A high-pressure system dominated giving the region very warm and dry conditions during July, says Ron Lakeman, weather forecaster for the Southeast Fire Centre.
“The mean monthly temperature was two degrees warmer than average for July while the total rainfall was only 35 per cent of normal,” said Lakeman.
The warmest temperature of the month came on July 2 and set a new daily record for that day at 38.3 degrees. It was above 30 degrees for much of the month.
“It was the warmest July since 2007,” Lakeman said. “The high temperature exceeded 30 degrees 18 of the 31 days.”
The record high for July was 39.9 degrees set in 2003 and the record low was 4.1 degrees set in 1979. The coldest temperature this July was recorded on the 14th at 8.4 degrees.
The most significant amount (14.0 millimetres) and over 70 per cent of July 2013’s total rainfall occurred due to upper trough and its band of thundershowers on July 17. In all, 18 millimetres of rain fell in July.
“Only four days of the month included measurable rain,” said Lakeman.
Normal levels of precipitation for July are 50.8 millimetres with the record being set in July 1998 at 143.2 millimetres.
The forecast for the August long weekend is unsettled but clear sunny skies are said to return by Tuesday next week.