Western Australia in March 2015: Very wet in the northwest

Frequent rainfall events in March 2015 resulted in a very wet month in the west Pilbara, Gascoyne, and northern Goldfields. The Statewide mean day-time temperature was near average, whilst the mean night-time temperature was above average.

  • Tropical cyclone Olwyn tracked very close to the coast between Exmouth and Shark Bay on the 13th, bringing damaging winds and heavy rainfall
  • Heavy rainfall in the west Pilbara and Gascoyne from ex-tropical cyclone Nathan on the 30th and 31st

Rainfall was above to very much above average over the Pilbara's western and southern parts, as well as in the Gascoyne, northern Goldfields, and much of the South West Land Division (SWLD), particularly in the north. Numerous locations, including a few sites with over 100 years of rainfall recording in the southern Gascoyne, experienced their wettest March on record, whilst many others recorded their wettest March for at least 20 years. Cue in the Gascoyne, for example, registered a total of 189.6 mm for the month, which was its wettest March in 121 years of recording. It was also the wettest March at Byro in its 101 years of record, both in terms of rainfall amount (182.4 mm) and rain days (15 days).

Below average rainfall for March was mainly confined to small areas in the east Kimberley and eastern Southern Interior, and two sites in the Kimberley recorded their lowest March rainfall for at least 20 years. Averaged across the State, March rainfall was above average, and the SWLD also recorded above average rainfall.

Seasonal thunderstorms occurred in the Kimberley during March 2015, whilst regular rainfall events occurred in northwest and central parts of WA for the first eight days of the month. A broad trough over the northern half of WA combined with a moist tropical airmass to produce widespread showers and thunderstorms over the region with moderate to heavy rainfall recorded in the Pilbara, Gascoyne, Goldfields, and northern and eastern SWLD. Mullewa in the Central West recorded a daily rainfall of 87.0 mm on the 2nd, which is its highest daily rainfall in March in 111 years of record, as well as its sixth highest daily total for any month. Meekatharra Airport experienced ten consecutive rain days from 27 February to 8 March, which is its longest run of rain days for any period in its 69 years of record. As a result of the persistent rainfall, the Gascoyne River flew into Carnarvon, which ended a long dry spell and lifted water restriction for local horticultualists.

Tropical cyclone Olwyn tracked southward near the WA west coast from Exmouth to Shark Bay on the 13th and weakened rapidly while moving southeast through the inland Central West and eastern SWLD on the 14th before merging into a complex low near the south coast on the 15th. Widespread rainfall was observed in western and southwestern parts of the state between on the 13th and 14th, with heavy daily falls over 100 mm near the west Pilbara and Gascoyne coast, causing mainly minor flooding in the Gascoyne, Greenough and Irwin catchments (see the report for more details of tropical cyclone Olwyn). Learmonth Airport recorded a daily rainfall of 141.8 mm on the 13th, which was the highest daily rainfall of the month in WA. A wind gust of 180/km/h measured on the same day was its highest wind gust for sixteen years, since a wind gust of 267 km/h was recorded on 22 March 1999 when severe tropical cyclone Vance moved over the station.

A weak low near the Gascoyne coast triggered thunderstorms in the west Pilbara, Gascoyne and northern SWLD between the 25th and 27th. Hail to 4 cm in diameter was observed in the Geraldton area on the 26th.

Ex-tropical cyclone Nathan moved near the Kimberley coast late in the month and produced moderate rainfall in the district on the 28th. The low pressure system continued to move westward and combined with a slow moving trough near the WA west coast to generate an extensive cloudband over western parts of the State, resulting in moderate to heavy rainfall in the last two days of March over a broad area through the west Pilbara, Gascoyne, eastern SWLD, and western Goldfields. A couple of sites in the Gascoyne and Central Wheat Belt experienced their wettest March day on record as a result.

Mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average in large parts of the Kimberley, and in eastern parts of the Northern and Southern Interior. Below to very much below average mean maximum temperatures were observed in the west Pilbara, Gascoyne, northern SWLD, and northern Goldfields as a result of persistent cloud and rainfall over these districts. Averaged across the State, the mean maximum temperature was 32.85 °C, which is near the long-term average.

