• Damaging winds affected the southern ranges and slopes on the 5th and 6th as a trough of low pressure moved through inland New South Wales.
• Dangerous surf conditions and larges waves affected much of the New South Wales coast on the 13th, with 3 people swept off the rocks while fishing at Port Kembla.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top