Maleny Weather

The week started with a surface trough line in the Coral Sea off the Queensland Coast and an upper level trough on a northwest cloudband. The merging of these two systems brought substantial falls of rain over a two day period totalling 150mm, with some flash flooding of local creeks and some aquaplaning of vehicles travelling too fast for current road conditions.  For the remainder of the week the weather pattern was influenced by a high in the Tasman Sea extending a ridge of high pressure up the east coast. An interaction with an existing surface low brought a series of scattered maritime showers to the region.

The week’s rainfall amounted to 212mm, bringing the total for the month to 218mm. Maximum temperature with 26°C was in line with the norm for January. The Minimum temperature of 17°C was one degree below the month’s average.  

The Bureau of Meteorology has released its Annual Climate Statement for 2011, highlighting a year likely to go down as the third wettest on record, with widespread and severe flooding across northern and eastern Australia.

Last year’s weather was dominated by two La Niña events. The first, one of the strongest in recorded history, began in 2010 and continued into the autumn of 2011. The second, weaker event, formed toward the end of winter.

There certainly has been a mixed bag of weather over the past week. It all started with a scorcher on Monday when a steep fall in barometric pressure sent the afternoon’s temperature soaring to a maximum of 35°C by 3.00pm. This is eight degrees above the mean maximum temperature for the month. The Heat Stress factor recorded at the time was a high of 46°C.  Not since 21^st January 2000 has there been such a high temperature in January.

What a contrast the above was to the end of the week when on Saturday the maximum temperature struggled to reach 22°C, five degrees below the norm !

Sunday brought the fortnight’s dry spell to an end when showers turned to some continuous rain from a northwest cloudband bringing rainfall of over 40mm, and some welcome relief to local gardens and low level water tanks.

WOW !   What a scorcher it was on Monday. With a humidity of 46% and a steep fall in barometric pressure the afternoon’s temperature soared to a maximum of 35°C by 3.00pm. The Hear Stress factor recording was 46°C.  Not since 21^st January 2000 has there been such a high temperature in January. The cause of Monday’s abnormal temperature was a high in the northern Tasman Sea bringing a stream of hot air to the Ranges.

In a normal year it is expected that the monsoonal trough line will extend from the Coral sea, through Cape York, NT, and over to the Indian ocean. This year so far is an exception. Currently the trough line is firmly bedded in the Coral Sea and curving round to the Indian Ocean well clear of the Australian coast line.

During the first part of January in a normal year it is expected that the monsoonal trough line will extend from the Coral sea, through Cape York, NT, and over to the Indian ocean. This year so far is an exception. Currently the trough line is firmly bedded in the Coral Sea and curving round to the Indian Ocean well clear of the Australian continent.

A high pressure system in the Tasman Sea with a ridge extending up the east coast was the main influence of the week’s weather. This brought fine light winds and mostly overcast conditions to the Ranges. Light drizzle on Saturday precipitated 1mm into the rain gauges.

Monday morning was the coldest of the week with 13.9°C at 5.00am. The hottest day was Sunday with 28.4°C at 1.15pm; with a hear stress factor measuring 36.8°C.