Friday, 1 April 2022 - Monthly Climate Summary for Greater Sydney - Product code IDCKGC15L0

Greater Sydney in March 2022: Wettest on record for some areas

Rainfall was well above average, with many parts of Greater Sydney receiving at least 3 to 5 times their monthly average, as well as their highest monthly total on record. The wet and cloudy conditions were also associated with well below average daytime and warmer than average night-time temperatures.

Wettest on record March for some areas

• A persistent low-pressure trough that produced an East Coast Low resulted in significant rainfall over much of Greater Sydney for the first nine days of the month.
• On the 3rd, consistent shower activity resulted in widespread totals of more than 40 mm, with totals exceeding 100 mm recorded over the western half of Greater Sydney, resulting in monthly daily records being broken at several sites.
• The development of an East Coast Low off the NSW Central Coast resulted in heavy rainfall again on the 8th and 9th, this time with daily totals exceeding 100 mm being recorded over the eastern half of Greater Sydney.
• Persistent moist onshore flow along with the development of a low-pressure trough that extended from a coastal low off the Byron Coast resulted in showery activity over much of the last week of the month, with totals exceeding 50 mm being recorded over eastern parts of Greater Sydney on the 29th.
• The heavy rainfall on the 3rd, 8th and 9th resulted in significant flash flooding across Sydney, along with major flooding in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment.
• Many sites had their highest March daily rainfall on record.
• Many sites had their highest total March rainfall on record or their highest total March rainfall in at least 20 years.

Cooler than average days, warmer than average nights

• Maximum temperatures were generally 1–2 °C below their monthly average while minimum temperatures were around 0.5–1.5 °C above their monthly average.
• A few sites had their lowest March mean daily maximum temperature on record or their lowest March mean daily maximum temperature in at least 20 years.

Sydney (Observatory Hill)

• Total rainfall for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 554.0 mm, which is 421% of the long-term average at the former Observatory Hill site, or 471% of the average over recent decades.
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 24.8 °C, which is around the long-term average at the former Observatory Hill site, or 0.9 °C below the average over recent decades.
• The warmest day was 28.6 °C on the 18th, and the coolest day was on the 31st when the temperature reached 21.5 °C.
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Sydney (Observatory Hill) was 18.3 °C, which is 0.7 °C above the long-term average at the former Observatory Hill site, or 0.1 °C below the average over recent decades.
• The coldest morning was 15.1 °C on the 11th, and the warmest morning was on the 4th when the minimum temperature was 21.4 °C.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

* 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 Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top