Tuesday, 1 July 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Western Australia - Product code IDCKGC11R0

Western Australia in June 2014: Seventh driest June on record

Rainfall across WA in June 2014 was mostly below average or very much below average and as a result the State recorded its seventh driest June since comparable records commenced in 1900. Similarly, below to very much below average rainfall across the Lower Southwest (southwest of a line from Jurien Bay to Bremer Bay), and the Southwest Land Division (SWLD) as a whole, saw them record their seventh driest and sixth driest June respectively. Mean maximum temperatures were mostly close to average or above average for much of WA, and averaged across the State as a whole the mean maximum temperature was above average. Mean minimum temperatures were below average through central parts of the State, with generally near average or above average minima in the north, east, and south, so for the State as a whole the mean minimum temperature was near average.

• The SWLD's sixth driest June in June 2014 has only been exceeded by 2006 (driest on record), 2013 (2nd driest), 2001 (3rd), 1976 (4th), and 2010 (5th). So the SWLD has recorded five of its six driest Junes since 1900 in the past 13 years.
• On the 1st, Troughton Island in the north Kimberley broke both its minimum and maximum temperature records for June. A minimum temperature of 27.3 °C is the highest minimum temperature on record for June in Australia, exceeding the previous record of 27.2 °C at Cockatoo Island (northeast of the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley) on 1 June 1971. A maximum temperature of 32.5 °C is the highest temperature in June at the site in 34 years of record. The previous record was 32.0 °C on 6 June 2007.
• A record warm day was observed near the northern Central West coast and Gascoyne coast on the 5th. Carnavon Airport recorded a maximum temperature of 32.2 °C, which is its highest temperature in June in 66 years of record, exceeding the previous record set on 4 June 1975 with a maximum of 31.8 °C. Kalbarri recorded a maximum of 30.9 °C on the same day, exceeding its previous June record of 30.2 °C on 25 June 2006.
• A strong cold front brought widespread rainfall to western and southern WA on the 17th and 18th, with heavy rainfall in the Lower West and South West districts. A westerly flow and secondary cold front brought further rainfall to the SWLD between the 19th and 22nd. Emergency services received more than 40 calls for help for minor flooding and tree/roof damage in the metropolitan area and the South West. A prolonged period of northerly winds resulted in a storm surge along the west coast, which combined with the high tide to produce sea levels well above normal in many places but particularly in Busselton where sea levels reached 60cm above the highest astronomical tide.
• A cloudband across northwest to southeast WA along with a cold southerly flow over the southern half of the State brought very cold days to much of WA on the 22nd and 23rd. A maximum temperature of 9.8 °C at Hopetoun North on the 22nd was the lowest maximum of the month in WA. On the same day, Emu Creek in the Pilbara recorded a maximum temperature of 17.4 °C on the 22nd, its lowest maximum temperature in June in 43 years of record, whilst Learmonth Airport, also in the Pilbara, reported a maximum of 17.9 °C, its equal lowest June maximum in 39 years of record. Warburton Airfield in the Southern Interior recorded a maximum of 12.9 °C on the 22nd, which is the lowest maximum temperature in June at the site in 24 years of record.
• Very cold nights were observed in parts of inland southern WA on two occasions, from the 13th to 16th, and from the 23rd to 29th. Yeelirrie in the Goldfields recorded a minimum of -4.6 °C on the 24th, which was the lowest temperature of the month recorded in WA, and also the fourth lowest temperature in June at Yeelirrie in 40 years of record. The lowest temperature in June on record at Yeelirrie is -5.0 °C on 23 June 1981.
• Perth Airport recorded eleven very cold nights with temperatures at or below 5 °C during June 2014, the greatest number of very cold nights for 58 years, since June 1956, when eleven cold nights was also recorded. It was also the equal second highest number of very cold nights recorded in June at the Airport since records commenced in 1944, the record high being 15 nights at or below 5 °C in 1955.
• Albany town experienced its warmest June in 95 years of record in terms of minimum temperatures with a mean of 11.2 °C, exceeding the previous record of 11.1 °C in June 2011.

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 lower value has gone unreported.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top