October Summary

Maleny Weather October 2008

In the first half of the month we were under the influence of a slow moving high in the north Tasman Sea extending a ridge of high pressure up the east coast. This brought dry stable weather to the Ranges; with quite strong northerly winds, the month’s highest temperature of 29.6 degrees and a temperature inversion that trapped the smoke from several bush fires in the locality. Although the month featured a series of northwest cloudbands, all but one failed to trigger off any precipitation due to the dry atmosphere. We had three thunderstorms, two with isolated hail, and from these brought most of the month’s rain of 63.6 mm; a figure 70 per cent below the 113 year average for October. However, we are still ahead by 260 mm for the year to date. Evapotranspiration for the month was 110 mm. Temperatures were average for the month and Sunshine hours were similar to last year of 234 hours. Maximum daytime temperature of 29.4ºC was on Monday 6^th, with a Heat Stress factor reading of 35.4ºC. The lowest temperature was early morning on Thurs.23^rd with 7.6ºC