Sydney's spell of wet weather continued during the weekend. It was a pretty horrible weekend really with strong southerly winds keeping temperatures down while there were scattered showers and mostly grey skies.
The past 3 days have had the lowest daily maximums of the year so far, with each day beating the previous mark. Saturday saw a top of 21.1C at the Airport. It only got to 20.7C yesterday and today has only reached 19.1C. This is lowest maximum since mid-November. This morning also saw the first time below 15C for the year with 13.9C at 5:50am. Of the past 6 years, this is actually the latest date for the first time below 15C.
Thursday to Sunday saw a total of 16.4mm of rain with Friday responsible for the highest daily total of 8.6mm. The monthly figure now stands at 44.4mm. As mentioned already, southerly winds were quite strong throughout the weekend. Each day from Friday to today has seen a maximum gust above 50km/h. Saturday saw the top with a south-southwesterly at 72km/h.
Tropical Cyclone Ita has charged its way south along the Queensland coast from late Friday dumping rain from Cooktown to as far south as Brisbane. Ita was downgraded to Category 4 just before crossing the coast near Cape Flattery, and further downgraded to Category 3 and then to Category 1 not long after. Ita is still classified as a Category 1 storm but it is sitting off the coast east of Rockhampton and moving in a southeasterly direction further out to sea.
As expected, strong winds and heavy rain accompanied the storm. Cape Flattery saw a strongest gust of 159km/h at 9pm on Friday. That's about 44m/s, far beyond the strongest gust ever recorded in Finland. The weather station there has been out of action since 10pm on Friday. Cooktown saw a strongest gust of 122km/h just after midnight. A total of 197.8mm fell there during the 72 hour period from 9am on the 10th.
Cooktown copped the brunt of the wind and damage is evident there with trees down and roofs torn off buildings. Flooding has been a concern in many towns further south along the coast as rivers and catchment areas swell as a result of the heavy rain. Some roads and bridges are closed and the town centre of Innisfail has been split in two. A large gallery of images from the affected regions can be found here.
On the other side of the world, Jyväskylä escaped the rain on Saturday, but Friday and Sunday saw the 2 highest daily totals of the year so far. Coincidentally, the current trend of pleasant Saturdays continued. The past 4 have actually been really nice with warm temperatures and mostly clear skies. Saturday saw the highest temperature of the month so far with 10.6C. Friday, however, saw 7.0mm at Jyväskylä Airport and the second lowest daily maximum, while Sunday saw 7.6mm.
Monday, 14 April 2014
Friday, 11 April 2014
Category 5 Ita bears down on North Queensland Coast
Despite initial forecasts predicting a peak intensity of Category 4, Tropical Cyclone Ita was upgraded by the Bureau of Meteorology to a Category 5 storm yesterday afternoon. This is the highest ranking on the Australian tropical cyclone intensity scale.
Unfortunately for residents in Far North Queensland the track map for Ita has also been adjusted. The adjustment is shown below. This new track combined with the increase in intensity could be devastating for communities and towns in Ita's path. The storm will weaken as it moves inland but strong winds and heavy rain are very likely.
Residents in the region have been preparing for the storm for the last couple of days. They have also been advised to seek shelter this evening as the storm moves south along the coast. BoM has informed that Ita could produce winds up to 300km/h near its core, with gales up to 185km/h extending outwards from the centre.
Of the BoM weather stations in the region, Cape Flattery has recorded the strongest wind gust so far with 115km/h at 4:13pm. It is currently 4:40pm and Ita is inching its way closer to the coast. Due to the time of the storm hitting populated areas, it won't be until tomorrow before the extent of the damage is known. Let's hope everyone stays safe.
Unfortunately for residents in Far North Queensland the track map for Ita has also been adjusted. The adjustment is shown below. This new track combined with the increase in intensity could be devastating for communities and towns in Ita's path. The storm will weaken as it moves inland but strong winds and heavy rain are very likely.
 |
| Tropical Cyclone Ita Forecast Track Map at 3:59pm AEST on April 11 2014 Source: Bureau of Meteorology (image unedited from original) |
Residents in the region have been preparing for the storm for the last couple of days. They have also been advised to seek shelter this evening as the storm moves south along the coast. BoM has informed that Ita could produce winds up to 300km/h near its core, with gales up to 185km/h extending outwards from the centre.
Of the BoM weather stations in the region, Cape Flattery has recorded the strongest wind gust so far with 115km/h at 4:13pm. It is currently 4:40pm and Ita is inching its way closer to the coast. Due to the time of the storm hitting populated areas, it won't be until tomorrow before the extent of the damage is known. Let's hope everyone stays safe.
