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When reading these descriptions of today's weather events, please refer to the charts and tables for support and details. The descriptions serve to point out significant events and add information that is not available elsewhere on the page.
 AUS: Low temperature records smashed nationwide -- again
May minimum temperature records fell in every state except QLD this morning, with significant records tumbling from the WA Kimberley to Tasmania. Some 30 locations with an observation history of more than 10 years set record May lows, 5 of them breaking records set earlier this month.
The lowest recorded temperature of -10.5 was shared by Woolbrook, on the boundary of the NSW Northern Tablelands and NW Slopes, and Liawenee on the TAS Central Plateau. The Liawenee reading is the lowest ever recorded in TAS in May, the previous record being -9.7 set at the same station on 23 May 2001. Woolbrook's -10.5 is also a May record, shaving 1.2 off the previous extreme in a 36-year history. Full details of all records are given below, but the most significant were:
- In WA, Wyndham's low of 11.0 was 1.8C lower than any temperature recorded in 39 years
- In the NT, Larrimah and Victoria River Downs dropped to 4.5, the lowest in 40-year histories
- In NSW, Trangie, Parkes, Narrandera, Hay and Griffith, all with 30 to 50-year histories, set new May records
- In VIC, Longerenong and Rutherglen dropped to -4.0 and -4.7, the lowest in 42-year histories
- In TAS, Wynyard (-2.7) and Tarraleah (-5.6) were the lowest in over 20 years.
 VIC, NSW: Another low brings wind, rain to the far SE
A compact low pressure system, which developed on a front in eastern Bass Strait yesterday morning, moved close to the NSW South Coast late yesterday bringing gales and more heavy showers to East Gippsland and the fringe of the South Coast overnight. Combienbar AWS, in one of the high, south-facing valleys under the Errinundra National Park, recorded 45.2mm for the 24 hours to 9am in the strong moist southerly stream. General falls of 20 to 40mm in East Gippsland boosted month-to-date totals to over 200mm at several locations: Cann River 246.2, Gabo Island 208.6, Genoa 231.4 and Mallacoota 254.6. Wind gusted to 106km/h at Gabo Island yesterday afternoon and 95km/h at Montague Island just before midnight last night.
During the day, the low moved NNE up the coast and weakened somewhat, but still brought several hours of heavy rain to an area between Wollongong and Nowra. Wollongong Airport at Albion Park recorded 40mm in fairly steady rain or showers between 9am and 9pm.
TAS: Record cold day in foggy Derwent Valley
Fog and low cloud that settled overnight in the Derwent Valley did not lift all day in many places. At Maydena, which was still reporting visibility of 300m at 3pm, the top temperature only reached 3.8, knocking a further 1.3C off the record low May temperature set there 6 days ago. At Moogara, in forested hills 15km W of New Norfolk, the temperature only reached 3.2, also a record. |
