The Climate and Weather of Australia

by Henry Ambrose Hunt, Griffith Taylor, E. T. Quayle

Layout 2

METEOROLOGY OF AUSTRALIA
COMMONWEALTH BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY

THE CLIMATE AND WEATHER
OF AUSTRALIA

BY

H. A. HUNT

COMMONWEALTH METEOROLOGIST

GRIFFITH TAYLOR

B.A. (CAMB.), B.SC., B.E. (SYD)., F.G.S., PHYSIOGRAPHER

AND

E. T. QUAYLE, B.A.

ASSISTANT METEOROLOGIST

ISSUED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE MINISTER OF STATE
FOR HOME AFFAIRS

MELBOURNE:

BY AUTHORITY: ALBERT J. MULLETT, GOVERNMENT PRINTER

1913

Price—5s.

PREFATORY NOTE.

In submitting this small work to the public, we venture to express the hope that it may prove acceptable as being the first effort in the nature of a text-book that has been published on Australian Meteorology.

Our acknowledgments are due to the staff individually and collectively for their ready co-operation in the compilation of data on which the whole subject-matter is based.

Finally, we should like to remind our readers of the imperishable debt of gratitude we all owe to those revered pioneers in Australian Meteorology, H. C. Russell, Esq., B.A., C.M.G., F.R.S.; R. L. J. Ellery, Esq., C.M.G., F.R.S.; and Sir Chas. Todd, M.A., F.R.S., whose strenuous and untiring labours contributed so largely towards bringing our knowledge of Australian climatology to its present advanced stage at a comparatively early age in our national history.

H. A. HUNT.

GRIFFITH TAYLOR.

E. T. QUAYLE.

LIST OF MAPS AND CHARTS.

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Fig.		Page
1-12	Mean Monthly Temperatures. (12 Maps.)	8
13	Mean Annual Temperature	9
14	Chart showing Maximum Duration of Hot Spells	9
15-26	Mean Monthly Pressures. (12 Maps.)	12
27	Mean Annual Pressure	12
28	Graph of Mean Monthly Pressures at State Capitals	12
29	Pressure in April, 1910	12
30	Pressure in July, 1910	12
31	Pressure in December, 1910	12
32	Path of the Anticyclones, January-June, 1910	14
33	Path„ of the„ Anticyclones„ July-December, 1910	14
34	Path of Tropical and Antarctic Lows, January-June, 1910	14
35	Path„ of Tropical„ And„ Antarctic„ Lows„ July-December, 1910	14
36	Land and Sea Breezes at Perth	18
37	Land and Sea Breezes at Adelaide	19
38	Mean Annual Rainfall	20
39-50	Mean Monthly Rainfall. (12 Maps.)	20
51	Distribution of Monthly Maxima	20
52	Map showing by Graphs Mean Monthly Rainfall of Chief Stations	20
55	Temperature and Humidity of Principal Stations	22
53	Humidity in Hottest Month	22
54	Humidity in Coldest Month	22
55	Graphs showing maximum and minimum temperatures and humidity for various stations	22
56	Relation of Climate and Topography in South-East Australia	24
57	Climatological Regions of Australia. (Table in Text)	26
58	Climatological„ Regions„ of„ Australia„ (Map)	26
59	Chart of Local Autumn Rains at Sydney	35
60-65	Characteristics of Drought Years. (6 Maps.)	47
66-71	Characteristics„ of„ Drought„ Years„ (6 Maps.)	48
72-74	Characteristics„ of„ Drought„ Years„ (3 Maps.)	49
75	Wind Roses for Western Australian Gold-fields	53
76	Map of S.E. Australia, showing Two Flood Areas	56
77-82	Isobaric Charts for the Victorian Floods in August. 1910. (6 Maps.)	56
83-88	Isobaric Charts for the Darling Floods of January, 1910. (6 Maps.)	53
89	Phenomenal Down pours in Queensland	60
90	Phenomenal Down pours in Western Australia	60
91-92	Chart of the "Koombana" Hurricane. (March, 1912.)	61
93-6	Chart of the Fiji Hurricane. (March, 1910.)	66
97-98	Chart of the Queensland Hurricane. (March, 1911.)	69
99-100	The Southerly Burster in New South Wales. (2 Maps.)	70
101-159	Types of Weather. (59 Maps.)	74

CLIMATE AND WEATHER OF AUSTRALIA.