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Cold morning in Jyväskylä, rain returns to Sydney
Temperatures early this morning in Jyväskylä dipped below -10C for the first time this month. It was also the first time in over 3 weeks that it dropped below that mark. A high pressure system has been moving east across the Nordic countries during this week. Clear skies with low overnight temperatures has been the result.
Of the past 6 years, this morning was the second latest date in the first half of a year for a recording below -10C, something that is somewhat surprising considering the unseasonal warmth in Finland recently.
Today is likely to be the last time below -10C until late October or November. Forecasts show a lowest minimum in the coming days of -1C. There might also be some rain around.
Wet weather has once again returned to Sydney. Tuesday and Wednesday saw no falls at the Airport, the first two day period without rain in almost 3 weeks. There were showers earlier today, however, and a band of rain extending through the south east of the country arrived in the evening. Today saw a total of 4.0mm at the Airport.
Cooler temperatures have also continued. Today made it a week without a day above 25C at the Airport. This hasn't happened since the 7 day period between October 26 and November 1 last year.
Rain should continue tomorrow while the weekend could see a few showers as well. Autumn temperatures should also continue. BoM's current Sydney forecast shows no days above 25C for the next week.
Of the past 6 years, this morning was the second latest date in the first half of a year for a recording below -10C, something that is somewhat surprising considering the unseasonal warmth in Finland recently.
 |
| Latest dates with minimum below -10C for winters from 2008/09 to 2013/14 |
Today is likely to be the last time below -10C until late October or November. Forecasts show a lowest minimum in the coming days of -1C. There might also be some rain around.
Wet weather has once again returned to Sydney. Tuesday and Wednesday saw no falls at the Airport, the first two day period without rain in almost 3 weeks. There were showers earlier today, however, and a band of rain extending through the south east of the country arrived in the evening. Today saw a total of 4.0mm at the Airport.
Cooler temperatures have also continued. Today made it a week without a day above 25C at the Airport. This hasn't happened since the 7 day period between October 26 and November 1 last year.
Rain should continue tomorrow while the weekend could see a few showers as well. Autumn temperatures should also continue. BoM's current Sydney forecast shows no days above 25C for the next week.
Wednesday, 9 April 2014
Severe Tropical Cyclone threatens Far North Queensland
A severe tropical cyclone has been slowly intensifying in the north Coral Sea just off the south eastern tip of Papua New Guinea during the last few days. Tropical Cyclone Ita is currently a Category 3 storm moving west towards the far north coast of Queensland.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts the storm to intensify further to a Category 4 storm as it approaches the coast. There are already comparisons to Tropical Cyclone Yasi, which hit south of Cairns as a Category 5 storm at the beginning of February in 2011. So far it has followed a fairly similar sequence of events to the destructive Yasi, but Ita has been developing further north and current tracks predict the storm to make landfall further up the coast.
If Ita does follow the current forecast as shown in the above image, it should avoid any major population centres. There are very few towns and settlements in that area of the country, but nearby locations like Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns are likely to see effects of the storm as it moves south. People living in the direct path of the storm and in surrounding areas have been told to prepare for extensive damage from very destructive winds as well as possible flooding due to tidal surges and heavy rain.
Updated information on the storm can be found here on the BoM website.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts the storm to intensify further to a Category 4 storm as it approaches the coast. There are already comparisons to Tropical Cyclone Yasi, which hit south of Cairns as a Category 5 storm at the beginning of February in 2011. So far it has followed a fairly similar sequence of events to the destructive Yasi, but Ita has been developing further north and current tracks predict the storm to make landfall further up the coast.
 |
| Tropical Cyclone Ita Forecast Track Map at 4:44pm AEST on April 9 2014 Source: Bureau of Meteorology (image unedited from original) |
If Ita does follow the current forecast as shown in the above image, it should avoid any major population centres. There are very few towns and settlements in that area of the country, but nearby locations like Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns are likely to see effects of the storm as it moves south. People living in the direct path of the storm and in surrounding areas have been told to prepare for extensive damage from very destructive winds as well as possible flooding due to tidal surges and heavy rain.
Updated information on the storm can be found here on the BoM website.
Monday, 7 April 2014
Temperatures stabilise in Jyväskylä, drop in Sydney
The first week of April has been slightly cooler than the end of last month. Temperatures have sort of stabilised and are still well above zero, but the average maximum for the month so far is just below that of the last 2 weeks of March. The first 6 days failed to go above 5C, but for the third weekend in a row, Saturday was a nice day with 9.5C.
