The month of June turned out to be significantly wetter than average across most locations in the Albury-Wodonga region.
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Principal rainfalls were Coonabarabran, 112mm; Narrabri, 102mm; Moree, 54mm; Coonamble, 64.6mm; Dubbo, 93.6mm; Forbes, 117mm; Hillston, 91.7mm and Narrandera and Yarrawonga both recorded 73mm. Narrandera, with 42.8mm on June 10, had its wettest June day on record and Wangaratta, 104.2mm.
Many of these places recorded their wettest June for five years, but Wangaratta, Benalla and Hillston all had their wettest June for 16 years.
Wangaratta, Benalla and Hillston all had their wettest June for 16 years.
The 117mm at Forbes took its rainfall total for this year to 584mm. This is the wettest January to June period since the 619mm recorded in 1956 and the third wettest behind 686mm in 1950.
Other very wet January to June periods at Forbes were in 1887, 1890 and 1894. The 584mm at Forbes to the end of June this year has already exceeded the annual average of 528mm.
Despite the notably wetter than average June, mean maximum temperatures have tended to be close to average or a fraction below average, whilst mean minimum temperatures were one to two degrees above normal in the Albury-Wodonga region and hence the absence of severe frosts.
A couple of locations that recorded their coldest April nights since 1977 also experienced their warmest June nights for five years.
This unusual temperature profile has only previously occurred in 1909, 1951 and 1991.
The winter rainfalls after these three episodes were much above average in the Albury-Wodonga region, with the coldest days being in July, particularly during the third week - around 16-20th July.
Once again, a trouble spot is brewing in the northern part of the Indian Ocean. A new low pressure has formed in the vicinity of Cocos Keeling Island, which has had its wettest June since 1988.
After Cocos Island had its warmest June day on record during the first week of June, with a reading of 31.0 degrees, a week later, there was a new record of 31.5 degrees, which is also a new record for all winter and spring months.
It does look obvious that the next six months will be wetter than average and there will be more thunderstorms than usual in the region during the spring months.
