Australian Weather News -- 04 APR 2001

Australian Weather News

Wednesday, 04 APR 2001

Drought increases grip in central southern WA

Rainfall deficiencies for the year to 31 March 2001. The pink areas indicate rainfall in the lowest 10% of historical totals, while light red indicate the lowest 5%, or a serious rainfall deficiency. The bright red area to the east of Wagin has experienced its driest 12 months, April to March, in the past 100 years. BoM

The Bureau of Meteorology Drought Statement issued today shows there has been no easing of drought conditions that afflict much of southwestern WA. Part of the Great Southern north of Albany has experienced its driest 12 month period, April to March, in the past century. Perth's summer rainfall, for the 7 month period from September 2000 to March 2001, was 91mm, the driest since 1878. While this is the dry season in Perth, the normal rainfall for the 7 months is 212mm.

National weather extremes for today Data provided by the Bureau of Meteorology Last updated at 20:44 EDST on 05/04/01
Quality control note: Data is complete, and has been visually checked by AWN for gross errors. Less obvious errors may remain. See Explanation of Extremes Pages for more information
Records set this day (none known)
Todays highest rainfall totals for the 24 hours to 9am. It includes the top 5 totals received, and/or all reported falls of 50mm or more. 110.0 HORN ISLAND N Peninsula QLD 109.1 LOCKHART RIVER AIRPORT S Peninsula QLD 54.0 NORTH EAST ISLAND Islands 52.0 COCONUT ISLAND N Peninsula QLD 46.0 MANINGRIDA Arnhem NT *NORTHERN TERRITORY* Arnhem 46.0 MANINGRIDA *QUEENSLAND* N Peninsula 110.0 HORN ISLAND 52.0 COCONUT ISLAND S Peninsula 109.1 LOCKHART RIVER AIRPORT *ISLANDS* Islands 54.0 NORTH EAST ISLAND	High rainfall for periods of 6 hours or less. *NORTHERN TERRITORY* *Arnhem* WARRUWI 26.4mm in 30 min to 00:00 52.8mm/h 26.4mm in 1 hr to 00:30 26.4mm/h 23.2mm in 30 min to 23:30 46.4mm/h 23.2mm in 1 hr to 23:30 23.2mm/h *QUEENSLAND* *S Peninsula* LOCKHART RIVER AIRPORT 45.0mm in 3 hr to 06:00 15.0mm/h 51.0mm in 3 hr to 09:00 17.0mm/h 67.0mm in 6 hr to 15:00 11.2mm/h
Todays highest & lowest temperatures
Maximum	Minimum
40.0 MARDIE W Pilbara WA 39.0 CARNARVON AIRPORT W Gascoyne WA 39.0 SHARK BAY AIRPORT W Gascoyne WA 38.6 DENHAM W Gascoyne WA 38.0 ONSLOW AIRPORT W Pilbara WA 38.0 GASCOYNE JUNCTION W Gascoyne WA	28.0 TROUGHTON ISLAND N Kimberley WA 28.0 NORTHERN ENDEAVOUR Islands 27.8 DAMPIER PORT E Pilbara WA 27.3 MORNINGTON ISLAND Gulf Country QLD 27.0 VARANUS ISLAND Islands
8.6 MOUNT READ W Coast TAS 9.6 MOUNT WELLINGTON Southeast TAS 9.7 HARTZ MOUNTAIN(KEOGHS PIMPLE) Southeast TAS 10.2 CRADLE MOUNTAIN AIRSTRIP Central Plateau TAS 11.0 THREDBO (CRACKENBACK STATION) AWS Snowy Mtns NSW	0.5 THREDBO VILLAGE Snowy Mtns NSW 0.5 ARARAT PRISON Western Plains VIC 1.0 THREDBO (CRACKENBACK STATION) AWS Snowy Mtns NSW 1.0 WARRNAMBOOL AIRPORT NDB W Coast VIC 1.3 CHARLOTTE PASS (KOSCIUSKO CHALET) Snowy Mtns NSW 1.3 COLDSTREAM E Central VIC 1.3 MAYDENA (POST OFFICE) Derwent Valley TAS 1.3 LIAWENEE AWS Central Plateau TAS
Todays greatest temperature variations from normal
Maximum	Minimum
+12.9 34.0 MOUNT BARKER SW & S Coast WA +12.8 34.6 ALBANY AIRPORT SW & S Coast WA +12.1 33.0 MANJIMUP SW & S Coast WA +11.9 32.9 PEMBERTON SW & S Coast WA +11.8 34.0 DWELLINGUP FORESTRY SW & S Coast WA	+7.6 22.9 ENEABBA Central West WA +5.7 22.7 RICHMOND POST OFFICE Upper Carpentaria QLD +5.3 18.4 WONGAN HILLS RES.STATION Central West WA +5.1 19.4 GAYNDAH POST OFFICE Wide Bay/Burnett QLD +4.9 16.7 KARNET Lower West WA
-5.6 15.8 TATURA INST SUSTAINABLE AG Upper North VIC -4.9 26.0 GOVE AIRPORT Arnhem NT -3.4 28.5 ALYANGULA POLICE Arnhem NT -2.5 28.1 COEN AIRPORT N Peninsula QLD -2.5 29.2 MUSGRAVE S Peninsula QLD	-6.7 2.0 CASTERTON SHOWGROUNDS W Coast VIC -6.6 0.5 ARARAT PRISON Western Plains VIC -6.5 4.4 CAPE NORTHUMBERLAND Lower SE SA -6.2 2.5 HEYWOOD FORESTRY W Coast VIC -6.0 2.0 LONGERENONG Wimmera S VIC
Highest wind gusts above 89km/h or mean wind above 62km/h (gale force). Wind direction and mean windspeed shown in brackets. CAPE MORETON LIGHTHOUSE Brisbane/SE Coast QLD: 70 (140/ 63 ) at 10:00 MAATSUYKER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE Southeast TAS: 119 (320/100 ) at 13:55 MOUNT WELLINGTON Southeast TAS: 119 (260/ 89 ) at 12:30 HARTZ MOUNTAIN(KEOGHS PIMPLE) Southeast TAS: 91 (280/ 69 ) at 07:00	Other extremes ..