It has been mostly dry as well. Only 1.6mm has fallen in the past 2 weeks. A 5 hour period early yesterday morning accounted for 1.2mm of that, most of it falling as snow. Isolated showers passed through Central Finland on April 3 also, but Jyväskylä avoided any significant falls.
Sydney Airport saw its lowest daily maximum of the year so far yesterday. It only got to 21.3C in the late morning. It was also the lowest daily maximum since November 26. Today's low of 16.6C is the lowest in almost 3 weeks as well. Southerly winds have been dominant since the start of the weekend. Saturday saw a gust of 70km/h, the strongest in a week and a half.
Wet weather has continued with showers accompanying the cooler temperatures. In addition to the low daily maximum yesterday, it was also the 4th wettest day of the year. A total of 19.6mm was recorded, most of it falling during the afternoon. Including today, only 1 day of the past 18 has been without rain.
It has been mostly dry as well. Only 1.6mm has fallen in the past 2 weeks. A 5 hour period early yesterday morning accounted for 1.2mm of that, most of it falling as snow. Isolated showers passed through Central Finland on April 3 also, but Jyväskylä avoided any significant falls.
 |
| Isolated showers around Jyväskylä on April 3 |
 |
| Weakened Jyväsjärvi ice on April 3 |
Sydney Airport saw its lowest daily maximum of the year so far yesterday. It only got to 21.3C in the late morning. It was also the lowest daily maximum since November 26. Today's low of 16.6C is the lowest in almost 3 weeks as well. Southerly winds have been dominant since the start of the weekend. Saturday saw a gust of 70km/h, the strongest in a week and a half.
Wet weather has continued with showers accompanying the cooler temperatures. In addition to the low daily maximum yesterday, it was also the 4th wettest day of the year. A total of 19.6mm was recorded, most of it falling during the afternoon. Including today, only 1 day of the past 18 has been without rain.
Friday, 4 April 2014
March 2014 Review - Jyväskylä
Like December and February during the winter period, Jyväskylä saw a very warm and above average March. March last year was exceptionally cold, but the average maximum for 2014 was more than 7C higher. It felt like spring came early and, like February, the month ended up as the second warmest since at least 1961. The warm weather also brought along dry conditions resulting in below average precipitation.
According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Jyväskylä saw its equal second warmest March on record. Only 2007 was warmer, with 1920 its equal.
During the previous 5 years, the highest recorded March temperature at Jyväskylä Airport was 7.2C in 2011. March 2014 beat that by almost 5C with a top of 12.1C on the 29th. The highest minimum of 2.1C was recorded earlier in the month on March 13. This was also the highest such figure of the past 6 years. A brief period of cooler weather not long after saw both the coldest overall temperature and the lowest daily maximum; -17.3C on the 17th and -3.2C a couple of days later on the 19th respectively.
The highest temperature recorded in Finland was 13.5C at Jomala. Despite the month being one of the warmest on record for many locations, this figure was lower than at least 6 other months of March since 1961. The lowest temperature recorded was once again at Kilpisjärvi in the far north; -34.3C recorded on the 17th.
The warmth of March 2014 is highlighted by looking at the number of days with a minimum below -10C and the number of days with a maximum above 5C, and comparing it to previous years.
FMI reports that 28mm was recorded at Tikkakoski during the month. Despite being above last year's recording of 21mm, it was below the 1981-2010 average of 36mm. Based on recordings I took via the FMI site, I had a monthly total of 29.8mm at Tikkakoski. The day with the highest total was March 3 when 6.3mm fell, while a total of 12 days saw precipitation of some kind.
Jyväskylä spent most of March without any snow. The lack of snow was not surprising when looking at the number of days above 5C. There was some snow though. A depth of 10cm was recorded on the 20th and it stuck around for a few days. Warm temperatures towards the end of the month melted that snow quickly though and paths and roads were already being cleared of stones and sand by the last week.
 |
| March averages at Jyväskylä Airport for the period 2009-2014 |
According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, Jyväskylä saw its equal second warmest March on record. Only 2007 was warmer, with 1920 its equal.
During the previous 5 years, the highest recorded March temperature at Jyväskylä Airport was 7.2C in 2011. March 2014 beat that by almost 5C with a top of 12.1C on the 29th. The highest minimum of 2.1C was recorded earlier in the month on March 13. This was also the highest such figure of the past 6 years. A brief period of cooler weather not long after saw both the coldest overall temperature and the lowest daily maximum; -17.3C on the 17th and -3.2C a couple of days later on the 19th respectively.