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CONTENTS.

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		Page
Climate—
I.	—Size of Continent and Effect on Climatic Variation	7
II.	—March of the Temperature	8
III.	—Barometric Variation—
	General	12
	Local	13
	Paths of the Highs and Lows	14
IV.	—Distribution of the Dominant Winds—
	Trade Winds	17
	Land and Sea Breezes	18
V.	—Rainfall Monthly and Seasonal Distribution	19
VI.	—Humidity and Wet Bulb Temperatures	22
VII.	—Special Factors influencing Climate—
	Ocean Currents	23
	Topography	24
VIII.	—Chief Climatic Regions—
	Northern Monsoonal Summer Rains	26
	Central Arid Region	29
	Intermediate Region of Uniform Rains	33
	Winter Rain Region	37
Weather—
IX.	—Characteristics of Drought Years	40
X.	—Characteristics of Local Rain—
	(A) Rainfall in the West Australian Gold-fields	52
	(B) Flood Rains—
	(1) Victoria	56
	(2) Darling	58
	(3) Queensland	59
	(4) Western Australia	60
XI.	—Special Type of Weather—
	(A) Western Australian Hurricanes	61
	(B) Hurricanes in South-West Pacific	66
	(C) Southerly Bursters	70
XII.	—(A) Forecasting	72
	(B) Types of Weather	75

INDEX.

