Tuesday, 3 June 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Western Australia - Product code IDCKGC21R0

Western Australia in May 2014: sixth warmest May on record

May 2014 saw the mean minimum temperature for the State at 1.7 °C above average and ranking as the sixth warmest May in terms of the mean minimum temperature since comparable records commenced in 1910. For the Lower Southwest (southwest of a line from Jurien Bay to Bremer Bay), the mean minimum temperature was 2.0 °C above average and the third warmest May on record. The statewide averaged mean maximum temperature was also above average, whilst the average maximum temperature for the Lower Southwest was near average. Rainfall averaged across WA was above average due to significant rainfall events during the month, particularly in the western half of the State, whilst the Lower Southwest also recorded an above average May as a result of a couple of cold fronts bringing significant rainfall to the region, and the fact that the region remained in a moist westerly stream for much of the month with frequent shower activity. The Southwest Land Division as a whole recorded a near average month.

• Thunderstorms on the last day of April and first day of May brought some heavy falls to the west Kimberley, including a record high May daily total at Camballin.
• A trough just off the northwest coast with a tropical low near the Gascoyne coast and a cloudband across much of the state produced widespread rain across WA from the 5th to 6th. Daily rainfall totals of 50 mm to 130 mm were recorded in the Pilbara on the 6th, and a number of sites saw their wettest day in May on record, including Millstream (90.0 mm) with 107 years of record.
• A strong cold front and associated cloudband moved across western, central, and southern parts of WA on the 7th and 8th. Daily rainfall in the 40 to 60 mm range was recorded in the west Gascoyne, Central West, Lower West, and Southwest, while a trough ahead of the cold front also triggered isolated thunderstorms with moderate to heavy rainfall in the west Pilbara. Learmonth Airport recorded its highest daily rainfall in May on record with 93.8 mm.
• A series of cold fronts moved through southwest WA between the 18th and 26th bringing frequent moderate to heavy rainfall to the Lower Southwest and a few sites recorded their highest daily rainfall on record for May
• A number of sites in the Lower Southwest and Eucla saw their wettest May for at least 20 years, with Burekup recording its wettest May in its 63 years of record, whilst in the north Dampier Salt recorded its wettest May in 44 years of record.
• Balgo Hills recorded its warmest May in terms of daytime maximum temperatures, whilst Esperance recorded its warmest May in terms of overnight minimum temperatures.

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top