The highest temperature recorded in Finland was 13.5C at Jomala. Despite the month being one of the warmest on record for many locations, this figure was lower than at least 6 other months of March since 1961. The lowest temperature recorded was once again at Kilpisjärvi in the far north; -34.3C recorded on the 17th.
The warmth of March 2014 is highlighted by looking at the number of days with a minimum below -10C and the number of days with a maximum above 5C, and comparing it to previous years.
 |
| Number of March days below -10C and above 5C for the period 2009-2014 |
FMI reports that 28mm was recorded at Tikkakoski during the month. Despite being above last year's recording of 21mm, it was below the 1981-2010 average of 36mm. Based on recordings I took via the FMI site, I had a monthly total of 29.8mm at Tikkakoski. The day with the highest total was March 3 when 6.3mm fell, while a total of 12 days saw precipitation of some kind.
Jyväskylä spent most of March without any snow. The lack of snow was not surprising when looking at the number of days above 5C. There was some snow though. A depth of 10cm was recorded on the 20th and it stuck around for a few days. Warm temperatures towards the end of the month melted that snow quickly though and paths and roads were already being cleared of stones and sand by the last week.
Thursday, 3 April 2014
March 2014 Review - Sydney
Sydney experienced a fairly warm March. As usual, temperatures were above the long term average. Of the past 6 editions of March, 2014 had the equal second highest average maximum. In addition to the warm temperatures, March also accounted for the lack of the rain in January and for most of February. It was the wettest month since November last year and fifth wettest March of the last 20 years.
The graph below shows the March averages at Sydney Airport during the last 6 years.
There were 3 days that topped 30C. The month's highest temperature of 30.8C came on March 18. That was the lowest such figure since 2008 when the highest March temperature was 30.2C. March 24 was responsible for the lowest daily maximum of 22.6C. This was unusually high. You have to go back to 1981 to find a higher figure. The lowest temperature of the month of 15.3C came on March 17 and the highest minimum of 21.8C was recorded on March 10.
Rain and storm activity for the month of March was high. The monthly total was more than the previous 3 months combined. A total of 151.4mm fell at Sydney Airport during the calendar month. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded 152.6mm; keeping in mind the recordings are made for the period 24 hours to 9am. It turned out to be the fifth wettest March since 1995. Elsewhere in Sydney, Observatory Hill recorded a much lower total of 102.6mm, while south of the city at Bellambi the monthly total was 290.4mm.
The wettest day of the month at the Airport was the 24th, also the day with the lowest maximum, when a large storm hit the Sydney region and dumped 39.8mm. March 13 saw 32.0mm also. There were quite a few storms around throughout the month. Rain was recorded on a total of 21 days, including the first 6 and last 11 days.
The maximum daily wind gusts were down on last year's figures. A westerly gust at 72km/h recorded during the storm on the 24th was equal to last March's strongest gust, but the average of the maximum daily gusts was 5km/h less. In addition, there were 3 days with a maximum gust below 30km/h compared to none last year. March 28 saw a strongest gust of only 24km/h, the lowest such figure since July 13 last year.
The graph below shows the March averages at Sydney Airport during the last 6 years.
 |
| March averages at Sydney Airport for the period 2009-2014 plus the long term average |
There were 3 days that topped 30C. The month's highest temperature of 30.8C came on March 18. That was the lowest such figure since 2008 when the highest March temperature was 30.2C. March 24 was responsible for the lowest daily maximum of 22.6C. This was unusually high. You have to go back to 1981 to find a higher figure. The lowest temperature of the month of 15.3C came on March 17 and the highest minimum of 21.8C was recorded on March 10.
Rain and storm activity for the month of March was high. The monthly total was more than the previous 3 months combined. A total of 151.4mm fell at Sydney Airport during the calendar month. The Bureau of Meteorology recorded 152.6mm; keeping in mind the recordings are made for the period 24 hours to 9am. It turned out to be the fifth wettest March since 1995. Elsewhere in Sydney, Observatory Hill recorded a much lower total of 102.6mm, while south of the city at Bellambi the monthly total was 290.4mm.
 |
| Daily rainfall totals during March 2014 |
The maximum daily wind gusts were down on last year's figures. A westerly gust at 72km/h recorded during the storm on the 24th was equal to last March's strongest gust, but the average of the maximum daily gusts was 5km/h less. In addition, there were 3 days with a maximum gust below 30km/h compared to none last year. March 28 saw a strongest gust of only 24km/h, the lowest such figure since July 13 last year.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)