Each year, Narooma resident, ex-hydrologist and amateur meteorologist Brian Gunter takes a look a back at the past year’s weather. Here are his observations and graphs for 2015.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Rainfall
Rainfall observations have been made in Narooma for 106 years, since 1910.
Mostly these have been at the present Marine Rescue Base (previously Coastal Patrol and Pilot Station).
Over that period the mean annual rainfall was 928mm, with mean monthly values varying from 50mm in August to 101mm in March.
In 2015 the annual total rainfall was 932mm, which is almost equal to the long-term mean value.
As is normal, the monthly rainfalls varied considerably with January, April, July August and November being above the mean value. Conversely the rainfalls in the other seven months were below the mean value. Our wettest month was April (170mm) while the driest month was December (22mm).
Recent annual rainfalls (since 1993) are typical of the period prior to 1950 when annual falls exceeding 1200mm were uncommon. The wet period between 1950 and 1992 had 13 years with annual rainfalls exceeding 1200mm.
Temperature
Daily observations of temperatures have been made in Narooma since 1965; however the records prior to 1999 were often incomplete.
A comparison was therefore made of the 2015 temperatures with those recorded over the 17 years since 1999.
It is seen (see graph) that the temperatures in Narooma have been essentially constant since 1999. That’s why we live where we live!!
In February (our hottest month) the mean maximum/minimum temperatures in 2015 were 23.9/17.5 (means since 1999 were 23.6/17.3).
The corresponding numbers for July (our coolest month) was 16.5/6.4 (17.1/7.3).
Over the whole of 2015 the corresponding values were 20.4/12.3 (20.3/12.4).
So it has not been getting any hotter or colder in Narooma in the past 17 years - it is just that some of us are getting older and more delicate!
- Brian Gunter