Wet conditions resulted in very low daytime temperatures in the northwest and central WA towards the end of March, and Emu Creek Station and Learmonth Airport in the west Pilbara experienced their coolest day in March on record on the 30th. Kalgoorlie Airport recorded a daily maximum temperature of 15.7 °C on the 27th, which was the lowest maximum temperature of the month in WA, and also its coldest March day for 31 years, since 19 March 1984 when a daily maximum of 14.1 °C was recorded.

Above to very much above average mean minimum temperatures were recorded in a broad area from the east Pilbara through the western Northern Interior and into the Southern Interior and eastern Eucla, whilst also parts of the Kimberley, the southwest Gascoyne, and parts of the SWLD also recorded above average temperatures. Only small parts of the southern Pilbara, inland Gascoyne, and western Eucla recorded below average minima. Averaged across the State, the mean minimum temperature was 20.51 °C, 0.45 °C above the long-term average.

Cloudy conditions and warm northerly winds ahead of the passage of ex-tropical cyclone Olwyn resulted in very warm nights in the southern Gascoyne, and northern and eastern SWLD on the 13th and 14th, with a number of sites recording their highest March overnight temperature as a result.

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Extremes in March 2015
Hottest day 44.3 °C at Roebourne Aero on the 22nd
Warmest days on average 38.9 °C at Warmun
Coolest days on average 22.5 °C at Albany
Coldest day 15.7 °C at Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport on the 27th
Coldest night 0.5 °C at Eyre on the 25th
Coolest nights on average 11.7 °C at Jarrahwood
11.7 °C at Salmon Gums Res.Stn.
Warmest nights on average 27.3 °C at Browse Island
26.6 °C at Argyle Aerodrome
Warmest night 29.8 °C at Argyle Aerodrome on the 15th
29.8 °C at Wittenoom on the 21st
Warmest on average overall 32.7 °C at Argyle Aerodrome
Coolest on average overall 18.3 °C at Shannon
Wettest overall 291.4 mm at Learmonth Airport
Wettest day 141.8 mm at Learmonth Airport on the 13th
Strongest wind gust 180 km/h at Learmonth Airport on the 13th

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall
Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures
Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures
Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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


Record highest March daily rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Mullewa 87.0 on the 2nd 78.7 on the 28th in 1971 111
Gibb Rock 51.2 on the 31st 39.0 on the 19th in 1999 34
Edmund 96.2 on the 31st 85.2 on the 30th in 2008 29
Mingah Springs 121.2 on the 4th 106.6 on the 25th in 1999 24
Cunyu 63.0 on the 2nd 52.2 on the 1st in 2013 20



Record highest March total rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Cue 189.6 144.4 in 2000 121 24.8
Coodardy 190.0 178.5 in 1926 117 28.3
Byro 182.4 140.3 in 1942 102 26.0
Beringarra 177.2 166.9 in 1927 100 25.9
Yakabindie 202.4 143.7 in 1942 78 33.1
Mount Vernon 217.2 163.8 in 1965 76 31.9
Wandana 196.2 187.8 in 2000 54 22.0
Paraburdoo Aero 234.0 160.4 in 2004 40 50.7
Mingah Springs 284.2 160.4 in 2008 24 55.1
Weedarrah 242.2 160.5 in 1999 24 28.3
Cunyu 147.0 132.0 in 2000 20 47.3

Highest March total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)
Most recent
higher
Years since
higher
Average for
March
Challa 164.2 164.3 in 1896 119 24.6
Mullewa 159.0 170.7 in 1927* 85 19.7
Geraldton Town 79.6 169.1 in 1934* 62 13.7
Neds Creek 143.2 314.5 in 1965* 49 35.0
Wiluna 120.8 147.1 in 1968* 46 36.4
Kooline 187.6 210.5 in 1958* 45 38.8
Mooloo Downs 218.7 252.7 in 1933* 45 31.3
Merredin 85.0 143.7 in 1971 44 20.8
South Holmwood 105.6 157.0 in 1971 44 18.1
Newman Aero 174.2 214.2 in 1979* 33 42.5
Beebyn 148.2 167.0 in 1926* 31 28.9
Weebo 123.2 134.0 in 1984* 28 30.4
Coodernuppin 55.5 71.2 in 1988 27 18.3
Amery Acres 42.6 137.3 in 1971* 22 17.1
Kirkalocka 122.1 130.2 in 1992* 22 24.1

