Wet run for east coast ends, up and down in Jyväskylä

Another intense low pressure system and associated trough affected Australia's east coast at the end of last week. The worst hit areas this time though were on the North Coast of New South Wales and in South East Queensland. On Friday May 1 Brisbane saw 200.2mm recorded, 100mm of which fell between 2:30pm and 5:30pm. Beerburrum, north of Brisbane saw 268.0mm. Flooding was reported across the city and led to road closures and cancellations for public transport. Rugby league's Anzac Test was also postponed to Sunday due to flooding at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

There were also strong winds along the coast. Cape Moreton, on Moreton Island, saw a top gust of 109km/h. It was the strongest gust recorded there since at least the start of April last year. Inland locations were calmer.

Wet weather continued in Sydney at the end of last week as well. Easterly winds associated with the new low brought showers across Sydney between April 29 and May 2. The final two days of April saw 14.4mm and 16.6mm recorded at the Airport, while the opening two days of May saw 17.2mm and 27.2mm, bringing the four day total to 75.4mm.

With not one of the final five days of April exceeding 19.5C,  the average maximum for the month at Sydney Airport dropped from 23.3C to 22.5C. April 28 and 29 also saw lows of 10.6C and 10.7C, the former of which was the coldest April temperature at the Airport since 2012.

The start of May has already seen an unusual recording at the Airport. The minimum from May 3 of 19.0C is among the highest on record for the month of May. The Bureau of Meteorology's methods led to a recording of 18.6C for the 3rd, although this measurement was seen already before midnight on May 2. According to Bureau records (and methods), the all time record for the highest May minimum at Sydney Airport is 19.1C, recorded way back in 1942. My records dating from 2009 show a highest May minimum of 16.3C, recorded last year. In contrast, 2013 last saw a minimum above 19C before the winter on March 28.

The past six and a half weeks, or 46 days, at Sydney Airport have seen only 14 days without rain and the longest dry streak has extended for only four days. It seems that drier weather has finally arrived though. Melbourne will potentially see some wild weather tomorrow, but a series of high pressure systems will move into position over Australia in the coming days, bringing dry weather to the whole country, bar the south east, for at least the time being. The current forecast for Sydney shows only sun for the coming week.

In Jyväskylä temperatures have continued their recent up and down run. After late season snow on April 29, May Day celebrations in Jyväskylä were helped as the second highest temperature of the year was recorded, when it climbed to 13.7C at Jyväskylä Airport. Saturday May 2, however, saw the lowest daily maximum for a day in May in the years since 2009 when it reached only 5.1C. May 3 then climbed back above 10C.

Snow falling in Jyväskylä on April 29

A pattern in the rainfall in Jyväskylä can be seen in the recent week and a half. In the 12 days from April 23, there have been four three day periods in which the first two saw rain while the third remained dry. For example, April 23 and 24 saw 8.7mm and 1.6mm, but the 25th was dry. Then April 26 and 27 recorded 5.4mm and 0.3mm, before no rain fell on the 28th.

Isolated showers rolled through Central Finland on May 3 and 4.
This is Tuomiojärvi with Laajavuori in the background during the afternoon of May 3

The coming week will see a continual rise in temperatures. The first day above 15C at Tikkakoski for the year is still in waiting. In the past six years the first date for such a temperature has ranged between April 21 in 2014 to May 12 in 2010. The current forecast indicates that Wednesday May 6 will be the first day in 2015. The first day of the year above 20C doesn't appear in the current forecast yet. 2009 and 2011 had already seen their first days above 20C by this time.