Queensland Monthly Climate Summary: August and Winter 2006
A generally dry August.
Friday 1 September, 2006
- August rainfall mostly below to very much below average.
- A wet winter over Cape York, but generally near-normal
winter rain elsewhere.
- Cooler than average for the month and season over Cape York,
but warmer than normal elsewhere.
August rainfall totals were below average over much of the state, with little
or no rainfall recorded in western Queensland. Rainfall late in the month led
to totals of close to or above average over the southeast, while some modest
falls led to above average totals on Cape York Peninsula at this normally dry
time of year.
Winter rainfall totals varied across the state. While rainfall winter rainfall
averages are generally low for much of Queensland, above average totals were
recorded in the northern tropics, much of the Central and Southern coastal
fringe and in the far southwest. Parts of western Queensland, the Maranoa and
Warrego, the Darling Downs and Granite Belt recorded below average totals.
August maximum temperatures were lower than average over Cape York Peninsula and
the Gulf. Elsewhere maximum temperatures were above average, reaching almost 4
degrees higher than normal in parts of the Darling Downs and Maranoa. Winter maximum
temperatures were warmer than normal in most parts, though lower than average daytime
temperatures were recorded over the Cape, the Gulf and the northwest of the state.
A number of places recorded their highest mean maximum temperatures on record
for August. These included:
Cape Moreton Lighthouse with 21.1°C (average 19.7°C, 94 years of record);
Mitchell Post Office with 24.4°C (average 21.6°C, 87 years of record);
Taroom Post Office with 26.5°C (average 22.8, 54 years of record);
Brigalow Research Station with 26.1°C (average 23.7°C, 38 years of record); and
Applethorpe with 17.8°C (average 15.3°C, 37 years of record).
New record warm mean maximum temperatures for winter were recorded at:
Taroom Post Office with 23.9°C (average 21.7°C);
Monto Township with 23.3°C (average 21.4°C, 33 years of record);
Cape Moreton Lighthouse with 20.6°C (average 19.4°C); and
Brian Pastures with 24.8°C (average 22.7°C, 34 years of record).
Croyden reported the lowest mean maximum temperature for both August and
winter in its 82 years of record. (August mean maximum temperature 29.1°C,
average 31.2°C; winter mean maximum temperature 28°C, average 29.9°C)
Overnight minimum temperatures were mixed, with the most significant
variations from average occurring in the central and southwest, where overnight
temperatures were typically 2 degrees warmer than average, and in the northwest
of the state with pockets recording about 2 degrees cooler than normal.
For further information, please contact Ann Farrell on (07)32398660 or
Tamika Tihema on (07)3239 8662.
After-hour enquiries should be directed to the senior forecaster on (07)32398750.
The latest temperature/rainfall maps and seasonal outlooks for Queensland are available at
World Wide Web www.bom.gov.au
Weather by Fax 1800 630 100 [Free Call Directory]