What's the difference? Weather is the combination of atmospheric conditions that we're having now, will have next week, had last week or last month or in, say, January 1950. Use weather data to find how much rain fell last week or the top temperature on 1 January 1950. Use weather forecasts for a prediction of next weekend's weather.
Climate, on the other hand, takes a long view of atmospheric conditions at a place or in an area. Climatic descriptions, data and graphs look at averages and extremes to give an idea of what is normal at a location. Use climatic data to find the average rainfall for your place in June or the normal weather in Tasmania in March. Climatic forecasts make predictions of broad changes in weather in the years to come. |
What's available here:
Daily weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology for the past year sorted by element (e.g. rainfall) or by station is available for every daily reporting station in Australia. This includes rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures, wind averages and gusts, sunshine, evaporation, grass minimum temperatures and soil temperatures. Use the links in the green menu bar above, then click your area of interest. Follow the links on the district page for previous months data.
 Daily rainfall and temperature data from the Bureau of Meteorology for all years of record is now available for all stations, in some cases going back to the mid 1800s. Click the district you want on the map. Data is currently (10/9/08) available only for NSW, but will cover all states shortly.
Daily Weather Summaries back to 1996
These are AWN's daily review of the national weather scene, complete with detailed statistical data for the day's extremes.
Recent weather information elsewhere on the Web
Use the links at left for pages of links to both descriptive and statistical information on recent weather.
Climatic information elsewhere on the Web
The links at left open comprehensive listings of links to sites that specialise in climatic descriptions, data and graphs. There is a section that covers one of the most important climatic influences on Australia -- El Nino -- and similar weather cycles. Finally there is a links page to some of the zillions of pages available on climate change. |
