Discussion: Australia General Weather

[rainfan]

More on the SE QLD cold spell courtesy from CM online:

Southeast freezes again in our coldest winter in years

August 14, 2008 06:33am
IT'S not your imagination. This is shaping up to be Brisbane's coldest winter in years with minimum temperatures about four degrees below average.
So far this August Brisbane has averaged 7.4 degrees in the morning compared with 11.4 degrees at the same time last year.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecast Vikash Prasad said the long term average for August was about 10 degrees.

"We're certainly seeing some cooler temperatures associated with the dry south-westerly airstream," Mr Prasad said.
This morning was no different with the mercury sinking to 6.5 degrees in the City and just 2.8 at the Airport.
But farther west it was much colder with Amberley reaching a freezing -2.1 degrees, Oakey -3.6, Warwick -4.5 and Applethorpe a bone rattling -5 degrees.

Mr Prasad said the clearing of yesterday's cloud cover contributed to the colder morning.
"There's still a bit of high cloud about but with the cloud clearing forward we'll probably see similar temperatures tomorrow as well," he said.
Although the cold snap was expected to continue across inland parts, coastal areas should see slightly warmer minimums from next Monday or Tuesday as the winds changed from south-westerly to south-easterly.
"That means there's more onshore flow and it should increase the moisture in the air a little bit," said Mr Prasad.
The chilly winter did not indicate there were milder conditions ahead though.
Mr Prasad said the three month outlook due to be released at the end of the month indicated above average temperatures for September to November.
"The rainfall's likely to be above average as well, which is good news," he said.
The three month outlook for June to August had suggested cloudy conditions and above average rainfall which was true of June and July, he said.
"But this month Brisbane's had a total of just 0.2mm so far."

[rainfan]

The 16 day dry spell in Perth has been broken by some showers falling today although only 0.2mm has fallen so far in the city raingauge with falls of 1-3mm over suburbs.

Last time something of this magnitude occurred in 1978 when no rain fell during 18 consecutive days.

Looking at past rainfalls - there have been several instances where a wetter than average September has followed a very dry August, certainly hope this will happen for the sake of farmers in WA as I spoke with one over the weekend here on holidays, he mentioned after good June and excellent July rains, August so far is proving to be a huge disappointment to him and many other farmers. Plenty of calls from southern WA folk for more rains.

Eyre in Eucla, WA recorded -7.2oC - a new record for WA for any month. Previous was -6.1 at Salmon Gums in 1970. Northam broke a 95 year old record with a minimum of -1.5 degrees.

[rainfan]

Report courtesy of Weatherzone re Melbourne's cold snap yesterday : -

Melbourne shivers through coldest day in years

Tom Saunders, Thursday August 21, 2008 - 18:59 EST

Spring is only days away but southeastern Australia is shivering through a mid winter cold outbreak with temperatures plummeting as much as six degrees below average.

The temperature in Melbourne on Thursday stayed in single figures for the first time in 13 months, reaching only 9.9 degrees. It was Melbourne's coldest August day in four years and second coldest in 30 years. Melbourne Airport reached only eight degrees, their coldest day in over 10 years and coldest in August for 38 years.

The low temperatures were accompanied by widespread rain. By 6pm 12mm had fallen in the city, Melbourne's wettest day in a month.

The cold snap is the result of a strong southerly airstream that has spread over southeastern Australia behind a front.

[Addendum by poster - to 9am today 14 / 11mm fell in the city & airport respectively. On the 12th of 1978 in the city, maximum was 9.6 degrees. Other instances - 6.8 on the 16th 1970 & 8.8 on 20th 1968]

[rainfan]

WA/Perth is still suffering from prolonged, very unwelcome dry conditions .

26.4mm has fallen so far this month at the Metro site, nearly all of it in the 1st 2 days. For the Aero site it's 16.6mm.

Driest Augusts:

RO:
11.8 1902 (driest on record)
18.4 1978
27.5 1881

Metro:
Current driest Aug. is 2000 with 81.2mm, if models/forecats stay true to end of August then will be broken by this one.

Aero:
29.7mm 1956
23.2mm 1978 (driest on record)

[RWood]

While we're getting rained on a lot:

Return of the BIG HIGHS for the SE - austpacwx | Google Groups#

[ATO2]

Originally Posted by RWood

While we're getting rained on a lot:

Return of the BIG HIGHS for the SE - austpacwx | Google Groups#

Don't it make you weep! Maybe the populations of our two areas could swap for a few weeks.

[rainfan]

MTD Southern "Wet" season - only Adelaide (71mm) has exceeded the rain average by a few mm, Melbourne in second place with 43mm. Canberra & Perth very dismal with 13mm and 26mm respectively. Hobart with 38mm.
Out of all those - Perth has the largest negative, down around 100mm from the average.

Darwin - NIL as usual, Brisbane on 10mm & Sydney (Ob Hill) 29mm. However Rose Bay near where I live is far wetter with 61mm.

[rainfan]

Originally Posted by ATO2

Don't it make you weep! Maybe the populations of our two areas could swap for a few weeks.

should be that our countries swap locations , you want the sun & dont want the rains, we over here in the West Island want the opposite

[rainfan]

Had to put this down as it's "different" to the usual Melbourne - Sydney rivalry & of course comments about the "weather". Courtesy of the Adelaide Advertiser online.

HMMMM. Those vacuous, tanned beach bums from the Gold Coast say even Adelaideans agree the city is "too boring" to host the Commonwealth Games.

But their outrageous claim on website www.goldcoast.com.au isn't backed up by the facts.

While 38 per cent of respondents to our poll on this page say Adelaide is too boring for the Commonwealth Games, the Gold Coast website conveniently ignores the combined 38 per cent of voters who say either the Games are too boring for Adelaide, or we're a great city but can't afford the Games.

But coming from a state that boasts it's "beautiful one day, perfect the next" - when not being buffeted by tropical storms and vomit-soaked schoolies - what's a little mischievous tweaking of the facts?

Glynis bags her former home

The interstate debate was triggered when the Gold Coast Bulletin today reported Olympic gold medallist and former Adelaidean Glynis Nunn-Cearns had tipped a bucket on Martin Hamilton-Smith's Commonwealth Games bid, saying Adelaide is "dead".
The former Adelaide resident mocks our city in today's Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper, throwing her support behind the rival Gold Coast bid.
"I lived in Adelaide from 1982 for eight years," said Ms Nunn-Cearns.

"There is more infrastructure set up here on the Gold Coast and Adelaide is a bit dead. There's nothing really happening down there.

"It's also really cold in winter and really hot in summer. I remember having to take cold showers in the middle of the night because it was so hot."

The article says Mr Hamilton-Smith's bid has the support of federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson but likens our city to his leadership - "nice enough but a bit boring".

To read how people responded - click on the link: AdelaideNow... Golden girl Glynis Nunn-Cearns scorns Adelaide Games bid.

[RWood]

Considering weather only, if I had to pick one of the 2 for all-year-round living, I'd pick Adelaide (drier, less humid). Of course I'd really rather move with the seasons....