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	page
Adelaide, drought years, departures of mean air pressure and temperature from normal	43
Adelaide„ humidity	22
Adelaide„ mean monthly temperature and rainfall	11
Adelaide„ normal pressure and temperature	38
Adelaide„ normal rainfall	39
Adelaide„ rainfall and evaporation during drought years	51
Albury, normal pressure and temperature	38
Albury„ normal rainfall	39
Alice Springs, departures of mean air pressure and temperature from normal	44
Alice„Springs„ normal pressure and temperature	31
Alice„Springs„ normal rainfall	32
Alice„Springs„ rainfall and evaporation during drought years	51
Antarctic cyclone passing inland	77
Antarctic„cyclone„ passing through Bass Strait	75
Antarctic„ cyclones	48
Antarctic„ depressions	48
Antarctic„depressions„ favorable to good inland rains	75
Antarctic„depressions„ unfavorable to good inland rains	75
Anticyclone causing S.E. winds and rain in N.S.W. coastal districts	33
Anticyclone„ forced southwards over Tasmania	79
Anticyclone„ Summer	75
Anticyclone„ Winter	75
Antioyclones, rate of movement of—	15
Anticyclones„ tracks of—	14
Area of Continent	7
Arid region	29
Brisbane, humidity	22
Brisbane„ mean monthly temperature and rainfall	11
Brisbane„ normal pressure and temperature	27
Brisbane„ normal rainfall	28
Broken Hill, normal pressure and temperature	31
Hill„ normal rainfall	32
Broome, normal pressure and temperature	27
Broome„ normal rainfall	28
Cairns, normal pressure and temperature	27
Cape Otway, normal pressure	38
Carnarvon, normal pressure and temperature	31
Carnarvon„ normal rainfall	32
Charleville, normal pressure and temperature	27
Charleville„ normal rainfall	28
Climate, special factors controlling—	23
Climate„ topography and its effect on	52
Climatic regions, chief—	25
Cloncurry, normal pressure and temperature	27
normal„ rainfall	28
Cold snap	79
Contour, relation of—to rainfall	24
Coolgardie, normal pressure and temperature	31
Coolgardie„ normal rainfall	32
Currents, ocean	23
Cyclone, Antarctic cyclone passing inland	77
Cyclone,„Antarctic„cyclone„ passing through Bass Strait	75
Cyclone,„ East Coast—of Antarctic origin	82
Cyclone,„East„Coast„ of inland origin	82
Cyclone,„East„Coast„ of tropical oceanic origin	83
Cyclone,„ tropical—North Queensland	83
Cyclonic depression bringing general rains to Western Australia	76
Cyclonic„ storm in South-eastern Australia (August, 1909)	56
Daly Waters, normal temperature	27
Darling, floods in basin of river—	58
Darwin, normal pressure and temperature	27
Darwin„ normal rainfall	28
Drought years, characteristics of—in Australia	40
Drought„years,„ departure of mean annual pressure from normal	47
Drought„years,„ monthly mean air pressure and temperature departures from normal:—
Adelaide	43
Alice Springs	44
Melbourne	42
Drought years, principal—	40
Drought„years,„ rainfall and evaporation during—	51
Dry region	29
Dry„region„ evaporation data	30
Dry„region„ pressure at typical stations in—	31
Dry„region„ rainfall at typical stations in—	32
Dry„region„ temperature at typical stations in—	31
Dry weather types	45
Dubbo, normal pressure and temperature	35
Dubbo,„ normal rainfall	36
Dust storms	84
Elevation of continent	7
Elevation„ of typical stations in dry region	30
Esperance, normal temperature and pressure	38
Esperance,„ normal rainfall	39
Eucla, normal pressure and temperature	38
Eucla,„ normal rainfall	39
Evaporation and rainfall during drought years	51
Evaporation„ data for dry region	30
Fiji hurricane of March, 1910	66
Flood rains in Australia	55
Flood„ rains„ in„ Western Australia	60
Floods in South-eastern Australia (August, 1909)	56
Flood„ in„ basin of River Darling (January, 1910)	58
Fogs	85
Forecasting	72
Frosts	75
Gales, Easterly—through Bass Strait	79
Gales,„ Westerly—through„Bass„Strait„	78
Hall's Creek, normal pressure and temperature	27
Hall's„creek„ normal rainfall	28
Harvey Creek, normal rainfall	28
Highs and Lows, rate of movement of—	15
Highs„and„Lows,„ tracks of—	14
Hobart, humidity	23
Hobart,„ mean monthly temperature and rainfall	11
Hobart,„ normal pressure and temperature	35
Hobart,„ normal rainfall	36
Hot spells in Southern Australia	81
Humidity and wet bulb temperatures	22
Hurricane, Queensland, Port Douglas, March, 1911	68
Hurricane,„ the Fiji—of March, 1910	66
Hurricanes in the South-western Pacific	66
Hurricanes„ Western Australian—(willy-willies)	61
Kiandra, normal rainfall	36
Launceston, normal temperature	38
Launceston,„ normal rainfall	39
Lows, rate of movement of highs and—	15
Lows,„ tracks of highs and—	14
Melbourne, drought years, departure of mean air pressure and temperature from normal	42
Melbourne,„ humidity	23
Melbourne,„ mean monthly temperature and rainfall	11
Melbourne,„ normal pressure and temperature	35
Melbourne,„ normal rainfall	36
Melbourne,„ rainfall and evaporation during drought years	51
Monsoonal rains	76
Monsoonal„ trough	84
Monsoon region	26
Moruya, normal pressure and temperature	35
Moruya,„ normal rainfall	36
Drought„ years,„ monthly mean air pressure and temperature departures from normal:—
Nullagine, normal pressure and temperature	31
