Weather News

Winter-like day in WA's Newman and Wittenoom

The Pilbara is having a cold start to spring after a hot end to winter.

Yesterday was strangely cold in Newman where the inland Pilbara town had its third coldest day of the year. Cloud from a low pressure trough held the temperature down to 18 degrees in a month where the average day tops out at 30 degrees. During the afternoon storms developed and brought a burst of rain to the area.

Wittenoom also had a cooler day with a top of only 24 degrees, a day typical of June or July.

This cold day has come as a shock to the locals who only recently basked under one of the hottest Augusts on record.

Wittenoom had an average temperature of 31 degrees in August, four above average. This was its hottest August in 58 years of records.

Every Pilbara weather station that isn't on an island recorded more than 1.5 degrees above the August average with many recording their warmest August on record.

So far in September only a handful of areas have a warmer average than in August. Pardoo is the only location that has a running average higher than the long term September average.

On Sunday and most of next week, above average temperatures are favoured with stunning sunny days.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2012

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