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




Lowest March total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)
Most recent
lower
Years since
lower
Average for
March
Argyle Aerodrome 19.6 5.2 in 1993 22 153.9
Dampier Downs 4.4 0.0 in 1993* 21 88.2

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




Record highest March temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Jacup 40.4 on the 13th 40.1 on the 8th in 2007 22 25.9
Mount Elizabeth 37.1 on the 22nd 37.0 on the 22nd in 2013 22 32.4
Argyle Aerodrome 42.1 on the 22nd 41.5 on the 19th in 1998 21 35.3



Record lowest March daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Emu Creek Station 24.0 on the 30th 24.2 on the 31st in 2006 43 38.5
Learmonth Airport 24.5 on the 30th 24.9 on the 26th in 2008 41 36.4
Mount Magnet Aero 17.9 on the 5th 18.7 on the 31st in 2006 20 33.1



Highest March mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
higher
Years since
higher
Average for
March
Kununurra Aero 38.3 38.4 in 1992 23 35.5



Lowest March mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Years since
lower
Average for
March
Mullewa 30.7 29.6 in 1968* 32 33.7

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




Record highest March daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Carnamah 29.0 on the 13th 28.0 on the 8th in 2003 73 17.3
Narembeen 26.6 on the 14th 24.4 on the 4th in 1971 47 14.8
Esperance 25.8 on the 14th 25.4 on the 2nd in 1998 46 15.1
Eneabba 29.1 on the 13th 29.0 on the 5th in 1990 41 18.1
Hyden 25.2 on the 14th 24.5 on the 20th in 1994 41 14.2
Paynes Find 29.3 on the 13th 28.8 on the 2nd in 1998 35 18.1
Mount Magnet Aero 28.1 on the 13th 27.8 on the 13th in 2005 20 20.1



Record lowest March temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Eyre 0.5 on the 25th 1.0 on the 30th in 2004 27 14.3



Record highest March mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Mount Elizabeth 27.9 27.8 in 1998 21 26.5

Highest March mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
higher
Years since
higher
Average for
March
Giles Meteorological Office 28.9 30.2 in 1992 23 27.1
Kununurra Aero 31.7 31.9 in 1992 23 29.9



Record lowest March mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Emu Creek Station 29.0 29.1 in 2000 42 31.2
Learmonth Airport 27.8 28.3 in 2001 40 29.7
Murchison 25.7 25.8 in 1993 25 27.7



