July 2015 cloudy and cool

Photo sequence of Wood Ducks and ducklings

Wood Ducks Predator Drill

After a week of fine weather, most of the month was overcast, with cool days and warm nights. One day was very cool, 7 degrees below normal. Later, to make up for that, one night was 7 degrees above normal. There were 13 frosts (usually 17).
The news was full of items about cold weather. In fact, the weekly average temperature was not low here.
It rained on ten days, but never more than 6 mm.

Weather log for July 2015

 Comparing July months

For monthly averages, the most remarkable was the cloudy mornings: 55%. Even that was not as high as in July 2010, which had 61%.
The mean daily maximum temperature was just one degree low and the mean daily minimum one degree high. That made the daily temperature range a narrow 13.2 degrees. This also was not quite as narrow as in July 2010.
The rainfall of 18.0 mm was in only the 21st percentile, but it was higher than in last July or in three other recent July months. This month, one rainfall total has fallen into the 9th percentile (a serious shortage): the 24-month total of 984 mm.

Climate for July 2015


Data. All data, including subsoil at 750 mm, are from 3 Monash Street, Manilla. Rainfall data up to 26/3/15 is from Manilla Post Office, Station 055031.

June 2015 rather wet

Photo of the tiny blossoms of the Wilga, an Australian shrub

Wilga blossoms in June

The first week of June was cold but sunny, the second warm, and the rest not quite so warm. Rain registered (unofficially) on the 17th was 54.5 mm. That was close to the record June day of rainfall at Manilla Post Office: 55.1 mm on 18/6/1930.
The early morning minimum of the 17th was extremely warm, at 12.8°: the fifth warmest for June. There were 12 frosts (as usual) but none was severe. On two mornings, fog persisted past nine o-clock.

Weather log for June 2015

 Comparing June months

Most monthly averages were near normal. Daily minima were up one degree, and morning dew points down one degree.
While lower than in June 2013, the total rainfall of 74.4 mm is high: in the 82nd percentile. Among rainfall totals for more than one month, there are no serious shortages. The lowest percentile value (11th) is for the 24-month total of 996 mm.

Climate for June 2015


Data. All data, including subsoil at 750 mm, are from 3 Monash Street, Manilla. Rainfall data up to 26/3/15 is from Manilla Post Office, Station 055031.

Cloudy autumn in 2015

Photo of eucalyptus tree

Eucalyptus albens in bloom

For a time around the 20th of April, days averaged five degrees colder than normal. At that time nights were warm, making the daily temperature range a remarkable eight degrees less than normal. On three occasions the dew point (humidity) was down by six degrees or more: early and late in March, and in mid-May. The sub-soil temperature was low most of the time by up to half a degree, but ended one degree high. Rain fell in each fortnight. The number of rain days (19) was high, but the highest daily reading (26 mm) was normal. Weather log for autumn 2015 This autumn, like the last, was moist. The rainfall, at 137.5 mm, was a little higher (on the 60th percentile) and the mean daily temperature range was a new record narrow value of only 14.0°. The season was very cloudy, with 41% cloudy mornings, but did not beat last year’s record 48%. The early morning dew point, 7.2°, was not even up to normal (8.5°). Warm nights and cool days made the mean temperature normal. Climate for autumn 2015


 Temperature, including subsoil at 750 mm, and other data are from 3 Monash Street, Manilla.

Very cloudy days in May 2015

Photo of a case moth

A case moth

While there were four frosts (usually 6) that came early in the month, a record number of eleven nights were warmer than 10°. Some were very warm. At 15.1°, the night of the 3rd was the 4th warmest May night. Although the night of the 31st was only 13.0°, since it came so late, that was 9.0° above normal for that date. By contrast, most days were cooler than normal.
The frostier times were sunny, but skies later became cloudy. Finally, days were chilly and overcast. Cloud blanketed the hills, but steady rain (16.5 mm) held off until the very end.

Weather log for May 2015

 Comparing May months

The most remarkable mean value for the month is the daily temperature range: at 12.9°, it is 2.4° below normal. The May months with the narrowest ranges to date, in 2001 and 2014, had ranges of 14.7°, only 0.6° below normal. The narrow temperature range is due to cloudy skies which, at 52%, equal the record for May.
Linked with these figures are a very cool mean daily maximum temperature of 20.2°, and a very warm mean daily minimum temperature of 7.3°. The mean early morning dew point (5.0°) is not high, but higher than in any May month since 2007.
The total rainfall of 30.8 mm is in the 51st percentile. (While the long-term May average is 40 mm, May rainfall in the 21st century has averaged only 21 mm.) Among rainfall totals for more than one month, there are no serious shortages. The lowest percentile value (14th) is for the 24-month total of 1019 mm.

Climate for May 2015


Data. All data, including subsoil at 750 mm, are from 3 Monash Street, Manilla.

Cool cloudy days in April 2015

Photo of labelled Saloop saltbush

Flourishing local Saloop saltbush

After 5 hot days in March (a record number), there were none in April. In fact, there were six days not reaching 20°, also a record number! On the 21st the temperature reached only 13.2°, making it the coldest April day of the century, 12.1° below normal. To get so cold, the temperature had fallen by 4° each day for four days. Many nights, however, were warm, and on four occasions the night was less than six degrees cooler than the day. As usual, there were no frosts.
There were eight rain days, with the highest reading 26.0 mm on the 4th.

Weather log for April 2015

Comparing April months

The average daily maximum temperature, at 23.9°, was colder than in any April since 1999 (23.5°). Night temperatures, while lower than last year’s record, were above normal, making the mean daily temperature range (12.7°) the narrowest for an April month, followed by April 2003 (13.6°). The percentage of cloudy mornings (more than 4/8 cloud) was a record 46.7%, equal with April 2012. The cloudiness and narrow daily temperature range, with high rainfall, make the climate this month like that on the coast.
The subsoil temperature (21.8°) and the early morning dew point (8.4°) were normal. (In March, the dew point had been almost the same (8.3°) but that was a record low value: in that month the normal dew point is much higher.)
The total rainfall of 70.9 mm is in the 84th percentile, far above the average of 40 mm. Among rainfall totals for more than one month, there are small increases. Even the 24-month total is now in the 12th percentile: not a serious shortage.

Climate for April 2015


Data. All data, including subsoil at 750 mm, are from 3 Monash Street, Manilla.
After 132 years of continuous record, rainfall readings are no longer taken at Manilla Post Office, Station 055031.