MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW - ARMIDALE NSW

JULY 2014

July 2014 was a cold, dry month with sunny days and frosty nights.
Rainfall was less than half the average totaling 20.8 millimetres on 6 days. The highest daily fall was 10.4 mm on the 26th.
Temperatures were close to normal with two particularly cold overnight minimums - see below.
Due to numerous clear nights, there were more frosts than normal with nine severe frosts (minimums lower than -4.0 degrees).
There were light snowfalls on the 18th (see details below), and prevailing winds were moderate westerlies.

Noteworthy events:
8th & 9th - Very cold air over New England in the wake of a cold front on the 5th produced very low temperatures and severe frosts on the 8th and 9th. The minimum on the 8th was -7.5C followed by an even colder morning on the 9th dropping to -8.2C. These were the lowest temperatures since 25th June 2012
(-9.0C).
18th - An intense cold front moved through the region early in the morning with snow showers falling in Armidale between 7am and 9am. The snow did not settle on the ground in the middle of the city, but there was a settling fall at the University of New England on the north-west edge of the city, and also in south Armidale. The last snow in Armidale was a very light fall on 12th October 2012, and the last time snow settled on the ground was on 9th July 2008.
The maximum temperature of 5.5C on the 18th was the lowest for six years since 9th July 2008 (5.0C).
Snow also fell in other towns on the Northern Tablelands including Hanging Rock, Walcha, Uralla, Ebor, Guyra and Ben Lomond.

JULY 2014 STATISTICS (long term averages in brackets)

Rainfall: 20.8 mm (48.2 mm)

Rain days: 6 (9)
2014 rainfall total Jan to Jul: 251.8 mm (447.8 mm)

Average maximum temp: 13.2 deg (12.4 deg)

Average minimum temp: -0.9 deg (-0.3 deg)

Highest maximum temp: 19.0 deg on the 25th

Lowest maximum temp: 5.5 deg on the 18th

Highest minimum temp: 6.6 deg on 16th

Lowest minimum temp: -8.2 deg on 9th

Fine sunny days: 19 (15)

Ideal weather days: 2 (4)

Days with thunderstorms: 1 (0.2)

Days with frosts: 23 (19) light: 6 moderate: 8, severe: 9

Days with fogs: 2 (3.5)

Wind direction at 3pm & number of days: W: 15, SW: 5, E: 6, S: 3, NW: 1, NE: 1

Average daily pan evaporation: 1.5 mm (1.4 mm)

Thunderstorm details:

Sat 26th: 1.45-2.00pm, 5.45-7.15pm - thunder heard in south - no rain