|
 Cold
night across southern AUS
Frost level temperatures were reported this morning from the Central
Wheat Belt and Goldfields in WA, an area north of Eyre Peninsula in SA, along
the
length of the NSW Great Divide and Slopes into QLD, and westwards into the
Maranoa. The unusually widespread May frosts are the result of a
strong ridge of high pressure that extends the full width of the continent
from Perth to Brisbane. Burrinjuck Dam, 60km NW of Canberra, recorded its
coldest May minimum in 38 years of record with a low of -0.7, while Woolbrook
on the NSW Northern Tablelands scored the national low of -6.0, closely followed
by Goulburn Airport on -5.7. The greatest departures from normal, however,
were farther north. In QLD, Oakey (-1.2), Amberley (0.8) and Gympie (2.2)
were all around 9 below average. In WA, frost level minima were reported
well northwards into the Gascoyne where Murchison (2.1) and Paynes Find (1.1)
were also around 9 below.
Cold
day in WA/NT border areas
Thick cloud continues to be drawn ESE across the NT from storms firing
across the Indonesian archipelago, bringing isolated heavy rain and widespread
and exceptionally low daytime temperatures. The area being influenced
has moved slowly north then northwest over the past couple of days, with
the northern border area between the NT and WA most affected today. Yuendumu,
265km NW of Alice Springs, recorded a top of just 12.0, 13.1 below average,
while farther north in the Victoria River district, Timber Creek (22.5)
and Wave Hill (21.5) were both around 10 below. Across the border in WA,
Balgo Hills (16.6) was 12.7 below and Warmun (21.2) was 10.9 below. Victoria
River Downs reported 38mm in the 3 hours to midnight last night and a further
39mm to 6 this morning, though the 24 hour to 9am total of 54mm indicates
an error somewhere. Farther north, Geriatric Park, 60km SW of Darwin, reported
a 24 hour total of 41.8 and Florina, 75km W of Katherine, reported 47mm.
Wintry
day in TAS, Bass Strait
Gale force winds battered coastal and exposed highland areas
of TAS during a day when temperatures and snow levels steadily lowered
behind an early morning cold front. The front, embedded in
a southwesterly stream behind the trough that crossed the island four
days ago, passed over the island around dawn this morning, but the
strongest winds occurred as a 992hPa low that developed in the cold
air just behind the front skirted close to the southeast coast late
afternoon and evening. Cape Bruny, 70km S of Hobart, recorded an average
wind of 102km/h at its 6pm observation and a peak wind gust of 117km/h
5 minutes later. Tasman Island, 65km SE
of Hobart,
reached 122km/h at 10.15pm. Conditions in Bass Strait were wild, with
Wilsons Promontory recording a top gust of 124km/h at 3.50pm and Hogan
Island, 50km to the ESE, 113km/h at 11.30am. Kingfish Oil Rig in eastern
Bass Strait recorded a gust over water of 95km/h at 7.40pm.
Light snow showers were reported through the day and into Saturday
morning from Central Plateau stations and mountain areas in the southeast.
As the winds increased during the evening, highland areas must have
experience blizzard conditions briefly, Liawenee reporting an average
wind of 63km/h a little before midnight. Hail showers were widespread
in the unstable southwesterly stream. |
