Australian Targets

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Tasmania breaks July winter temperature records; Sydney records hottest July temperature

Temperature records tumble during winter in Tasmania in July. And Sydney set a new warmist July record. It seems July temperature records aren't only being broken during the northern hemisphere heatwaves, but also in the depths of winter season in Australia.

In Tasmania:

  • statewide mean maximum temperature was 1.40 °C above the 1961-1990 average, the warmest on record. 
  • statewide mean minimum temperature was 2.63 °C above the 1961-1990 average, the warmest on record since observations begun in 1910. 
  • Minimum temperatures were more than 8 °C higher than average for parts of the north-east on the 8th.
  • 13th July particularly warm. Many sites had their highest daily minimum temperature for July on record.
  • Hobart had its warmest July night on record reaching  13.0 °C (137 years of observations).

"For Tasmania, the July statewide mean maximum temperature was 1.40 °C above the 1961-1990 average, the warmest on record. For New South Wales this July was the fourth-warmest on record, for Victoria the sixth-warmest on record and for South Australia the tenth-warmest on record."

"Tasmania's statewide mean minimum temperature was 2.63 °C above the 1961-1990 average, the warmest on record since observations begun in 1910.  For Queensland this July was the seventh-warmest on record."

"much of Tasmania had a very warm night on the 13th. Many sites had their highest daily minimum temperature for July on record. Hobart had its warmest July night on record reaching  13.0 °C (137 years of observations)."

This follows a warm June with temperature and rainfall records falling:

  • A couple of sites had their highest June temperature on record and a couple of others their highest daily minimum temperature on record on the 17th due to a prevailing and warm north to north-westerly airstream.
  • A few sites had their highest June daily rainfall on record and a couple their highest total June rainfall on record.

For Australia the BOM notes the following details for July in Australia:

  • Nationally-averaged July total rainfall for Australia was close to average.
  • Rainfall for July was above average for much of the northern half of Australia.
  • Rainfall was below average for southern two thirds of Western Australia, most of South Australia, eastern New South Wales, Victoria and eastern Tasmania. Rainfall was below average for southern two thirds of Western Australia, most of South Australia, eastern New South Wales, Victoria and eastern Tasmania. 
  • Australia's national area-average mean temperature was 1.19 °C above the 1961-1990 average, the ninth-highest on record (since 1910) for July.
  • The warmest July on record for Tasmania.
  • Area-average mean maximum temperature for July was 1.23 °C above average nationally. The national mean minimum temperature was 1.15 °C above average.
  • Mean maximum temperatures for July were above average for large parts of eastern and southern Australia. Mean maxima were cooler than average for parts of the Northern Territory extending into north-eastern Western Australia and parts of western Kimberley. 
  • Mean minimum temperatures for July were warmer than average for much of the eastern two thirds of Australia and cooler than average for large parts of southern Western Australia.

Andrew King, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, The University of Melbourne, argues at the Conversation the winter warmth is both a result of natural drivers of weather and climate variability and climate change.

"So is climate change a factor here? Yes. Australia’s land areas have already warmed by 1.4℃ since pre-industrial times. This is the result of humans burning fossil fuels and releasing greenhouse gases.

The record winter warmth is part of a long-term upward trend in Australian winter temperatures.

As I’ve written previously, there has been at least a 60-fold increase in the likelihood of a very warm winter that can be attributed to human-caused climate change.

And we’re likely to see more record warm winters as the planet continues to warm."

and further elaborating....

"The Northern Hemisphere’s heatwaves are very alarming. But Australia’s temperatures are also unusually high for winter – and this is also cause for concern.

Warm winters in Australia can negatively affect some parts of the economy, including the ski industry. It also disrupts flora and fauna and increases the chance of “flash droughts” – where drier-than-normal conditions turn into severe drought in the space of weeks.

The warm, dry conditions may also lead to an earlier start to the fire season in Australia’s southeast.

So while we may appreciate warm winter weather, we mustn’t forget what’s driving it – and how urgently we need to stabilise Earth’s climate by slashing greenhouse gas emissions."

New July temperature record for Sydney

Meanwhile on July 31st Sydney recorded a new record July temperature. According to Ben Domesino, the meteorologist for Weatherzone, who said in a tweet:

"#BREAKING - #Sydney exceeded today's forecast by 1.5ºC and is now having its warmest July on record based on maximum temperature. 

Using two decimal places for the tie-break, this month's average max temp of 19.91ºC beats the previous record of 19.89ºC from 2018."

"This brought the city's monthly mean temperature (combined min and max) up to 14.64ºC, which is also a new record for July."

"Sydney’s 23.5C was enough to have elevated July’s average maximum above the previous record of 19.89C set in 2018, Ben Domensino, a senior Weatherzone meteorologist said. Data at Observatory Hill goes back to 1858" reported the Guardian.


Maximum, Minimum and mean Temperature deciles


Area averaged Maximum Temperature deciles for Australia July 2023


Area averaged Minimum Temperature deciles for Australia July 2023


Area averaged Mean Temperature deciles for Australia July 2023


Area averaged rainfall deciles for Australia July 2023


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