March 2015 Review - Sydney

March 2015 in Sydney saw comfortably above average temperatures, although minimum values were slightly down on figures from recent years. It was very warm throughout the whole month and included the second highest lowest daily maximum for March on record. Most of the month was dry and the rainfall total was well below the long term average.

Averages during the past seven Marches can be seen below against the long term figures.

March averages at Sydney Airport for the period 2009-2015 plus the long term average

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the average maximum of 26.8C sits in the top 10% of historical figures for Sydney Airport. Only one of the past 10 Marches, 2012, has actually been below the long term average of 25.3C. Despite being above the long term average, the average minimum for March in 2015 was a little lower than what has been seen recently. It was the second lowest since 2009.

The highest temperature of the month, and so far this year, was 37.9C. It was seen on March 1. It is the highest March temperature seen at Sydney Airport since 40.3C was recorded on March 9 in 2004. It is also one of only four days above 35C so far in 2015 and it was the hottest temperature seen since last November.

The warmest minimum was shared by March 4 and 10. It remained at 21.4C or higher on both days. It was the third lowest such figure since 2009, although all seven years have figures between 21.0C and 22.8C.

The coldest day was March 13. It reached a top of only 22.7C then. This is the second highest such March figure on record. Only March in 1981 saw a warmer coldest day of 23.0C. The coldest overall temperature of the month came on the 27th when it dipped to 14.0C. It is still only one of four days to see the mercury drop below 15C at the Airport so far in 2015. It was the third lowest respective March figure since 2009.

As is typical at this time of the year, temperatures declined a little as the month wore on. The graph below shows daily minimums and maximums against daily rainfall totals.

Daily minimums and maximums against daily rainfall at Sydney Airport for March 2015

Rainfall at Sydney Airport was quite a fair way below the average. Calendar day rain figures totalled 71.0mm. 30.0mm of that fell on the last two days of March. Bureau of Meteorology methods didn't include March 31st rainfall and led to a monthly total of 51.4mm, a long way below the long term average of 115.3mm. March 2014 saw 151.4mm. 2014 is one of only four of the past 20 Marches to have seen a monthly total above 85mm and above the average.

The last day of the month saw the highest daily total with 19.8mm. It is the third highest total so far this year. It was one of 12 days of rain at the Airport during the month and it was also part of one of the three three day rain streaks. The longest dry streak was from the 2nd until the 12th, a total of 11 days. This remains as the longest such streak in 2015.

Wind gusts were up on last year's figures. The high temperatures on March 1 declined quickly in the middle of the afternoon as a southerly change brought strong winds and storm activity. A south-southwesterly gust at 96km/h was recorded at the Airport at 2:34pm. Since the start of 2013 there have been only two maximum daily gusts stronger than that.

The calmest day was March 28 when a strongest gust of only 33km/h was recorded. This was above the respective figures from both 2013 and 2014 though.