Press Release

Perth ends 2009 on a rainless note

31/12/2009: Perth failed to receive any rainfall during December, only the third time this has happened during December on record, according to weatherzone.com.au.

The city only averages six millimetres during December, but the lack of any rain this month made it the driest December since 1997, the last time that no rain was recorded.

"Summer is the driest time of year in southwest Western Australia, so it is not unprecedented to have a rainless month at this time of year. However, it is quite unusual for the city to not even pick up a passing shower or storm, especially given how wet northern and inland parts of the state were as a result of Severe Tropical Cyclone Laurence," weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said.

2009, as a whole, was a dry year for Perth. The city came in at 608mm, below the long term annual average of 753mm. This made it the driest year since 2006.

It was also a warm month. Perth had an average maximum of 31 degrees, above the long term normal of 29. This made it the hottest December in terms of daytime temperatures since 1999. In fact, on the 28th, the city peaked at 40 degrees, the hottest December day in two years.

The nights were also warm. Perth’s average minimum of 17 degrees was slightly above the long term normal of 16. This made it the warmest December in terms of overnight temperatures since 2002. In fact, on the morning of the 29th, the city did not fall below 24 degrees, making it the warmest December night in six years.

When both daytime and overnight temperatures were combined, Perth’s average temperature came in at 24 degrees, above the long term normal of 22. This made it the warmest December since 2002.

Looking at 2009 as a whole, Perth had a warm year. The average maximum of 25 degrees was slightly above the long term normal of 24.5, but this was sufficient to make it the warmest year in terms of daytime temperatures since at least 1994. The average minimum of 12.7 degrees was also slightly above the long term normal of 12.6, but this made it the warmest year in terms of overnight temperatures since 2003. The mean temperature of 18.9 degrees was the highest since 1999.

"The high average temperatures can mainly be put down to a warm January, April, May, August, October and December. March and September actually came in quite a bit cooler than average, so without these months, it would have been even warmer overall," Pearce said.

"At this stage, we are expecting 2010 to be fairly close to average rainfall-wise, although tending more on the wetter than normal side."

Media Inquiries:

Matt Pearce
media@weatherzone.com.au
02 9965 9236

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