Friday, 1 August 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Western Australia - Product code IDCKGC11R0

Western Australia in July 2014: Wet in the north, near average rainfall in the southwest

Rainfall across WA in July 2014 was below to very much below average in the Gascoyne and the adjacent west Pilbara, Central West, and northern Goldfields, as well as eastern parts of the Southern Interior and northeast Eucla. In contrast, the Kimberley, east Pilbara, Northern Interior and western Southern Interior saw unseasonable above average rainfall. Most of the South West Land Division (SWLD), southern Goldfields and Eucla experienced near average rainfall in July. When averaged across the state, rainfall was near average.

A broad area covering the much of the Gascoyne and Goldfields, the SWLD, and parts of the Eucla saw above average mean maximum temperatures in July 2014, whilst parts of the east Pilbara and western Northern Interior were below average. Averaged across the State as a whole the mean maximum temperature was near average, whilst for the Lower Southwest (southwest of a line from Jurien Bay to Bremer Bay) the mean maximum temperature for July 2014 was above average. Mean minimum temperatures were above average to very much above average in the Lower Southwest, whilst below average mean minima were reported in much of the Pilbara and northern Gascoyne and in eastern parts of the Northern and Southern Interior, with generally near average minima elsewhere. For the State as a whole the mean minimum temperature was near average.

• A developing middle level cloudband and associated cold front brought widespread rainfall to western parts of the SWLD from the 1st to the morning of the 2nd. Moderate to heavy rainfall with daily totals between 30 mm and 60 mm was recorded in the South West district. A tornado was sighted near Kojonup (Great Southern) in the morning on the 2nd bringing down many trees.
• Warm northwesterly winds combined with wet and cloudy conditions resulted in a number of record high minimum temperatures in the Lower West, South West, and South Coastal on the 2nd. A minimum of 16.5 °C at Perth Metro was the highest minimum temperature in July at the site since records commenced in 1897.
• Two cold fronts produced widespread showers, isolated thunderstorms, and squally winds in southern WA from the 6th to 8th. Cape Naturaliste recorded a wind gust of 124 km/h (67 knots) on the 7th, which is the strongest wind gust registered in July at the site in 12 years of record. The previous strongest wind gust was 119 km/h (64 knots) on 18 July 2008. About 26,000 homes in Perth and the South West lost power during the event and a storm tide above the Highest Astronomical Tide was recorded at Busselton, Bunbury, and Esperance. There was a report of a tornado sighting on the morning of the 6th near Balingup, and on the morning of the 7th part of the roof of a Bunbury hotel was damaged. A number of sites in the Southeast Coastal received their highest daily rainfall on record for July on the 8th as a result of the frontal system.
• A deep middle level trough combined with a surface trough to produce extremely heavy rainfall on the Dampier Peninsula in the west Kimberley on the 12th and 13th. A daily rainfall total of 215.0 mm at Cape Leveque on the 13th broke the WA record for the highest daily rainfall in July. The previous record was 202.0 mm at Middalya (Gascoyne) on 15 July 1996. A rainfall total of 242.0 mm over two days at Cygnet Bay was approximately 155 mm above its previous highest monthly rainfall total in July in 51 years of record.
• A strong cold front moved across southwest WA to produce heavy showers, thunderstorms, and squally winds on the 14th, causing significant damage to properties and power outages. Three separate tornadoes were reported in the western suburbs of Perth, as well as near Yallingup in the South West, and Geraldton. Two men died tragically when their respirators failed during a power outage.
• A cold front produced moderate to heavy rainfall in the South West and Lower West on the 21st and 22nd with daily rainfall totals in the 30mm to 50 mm range at some sites in the Lower West and South West. Some minor water damage was reported at a small number of properties in Perth.
• A cold front passed over southwest WA on the 25th and 26th and brought moderate rainfall to the South West and Lower West districts . Coastal sites in the Lower West and South West saw storm tides above the Highest Astronomical Tide.

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