Summary statistics for March 2015
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
March
2015
Diff
from
average
Highest for
March
2015
Mean for
March
2015
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
March
2015
Total for
March
2015
Average
for
March
Rank of
March
2015
Fraction of
March
average
North Kimberley (district 01)
Doongan 34.2 +1.1 37.0 22nd 22.0 +0.1 20.0 24th 247.5 203.2 average 122%
Kalumburu 35.2 +1.6 38.3 14th 24.0 +0.6 22.4 24th 223.2 225.0 average 99%
Mount Elizabeth 34.0 +1.6 37.1 22nd 21.6 +1.1 19.2 30th 248.2 162.9 high 152%
Troughton Island 32.1 +0.1 33.8 25th 26.9 +0.4 21.5 16th 83.4 137.6 average 61%
Truscott 33.1 +0.7 36.3 20th 25.1 0.0 23.2 17th 107.4 202.1 low 53%
Wyndham Aero 38.8 +3.1 42.3 15th 26.3 +0.8 22.4 24th 64.6 147.5 low 44%
East Kimberley (district 02)
Argyle Aerodrome 38.8 +3.5 42.1 22nd 26.6 +2.0 23.0 27th 19.6 153.9 low 13%
Halls Creek Airport 36.3 +0.9 39.3 23rd 23.6 +0.8 20.1 2nd 105.6 82.2 high 128%
Kununurra Aero 38.3 +2.8 42.3 21st 25.0 +0.8 20.0 13th 26.2 150.3 v low 17%
Warmun 38.9 +3.0 41.5 23rd 24.3 +1.1 21.0 30th 38.6 116.7 low 33%
West Kimberley (district 03)
Bidyadanga 35.5 +0.2 39.8 23rd 25.5 +0.6 23.0 6th 51.4 96.6 average 53%
Broome Airport 34.1 +0.2 39.0 26th 26.2 +0.8 21.8 20th 53.6 100.1 average 54%
Curtin Aero 36.4 +0.3 40.2 23rd 24.4 +0.3 22.4 7th 51.8 161.1 low 32%
Cygnet Bay 33.5 -0.2 36.6 21st 25.1 +0.6 20.3 24th 139.1 167.1 average 83%
Derby Aero 36.3 +1.1 40.2 23rd 25.4 +0.4 20.6 24th 60.6 133.0 average 46%
Fitzroy Crossing Aero 37.9 +1.2 41.6 23rd 24.0 +0.1 21.0 30th 69.4 118.1 low 59%
De Grey (district 04)
Bedout Island 33.0   34.7 23rd 27.2   23.2 4th
Karratha Aero 34.9 -1.2 40.8 22nd 26.1 +0.3 23.1 5th 54.4 49.2 high 111%
Legendre Island 33.1   36.4 22nd     23.9 5th
Mandora 35.8 -1.1 42.1 23rd 24.9 +1.0 21.9 24th 80.0 73.7 average 109%
Marble Bar 38.2 +0.5 42.7 21st 25.4 +0.5 20.9 4th 100.0 77.5 high 129%
Pardoo Station 36.9 +0.7 41.0 23rd 25.5 +1.0 23.2 10th 19.9 63.3 average 31%
Port Hedland Airport 37.2 +0.5 41.7 21st 26.1 +1.6 23.2 20th 8.6 48.4 average 18%
Roebourne Aero 37.3 -0.3 44.3 22nd 25.3 +0.1 22.6 20th 61.8 42.5 high 145%
Fortescue (district 05)
Barrow Island Airport 32.1 -1.2 35.7 9th 26.1 -0.4 23.2 31st 211.0 62.1 high 340%
Learmonth Airport 32.9 -3.5 37.5 9th 22.7 -0.3 19.5 17th 291.4 42.8 v high 681%
Mardie 35.9 -1.7 41.4 21st     22.8 31st 80.2 49.6 high 162%
Onslow Airport 34.1 -2.0 39.0 23rd 24.5 +0.4 22.1 18th 287.2 74.6 v high 385%
Wittenoom 34.9 -1.8 39.4 21st 24.1 -0.2 20.2 24th 167.6 70.3 high 238%
West Gascoyne (district 06)
Carnarvon Airport 31.5 -0.1 39.7 11th 22.5 +0.4 19.2 17th 115.2 17.4 v high 662%
