MONTHLY WEATHER REVIEW - ARMIDALE NSW

JULY 2012

July 2012 was a cold frosty month with unusually high rainfall.

The rain total of 97.0 millimetres was twice the average with most of it falling during one event over four days in the middle of the month. It was Armidale’s wettest July since 1998.
Day temperatures were very close to normal, but overnight minimums were slightly higher than normal. There were no notable extremes, although it was a little unusual that there were only two days with maximums below 10.0C. The July average is six days.
There were 21 frosts, six of them severe, and winds were mostly light to moderate westerlies.
There were no snowfalls.

Noteworthy events:
11th to 14th - A slowing moving low pressure trough passed through New South Wales generating moderate to heavy rain in the north of the state. In Armidale the rainfall total for the four days was 82.4 mm which was the heaviest for eight months. Minor to moderate flooding occurred in Dumaresq Creek on the 13th and 14th. The rain cleared in the early hours of the 15th.
During this event the 24 hour total of 49.4 mm to 9am on the 13th was the highest daily fall since 24th November 2011 (87.6 mm)

26th - A trough passing through New South Wales brought unstable conditions which generated several thunderstorms in the Armidale area in the afternoon and evening. 10.2 mm was recorded from showers and storms during the day. Thunderstorms are uncommon on the Northern Tablelands during the winter months.

JULY STATISTICS (long term averages in brackets):

Rainfall: 97.0 mm (48.1 mm)

Rain days: 10 (9)
2012 rainfall total Jan to Jul: 391.0 mm (448.2 mm)

Average maximum temp: 12.6 deg (12.4 deg)

Average minimum temp: 0.3 deg (-0.3 deg)

Highest maximum temp: 16.1 deg on the 17th

Lowest maximum temp: 9.4 deg on the 2nd

Highest minimum temp: 9.0 deg on the 11th

Lowest minimum temp: -7.4 deg on the 4th

Fine sunny days: 15 (15)

Ideal weather days: 3 (4)

Days with thunderstorms: 1 (0.2)

Days with frosts: 21 (19) * light: 6, moderate: 9, severe: 6

Days with fogs: 6 (3) morning fogs: 5, evening fogs: 1

Wind direction at 3pm & number of days: W: 13, E: 8, SE: 3, SW: 3, NE: 2, S: 1, NW: 1

Average daily evaporation: 1.3 mm (1.4 mm)

Thunderstorm details:

26th: 2.00-3.45pm - thunder heard, slight storm
9.00-10.00pm - slight storm from west


* Frost severities: light: min temp >0.0C, moderate: min temp -3.9C to -0.1C, severe: min temp <-3.9C