It has become notably drier and a little warmer than usual since about January 19 at most places in our regions.
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Isolated heavy rainfalls did occur late in January and again on Monday February 5. Condobolin recorded 80 millimetres, Tibooburra 88 and Whitecliffs 103, which were all the heaviest for February since the 1990s. An outback station north of Tibooburra just across the border into Queensland recorded 146 millimetres to Monday morning, the heaviest for February since 1954.
The rain band which produced this heavy rain advanced quickly southwards into Victoria with thunderstorms and heavy rainfalls at Alpine Resorts such as 96 millimetres at Mount Buffalo, 106 millimetres at Falls Creek, 80 at Mount Hotham and 93 at Eurobin itself, which was the heaviest daily rainfall for February since 104 millimetres in 1939.
Perth has had its driest October to January period in 148 years of records with only 13.8 millimetres against an average of 208. The previous driest such period was 22.4 millimetres in 1994-95 and also 26.6 millimetres in 1877-78 and 23.7 in 1891-92. These dry conditions all continued to well into April in Perth. The warmer and drier conditions did extend to our regions during the autumn with unseasonable high temperatures during the early part of April and not much rainfall until late April.
The very hot and dry conditions have continued in Perth for the first 10 days of February with four days of over 40 degrees, equal to the greatest number of days of over 40 degrees which also occurred in 1933, 1985 and 2016. To date the mean maximum temperature this month is 36.2 degrees, the highest since 1985. Victoria did enjoy the warmest April in 1985 since 1938.
Cocos Keeling Islands have recorded their equal warmest December to January period with 1957-1958. Late March to early May 1958 was notably warmer and drier than usual in our regions until heavy rain arrived in mid May.