Nullagine,„ normal rainfall	32
Newcastle, normal pressure and temperature	35
Ocean currents	23
Peak Hill, normal pressure and temperature	31
Peak„ Hill,„ normal rainfall	32
Perth, humidity	22
Perth,„ mean monthly temperature and rainfall	11
Perth,„ normal temperature and pressure	38
Perth,„ normal rainfall	39
Port Augusta normal pressure and temperature	38
Port„ Augusta„ normal rainfall	39
Port Macquarie, normal rainfall	36
Pressure and pressure ranges, variation of rainfall with—	47
Pressure, at typical stations in dry region	31
Pressure,„ at typical„stations„ in„ summer rain region	27
Pressure,„ at typical„stations„ in„ uniform rain region	35
Pressure,„ at typical„stations„ in„ winter rain region	38
Pressure, drought years, departure of mean annual—from normal	47
Pressure,„ drought„ years,„departure„ of„ monthly mean from„ normal„ Adelaide	43
Pressure,„ drought„ years,„departure„ of„ monthly mean from„ normal„ Alice Springs	44
Pressure,„ drought„ years,„departure„ of„ monthly mean from„ normal„ Melbourne	42
Pressure,„ general variation in—	12
Pressure,„ local variation in—	13
Pressure,„ systems in relation to rainfall in Western Australian Goldfields	53
Queensland, heavy rains of—	59
Queensland,„ Port Douglas hurricane (March, 1911)	68
Queensland,„ tropical cyclone, North—	83
Rainfall and evaporation during drought years	51
Rainfall„ at typical stations in dry region	32
Rainfall„ at typical„ stations„ in„ summer rain region	28
Rainfall„ at typical„ stations„ in„ uniform rain region	36
Rainfall„ at typical„ stations„ in„ winter rain region	39
Rainfall„ chief rainstorm types and seasons of rain	19
Rainfall„ distribution of—	19
Rainfall„ flood rains in Australia	55
Rainfall„ flood rains in Western Australia	60
Rainfall„ heavy rains of Queensland	59
Rainfall„ in Western Australian Goldfields	52
Rainfall„ mean monthly temperatures and—of the Australian capitals	11
Rainfall„ monthly and seasonal distribution of—	19
Rainfall„ region of summer—	26
Rainfall„ region of uniform—	33
Rainfall„ region of winter—	37
Rainfall„ relation to contour to—	24
Rainfall„ variation in maximum—	21
Rainfall„ variations in—with storm types	48
Rainfall„ variation of—with mean pressure and with pressure ranges	47
Rains, inland winter—of tropical origin	77
Robe, normal pressure and temperature	38
Robe,„ normal rainfall	39
Sale, normal pressure and temperature	35
Sale,„ normal rainfall	36
Seasons and the march of temperature	8
Southerly bursters	70
Stations, number of daily reporting—	73
Sydney, humidity	22
Sydney,„ mean monthly temperature and rainfall	11
Sydney,„ normal pressure and temperature	35
Sydney,„ normal rainfall	36
Sydney,„ rainfall and evaporation during drought years	51
Temperature at typical stations in dry region	31
Temperature at typical stations in summer rain region	27
Temperature„ at typical„ stations in„ uniform rain region	35
Temperature„ at typical„ stations in„ winter rain region	38
Temperature drought years, departure of monthly mean from normal
Adelaide	43
Alice Springs	44
Melbourne	42
Temperature„ seasons and the march of—	8
Temperatures, humidity and wet bulb	22
Temperature„ mean monthly—and rainfall of the Australian Capitals	11
Topography and its effect on climate	24
Tornadoes	87
Trade winds, South-east	17
Tropical belt, effect of air flow from	49
Tropical„ depressions	48
Types of weather	75
Weather types:—
Antarctic cyclone passing inland	77
Antarctic„ cyclone passing„ through Bass Strait	75
Antarctic„ depressions favorable to good inland rains	75
Antarctic„ depressions„ unfavorable to good„ inland rains„	75
Anticyclone forced southwards over Tasmania	79
Anticyclone„ Summer—	75
Anticyclone„ Winter—	75
Cold snap, South-eastern Australia	79
Cyclonic depression bringing general rain to Western Australia	76
Dust storms	84
East coast cyclone of Antarctic origin	82
East„ coast„ cyclone„ inland origin	82
East„ coast„ cyclone„ tropical oceanic origin	83
Fogs	85
Gales, Easterly in Bass Strait	79
Gales,„ Westerly in Bass„ Strait„	78
Hot spells in Southern Australia	81
Inland winter rains of tropical origin	77
Monsoonal rains, summer—	76
Monsoonal„ trough	84
Tornadoes	87
Tropical cyclone, North Queensland	83
Tropical„ rainstorm moving southward into South Australia	77
Willy-willy affecting coastal districts	78
Willy-„ willy„ moving inland	78
Weather types, dry—	45
Western Australia, flood rains in	60
Western Australian Goldfields, direction of rain bearing winds	53
Western„ Australian„ Goldfields,„ frequency of rain storms	52
Western„ Australian„ Goldfields,„ pressure systems in relation to rainfall	53
Western„ Australian„ Goldfields,„ rainfall in—	52
Wilcannia, normal pressure and temperature	35
Wilcannia, normal rainfall	36
William Creek, normal rainfall	32
William„ Creek,„ normal temperature	31
Willy-willies (Western Australian hurricanes)	61, 78
Winds, direction of rain-bearing—Western Australian Goldfields	53
Winds,„ dominant—	15
Winds,„ dominant—on Australian coast	16
Winds,„ land and sea breezes	18
Winds,„ South-east Trade—	17

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By Authority: Albert J. Mullett, Government Printer, Melbourne.