Denham 31.3 +0.2 39.1 11th 22.5 +0.4 19.0 29th 143.6 15.3 v high 939%
Emu Creek Station 35.0 -3.5 39.5 23rd 22.9 -0.9 19.0 26th 170.9 41.6 v high 411%
Gascoyne Junction 33.3 -4.2 39.0 2nd     19.6 17th 215.1 30.4 v high 708%
Murchison 31.2 -4.2 37.0 12th 20.4 +0.3 17.0 29th 89.7 33.4 v high 269%
Shark Bay Airport 32.6 -1.6 39.4 11th 21.6 +0.4 16.4 29th 182.2 23.9 v high 762%
East Gascoyne (district 07)
Newman Aero 34.0 -1.0 39.6 20th 22.4 +0.8 19.1 5th 174.2 42.5 v high 410%
Paraburdoo Aero 34.6 -2.1 39.3 17th 22.6 -0.7 18.5 28th 234.0 50.7 highest 462%
Murchison (district 07A)
Meekatharra Airport 30.0 -4.3 36.7 20th 20.1 -1.2 15.8 28th 99.6 29.3 v high 340%
Mount Magnet Aero 29.2 -3.9 38.3 12th 19.0 -1.1 13.7 25th 127.0 38.2 v high 332%
Paynes Find 30.8 -2.2 39.2 12th 18.1 0.0 11.8 25th 37.0 24.4 high 152%
North Coast (district 08)
Carnamah 30.6 -2.2 39.5 12th 18.1 +0.8 12.8 23rd 32.3 20.3 high 159%
Dalwallinu 29.4 -2.2 38.5 12th 16.6 +0.2 11.0 23rd 44.6 23.7 high 188%
Geraldton Airport 30.6   38.9 12th 18.5   13.1 29th 86.4
Kalbarri 31.2 -1.5 39.6 12th 20.2 +1.0 16.4 28th 75.1 13.3 v high 565%
Morawa Airport 30.6 -2.7 39.3 12th 18.6 +0.7 13.4 23rd 73.2 17.8 v high 411%
Mullewa 30.7 -3.0 39.4 12th 19.4 +1.0 14.5 23rd 159.0 19.7 v high 807%
North Island 27.9 -0.3 30.0 9th 21.8 -0.1 18.1 17th 26.0 6.8 high 382%
Wongan Hills 29.8 -1.2 38.5 12th 16.0 -0.4 10.0 23rd 27.8 20.2 high 138%
Central Coast (district 09)
Badgingarra Research Stn 29.9 -2.1 39.0 12th 16.4 0.0 10.7 23rd 39.2 16.6 high 236%
Bickley 27.2 -0.9 36.5 12th 14.8 +0.3 8.7 23rd 41.8 25.4 high 165%
Garden Island HSF 26.4 -0.8 33.7 13th 18.3 +0.1 13.1 23rd 16.2 14.7 average 110%
Gingin Aero 29.7 -1.1 39.6 12th 15.2 0.0 9.2 29th 51.4 15.9 high 323%
Gosnells City 30.0 -0.6 38.2 12th     12.4 23rd 21.6 16.8 high 129%
Jandakot Aero 29.6 -0.1 36.4 12th 15.4 0.0 9.0 24th 17.4 16.1 high 108%
Jurien Bay 29.8 +0.4 36.5 13th 16.6 0.0 11.5 23rd 10.2 14.0 average 73%
Karnet 27.6 -0.2 36.2 12th     12.1 25th 45.4 24.4 high 186%
Lancelin     36.5 12th     12.0 25th 51.0 14.8 v high 345%
Medina Research Centre 29.3 -0.1 35.2 13th 16.3 +0.4 10.8 23rd 20.3 19.3 average 105%
Pearce RAAF 31.0 +0.5 41.5 12th 15.7 -0.3 8.9 29th 26.8 15.1 high 177%
Perth Airport 29.9 +0.2 38.6 12th 16.2 +0.3 10.8 28th 21.4 16.2 high 132%
Perth Metro 29.5 -0.2 37.9 12th 16.9 +0.3 12.3 23rd 15.6 19.5 average 80%
Rottnest Island 25.8 -0.3 31.1 13th 18.8 +0.1 13.6 23rd 22.4 14.3 high 157%
Swanbourne 29.3 +0.3 37.2 12th 17.3 0.0 11.7 23rd 21.4 21.4 average 100%
South Coast (district 09A)
Albany 22.5 +0.3 37.5 13th 15.8 +1.1 9.5 24th 35.6 38.4 average 93%
Albany Airport 23.9   40.1 13th 13.5   5.8 24th 39.0
