Ferny Grove Weather Blog

The review of the weather at Ferny Grove during April 2021 is now available.

In April 2021 overnight temperatures were below average. Daytime temperatures were close to average but was the coolest for April in 11 years. April minimum temperatures were near or above average in the first 10 days of the month before an extended period of below average temperatures during most of the remaining of the month. Maximum temperatures during April were near average or below average throughout the month with some above average temperatures.

April rainfall was the highest for April in 6 years and was above average with a total of 130.1 mm (138.6% of the long term average and 308.1% of the site median). Light showers with some moderate to heavy falls occurred at the start of the month tending to drizzle and light rain from the 4th and cleared on the 7th with moderate falls on the 6th. Light to moderate showers on the 8th and light showers on the 17th with some moderate to heavy falls. On the 30th were light to moderate thundery showers. Most of the rainfall during the month fell in the first week where the monthly rainfall total on the 7th had reached 114.4 mm.

Long period rainfall totals improved for most periods as compared with February 2021. Many of the long period totals remained slightly above average or above average, though the longer time periods of 24 and 36 month have remained with negative anomalies. 6 monthly rainfall dropped slightly by 13.4 mm to 71.8 mm above average and 9 monthly rainfall improved slightly by 20.2 mm to 86.2 mm above average. 12 monthly rainfall improved by 113.9 mm to 7.3 mm above average. 18 month rainfall improved by 69.5 mm and was 93 mm above average. 24 month and 36 month remained below average which improved by 109.9 mm to 14 mm below average for 24 month rainfall and improved by 60.1 mm to 165 mm below average for 36 month rainfall. 48 month rainfall improved by 135.2 mm to 24.9 mm above average. Compared with the same period in 2020 the long period rainfall totals improved and significantly for some periods but have worsened for 36 and 48 monthly totals.

The summary containing the key information can be found here.

The full report of more detailed analysis is available here.

The review of the weather at Ferny Grove during March 2021 is now available.

In March 2021 overnight temperatures were close to average. Daytime temperatures were close to average but was the coolest for March in 8 years. Minimum temperatures in March were near average or above average before below average temperatures in the last week of the month. Maximum temperatures during March saw a mixture of below and above average temperatures throughout the month, with a number of near average or below average maximum temperatures in the middle of the month.

Rainfall in March was well above average with a total of 297.3 mm (239.4% of the long term average and 248.5% of the site median). Many days in the first half of the month saw light showers and rain, with a gusty thunderstorm with brief heavy rainfall on the 2nd. The 14th to 20th saw periods of drizzle and light rain with light showers before increasing wet conditions on the 21st to 23rd with drizzle, moderate to heavy rain periods and a thunderstorm. In the last few days of the month were some light showers. Most of the total rainfall in the month occurred between the 14 March and 24 March when 263.3 mm of rainfall fell and 203.3 mm was measured between the 22 and 24 March.

Long period rainfall totals until the end of March 2021 improved for all periods as compared with February 2021. Many of the long period totals became slightly above average, though the longer time periods have remained with negative anomalies. 6 monthly rainfall improved by 179.9 mm to 85.2 mm above average and 9 monthly rainfall improved by 174.6 mm to 66 mm above average. 12 monthly rainfall improved by 149.8 mm but remained 106.6 mm below average. 18 month rainfall saw an improvement of 191.2 mm and was 23.4 mm above average. 24 month, 36 month and 48 month all remained below average but have improved by 188.1 mm to 123.9 mm below average for 24 month rainfall, improved by 106.9 mm to 237.7 mm below average for 36 month rainfall and by 250 mm to 110.3 mm for 48 month rainfall. Compared with the same period in 2020 the long period rainfall totals were mixed between improving and worsening for 6, 9, 12 and 18 monthly but have worsened for 24, 36 and 48 monthly totals. However, many periods have now see lower rainfall deficiencies as compared with the start of summer in December 2020

The summary containing the key information can be found here.

The full report of more detailed analysis is available here.

The review of the weather at Ferny Grove during February 2021 is now available.

In February 2021 overnight temperatures were close to average. Daytime temperatures were close to average and the lowest in 6 years. In February minimum temperatures were close to or below average during the month with some warm nights in the middle of the month and in the last week of the month. Maximum temperatures in February were below average during many days of the month and were above average during some days mostly occurring late in the month.

Rainfall in February was close to average with a total of 126.2 mm (78% of the long term average and 82.1 % of the site median). In the first few days of the month were showers with moderate to heavy falls before mostly light showers and rain until the middle of the month on some days. Further moderate to heavy falls from showers in the middle and later in the month along with some thunderstorm activity on the 19th, 22nd and 23rd.

