November 2014 Review - Sydney

It was a very warm and dry November for Sydney in 2014. More than half of the month saw daily maximums exceed 25C and a new record for the lowest daily maximum helped Sydney Airport record the fourth warmest average maximum on record. The threat of storms was evident at times during the month but the Airport escaped heavier falls like those seen in Western Sydney. This led to November 2014 being the fifth driest on record.

The average minimums and maximums from the past six years plus the long term average are shown below.

November averages at Sydney Airport for the period 2009-2014 plus the long term average

At 2.3C above the long term average, 2014's average maximum was the fourth warmest for a November since 1939. 2009 holds the record with 27.2C. The figures of 26.7C from 1968 and 26.5C from 1957 are the second and third warmest. Using Bureau of Meteorology methods, the average minimum for the month sat at 17.9C. This is the second highest on record. 2009 also holds this record with a figure of 18.5C.

The coldest temperature of the month was, unsurprisingly, earlier on. The morning of November 2 dipped to 13.2C. Of the past six years, 2009 and 2011 recorded warmer figures. The highest minimum came on the 24th. It never dropped below 21.0C then. Again 2009, as well as 2010, had a warmer respective figure.

The month's hottest day was November 14 as it reached a top of 38.0C. November 1 and 21 also passed 35C, with both on their way to 37.0C. The 38.0C recording was the hottest November temperature since 42.5C was recorded on November 22 back in 2009. 2009 also recorded another day above 38C, but you have to go back a few more years to 2006 to find the next occurrence prior to that.

The new record set for November at Sydney Airport was the lowest daily maximum. The 27th was the coolest day reaching only 21.1C. Only two Novembers since 1939 had seen a lowest maximum at 20C or above. The previous record was held by 1997 when the coldest day was 20.2C.

The month saw six days top 30C at the Airport. As mentioned above, three of those six climbed above 35C. The record number of days above 35C for a November is four, jointly held by 1957, 1967 and 1968. Of the Novembers since 1968, 1980, 2002, 2004 and 2009 also recorded three days above 35C.

Daily minimums and maximums against rainfall at Sydney Airport for November 2014

The month was very dry at the Airport. The calendar month saw 15.2mm recorded. The Bureau's recording of 13.2mm (2.0mm recorded against December 1) is the fifth lowest since 1929. 1956 holds the record there with only 5.7mm, and this year's figure (13.2mm) was the lowest since 1962. Other locations around Sydney, especially in the west, saw greater monthly totals due to isolated storm activity. Sydney Olympic Park recorded 38.0mm while Penrith saw 40.0mm, 30.0mm of which came in the 24 hours to 9am on the 6th.

There were only seven days of rain. The 16th was the wettest day, but only 5.8mm fell then. In 2014, only January and July have had a wettest day of the month drier than that. November 6 to 15 saw no rain and that 10 day period was the longest dry streak. It was also the longest dry streak since the 22 day run from late June into early August. There were two occurrences of two consecutive rain days, November 1 and 2 and the 24th and 25th. They only accounted for 1.2mm and 2.4mm respectively though.

Winds were down on last year's figures once again. The average maximum daily wind gust for November 2014 at the Airport was 52.4km/h and there were six days with a maximum gust above 60km/h. This is compared to 53.9km/h and nine days last year.

The strongest gust of the month, however, was stronger. The 16th recorded a maximum gust at 85km/h from the west. Two days earlier, a south-southwesterly gust at 83km/h was also measured. November 2013's strongest gust was 78km/h. The calmest day was the 24th when the strongest gust was only 35km/h from the east.