Bridgetown 27.0 -0.5 39.2 13th 12.2 +0.5 3.7 24th 34.2 18.9 high 181%
Bunbury 27.7 -0.1 36.2 13th 14.7 +0.6 7.4 25th 23.0 15.5 high 148%
Busselton Aero 27.3 -0.7 36.0 13th 13.3 0.0 6.3 23rd 32.4 16.0 high 203%
Cape Leeuwin 22.7 0.0 24.8 12th 17.3 +0.6 13.0 24th 53.4 28.1 high 190%
Cape Naturaliste 25.5 +1.0 32.4 13th 15.3 +0.3 9.2 23rd 36.0 22.7 high 159%
Collie East 28.1 -0.3 37.3 12th 12.3 +0.4 4.7 24th 21.8 12.6 high 173%
Donnybrook 28.6 +0.6 38.9 13th 14.8 +1.9 8.0 23rd 46.6 24.6 high 189%
Dwellingup 27.7 +0.7 36.3 12th 13.8 +0.9 7.6 24th 45.8 26.3 high 174%
Esperance 25.2 0.0 41.5 13th 14.9 -0.2 7.7 26th 36.0 29.8 high 121%
Esperance Aero 27.2 +1.2 41.1 13th 14.2 -0.3 8.4 24th 42.6 33.7 high 126%
Hopetoun North 24.7 -0.1 42.0 13th 14.2 +0.1 7.7 26th 34.8 29.7 average 117%
Jarrahwood 28.2 +0.5 37.0 12th 11.7 +0.1 2.5 23rd 58.6 19.8 v high 296%
Mandurah 28.0 +0.2 34.4 5th 18.0 -0.2 12.5 23rd 18.8 16.2 high 116%
Manjimup 25.8 +1.0 38.7 13th 12.7 +0.2 7.2 23rd 38.2 29.8 high 128%
North Walpole 23.4 -0.7 29.3 12th 14.0 -0.3 9.2 24th 40.0 33.5 average 119%
Pemberton 24.9 +0.4 34.5 13th 12.4 -0.3 6.4 23rd 32.4 36.4 average 89%
Rocky Gully 24.7 -0.6 38.8 13th 12.3 -0.1 6.7 24th 44.8 34.4 high 130%
Shannon 24.2 -0.9 38.3 13th 12.5 +0.1 6.0 24th 45.6 31.3 high 146%
Witchcliffe 24.8 -1.1 33.2 12th 13.3 +0.3 6.8 24th 42.0 23.6 high 178%
North Central (district 10)
Bencubbin 28.8 -2.0 38.1 12th 16.5 +0.3 10.0 23rd 96.2 23.4 v high 411%
Cunderdin Airfield 30.6 -0.4 39.6 12th 15.5 +0.2 9.4 23rd 25.6 16.1 high 159%
Merredin 29.5 -0.8 37.4 12th 16.8 +0.6 9.9 23rd 85.0 20.8 v high 409%
Northam 30.2 -0.6 39.4 12th 16.1 +0.7 11.0 24th 22.8 18.4 high 124%
York 29.9 -0.9 39.3 12th     9.9 28th 24.1 16.4 average 147%
South Central (district 10A)
Beverley 30.5 -0.3 39.8 12th 14.7 0.0 6.2 23rd 21.4 16.3 high 131%
Brookton 29.1 -0.4 38.2 12th 15.0 +0.6 7.3 23rd 26.6 18.0 high 148%
Corrigin 28.9 0.0 38.5 12th 14.6 +0.3 9.0 24th 29.9 21.0 high 142%
Hyden 30.5 +0.5 39.9 13th 14.5 +0.3 7.2 25th 38.0 20.1 high 189%
Jacup 25.7 -0.2 40.4 13th 12.3 -0.2 5.0 24th 46.4 29.6 high 157%
Katanning 26.8 -0.5 37.6 12th 13.0 +0.1 4.5 23rd 19.6 17.2 average 114%
Lake Grace 27.8 -0.4 38.3 12th 14.3 -0.1 8.4 23rd 48.4 19.2 high 252%
Narembeen 30.4 +0.1 38.9 12th 15.7 +0.9 9.6 24th 32.3 20.2 high 160%
Narrogin 27.7 +0.4 37.6 12th 13.9 +0.9 7.7 23rd 39.2 20.8 high 188%
Newdegate Research Station 27.9 -0.2 39.0 13th 12.7 +0.1 6.3 24th 34.2 21.2 high 161%
Ongerup 26.2 +0.2 39.4 13th 13.3 +0.1 5.5 24th 16.4 22.0 average 75%
Pingelly 28.5 +0.1 38.0 12th 14.6 -0.1 6.7 23rd 26.2 17.3 high 151%
Ravensthorpe 26.7 +0.1 40.0 13th 13.6 0.0 6.5 24th 60.7 31.8 high 191%