Long period rainfall totals compared with January 2021 reduced further for most periods and were below average or well below average. 6 monthly rainfall reduced slightly by 20 mm below average to 94.7 mm below average and 9 monthly rainfall slipped by 45 mm to 108.6 mm below average. 12 monthly rainfall was slightly above average in January but fell to 256.4 mm below average in February. 18 month rainfall fell slightly to 167.8 mm below average while the 24 month, 36 month and 48 month rainfall totals fell by a large amount. The deficiencies compared to the long term average for 24 month rainfall fell from -163.9 mm to -312 mm, 36 month rainfall fell from -442.6 mm to -344.6 mm and 48 month rainfall fell from -68.8 mm to -360.3 mm. Compared with the same period in 2020 rainfall deficiencies have deteriorated, in contrast to January where the rainfall totals were less deficient than in January 2020. When compared with the start of summer rainfall totals worsened for all periods except for 24 month rainfall that improved by 54 mm but was still well below average.

The summary containing the key information can be found here.

The full report of more detailed analysis is available here.

The review of the weather at Ferny Grove during January 2021 is now available.

In January 2021 overnight temperatures were above average. Daytime temperatures were below average and the lowest in 9 years. In January minimum temperatures saw a number of slightly warm nights throughout the month accompanied with some below average temperature throughout much of the month. Maximum temperatures in January were predominately below average that saw very few warm days during the month. Daytime temperatures on the 7th to 12th were below average, falling as low of 8 ºC below average on the 8th.

Rainfall in January was close to average with a total of 95.8 mm (66.1% of the long term average). During the first 10 days of the month was an active period of showers, thunderstorms, and light rain. During the middle of the month were some thunderstorms with some moderate falls. A moderate to heavy shower in the evening of the 16th produced 8 mm in 6 minutes. During the rest of the month were light showers on many of these days.

Most of the long period rainfall totals continue to remain below or well below average that reduced in January. As compared with the previous month the 6 monthly rainfall worsened a little to 74.7 mm below average, 9 monthly rainfall dropped from 52.7 mm below average to 153.5 mm below average and 12 month rainfall slipped by 86 mm to 8.2 mm above average. 18-month rainfall dropped significantly from 529.5 mm above average to 150.4 mm below average. 24- and 48-month rainfall improved while remaining below average a 163.9 mm below average and 68.8 mm below average respectively, while 36-month rainfall fell by 806 mm to 442.6 mm below average. Compared with the same period in the previous year these totals have generally improved except for 36-month rainfall falling from 124.6 mm above average to 442.6 mm below average.

The summary containing the key information can be found here.

The full report of more detailed analysis is available here.

The annual review of the weather at Ferny Grove during 2020 is now available.

The summary containing the key information can be found here.

The full report of more detailed analysis is available here.

In 2020 at Ferny Grove the annual mean temperature was 0.6 ºC above average and the second highest on record behind the current high in 2019. Overnight temperatures in 2020 were also the second highest on record and highest since the current record high of 15.7 ºC in 2010 (0.6 ºC above average). Daytime temperatures were above average at 0.8 ºC above average and was the lowest since 26.7 ºC in 2015.

There were several hot spells during January and February for both overnight and daytime temperatures. The lowest temperature in both months was the highest in 10 years. In March and April above average temperatures persisted but became less frequent, though there were very few cool days in April (the highest on record for April). Warm days continued into May though there was a cold day on the 23rd that was 9 ºC below average. During winter temperatures were generally above average with comparatively few cool nights with many warm nights as well as very few cool days that included a spell of warm days in the first 18 days of June.

The lack of cool nights continued in spring with the coolest night in October being record high before cooler nights and overall below average overnight temperatures in November with a distinct lack of rainfall. Daytime temperatures started in Spring that were close to average, became above average in October and eased back to near average in November. Warm nights then returned in December, though daytime temperatures were generally close to average.

From 11 years of temperature measurements at Ferny Grove annual mean temperatures in 2020 continued a rising trend of the 5 year rolling mean temperature rising from 20.9 ºC in 2014 to 21.4 ºC in 2020, albeit slowed a little compared with 2019. Mean annual maximum temperatures have been rising year-on-year and is 2 ºC higher compared with 11 years ago but have eased a little in 2019 and 2020. Annual mean minimum temperatures have shown a general slight rise in the last 11 years.

Rainfall during 2020 was near average with a total of 1135.5 mm (104.4% of the long term average and much higher than the well below average rainfall total of 581 mm in 2019. The highest daily total rainfall was 93.9 mm on the 7 February during an active period of showers, thunderstorms and rain during most of the month. The rainfall total for February was the highest since 1995. After well above average rainfall in January and February, rainfall eased in Autumn and was below average in April and May with May being the driest since 2004. A severe thunderstorm on 6 March produced 40 mm in 30 minutes.

After near average rainfall in June, July was the wettest since 2012 before below average rainfall in August and September. Later in October was an active period of thunderstorms that included a severe thunderstorm that brought 14 mm of rainfall in 8 minutes and marble size hail on 25 October. November was record dry exceeding the record set in 2019 with a mere total of 4.7 mm. Rainfall in December was near average with an active period of thunderstorms during the middle of the month and was the wettest December in 10 years.

Long period rainfall at Ferny Grove in 2020 improved from the large deficiencies in 2019 but remain below or well below average for periods longer than 12 months and was near or above average for 6, 9 and 12 months. This is a consequence of an on-going multiple year trend of below average rainfall beginning in late 2017.