Weather News
Sydney's record-breaking April
Ben Domensino, Monday April 30, 2018 - 12:03 EST
Sydney experienced its hottest April on record and its driest in more than a decade.
Despite a mild and showery end to the month, an extended period of unseasonably hot and dry weather during the first three weeks of April broke numerous records in the city.
Sydney's Observatory Hill rain gauge registered zero millimetres of rain between the start of April and 9am on ANZAC Day, which has never happened before in 160 years of records
This dry start was broken on ANZAC Day and the city ended up with a monthly total of 23.2mm, which is less than 20 per cent of the long-term average. This was Sydney's driest April in 12 years during what is typically the city's fourth wettest month of the year.
While showers late in the month prevented a record, the associated dip in temperatures wasn't enough to make up for the unprecedented early-month warmth.
Sydney registered new monthly average minimum and maximum temperature records during April.
The city's average minimum temperature during April was 18.0 degrees, which is an astounding 3.3 degrees above the long term average and easily trumps the previous record of 16.9 degrees from 1989.
Based on today's forecast maximum temperature of 21 degrees, Sydney's average maximum temperature during April will be around 26.1 degrees. This is four degrees above average and tops the old record of 25.6 degrees from 1922.
Prior to 2018, the highest temperature ever recorded at Observatory Hill during April was 34.2 degrees. This temperature was exceeded twice this month, with 35.4 degrees on Monday 9th and 34.6 degrees on Thursday 12th.
Due to a lack of cloud cover, Sydney also experienced about one and a half hours more sunshine than usual per day when averaged across the month.
- Weatherzone
© Weatherzone
2018
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