Wagin 27.6 -0.1 38.1 12th 13.7 +0.3 6.0 23rd 18.8 20.2 average 93%
Wandering 28.5 -0.6 38.7 12th 12.4 -0.1 5.2 24th 38.4 16.8 high 229%
Eucla (district 11)
Balladonia 28.5 +0.4 37.6 14th 13.2 -0.4 5.6 24th 10.9 27.8 average 39%
Eucla 26.0 +0.8 43.2 15th 15.2 -0.7 9.5 25th 22.6 22.8 average 99%
Eyre 27.6 +1.9 39.3 14th 12.8 -1.5 0.5 25th 10.9 27.2 average 40%
Forrest 28.5 -0.7 41.1 15th 14.6 +0.2 8.8 26th 7.6 25.2 average 30%
Red Rocks Point 25.4 +1.2 39.2 18th 16.2 -0.8 8.8 25th 4.6 23.3 v low 20%
South East (district 12)
Bulga Downs 29.2 -3.7 38.1 12th 17.4 -0.9 12.0 25th 85.8 25.1 v high 342%
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport 29.1 -0.3 39.6 21st 16.7 +0.7 9.2 25th 23.4 25.8 average 91%
Laverton Aero 28.7 -1.8 39.4 21st 18.0 -0.2 13.2 25th 70.8 37.4 high 189%
Leinster Aero 28.8 -2.2 38.3 21st 18.5 -0.4 13.4 25th
Leonora Aero 28.8   38.8 21st 18.3   12.2 25th 69.2
Munglinup West 27.8 +0.8 41.3 13th 13.5 -0.3 7.3 24th 49.8 28.7 high 174%
Norseman Aero 29.3 +0.7 39.8 21st 13.9 -0.1 4.2 24th 25.2 32.1 average 79%
Salmon Gums Res.Stn. 28.3 +1.0 39.2 13th 11.7 -0.9 1.8 24th 37.0 26.2 high 141%
Southern Cross Airfield 29.7 -0.9 37.3 12th 16.2 +1.1 9.0 23rd 75.6 36.2 high 209%
Yeelirrie 29.5 -3.7 38.3 21st 17.7 -0.5 14.0 28th 130.2 32.6 v high 399%
North East (district 13)
Carnegie 33.2 -0.8 40.8 21st 21.1 +1.2 15.3 25th 46.4 33.7 high 138%
Giles Meteorological Office 35.8 +2.1 40.9 18th 22.1 +1.6 17.8 25th 1.8 35.5 low 5%
Telfer Aero 38.0 +0.6 42.0 21st 25.5 +1.5 21.8 28th 36.0 74.5 average 48%
Warburton Airfield 35.2 +1.2 40.9 15th 21.1 +1.1 14.9 25th 10.0 30.4 average 33%
Wiluna 30.1 -3.9 38.5 21st 19.7 +0.1 15.8 5th 120.8 36.4 v high 332%
Offshore Islands (district 200)
Adele Island 31.2   35.6 21st 26.8   22.5 22nd
Browse Island 30.4   31.7 22nd 27.3   22.5 23rd
Christmas Island Aero 28.5 +0.3 29.9 14th 23.2 +0.2 21.1 2nd 617.4 301.9 v high 205%
Cocos Island Airport 30.7 +0.7 31.7 20th 25.6 +0.4 23.8 1st 226.0 232.3 average 97%

Notes

A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in Western Australia using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.

A Climate Summary is generally published on the first working day of each month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Wednesday 1 April 2015. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages for individual sites are long-term means based on observations from all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of long-term average rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

The ACORN-SAT dataset is used for temperature area averages.

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