End To A Damp Summer
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday March 1, 2008
WOLLONGONG can thank a little Spanish girl named La Nina for its wettest summer in 15 years and its coldest in 12 years.
Bureau of Meteorology climate information officer Mike De Salis said La Nina - Spanish for "the little girl" - was responsible for the least summery summer Illawarra residents can remember."The reason why it is so cool is there are constant south-east to north-easterly winds blowing on the coast bringing in cold moisture and a lot of rain," he said."When you get wind from that direction there is no chance of a hot day."There's been none of those (hot westerly winds) during summer for the whole of the coast."The average maximum temperature across the Illawarra has been down, falling between one and three degrees short of the expected 25 to 27 degrees.The region has not experienced a summer that cool since 1995-96.February was the wettest month of the summer, with 363mm falling in Wollongong, 251mm in Nowra and 334mm in Albion Park.Over the season, 659mm fell in Wollongong, making it the wettest summer since 1991-92.Mr De Salis said we are in the middle of a La Nina weather pattern, which is the opposite of El Nino - Spanish for "the little boy"."It's tied to pressures across the Pacific, and the temperature of the waters in the Pacific favouring above average rainfall. (La Nina) creates instability, cold and rain."In an El Nino weather event, Mr De Salis said, dry conditions leading to drought were to be expected.Summer by the numbers? 24.5 degrees was the average maximum temperature during Wollongong's summer.? 658mm of rain fell across Wollongong in the past three months.? 18 degrees was the lowest maximum temperature in the Illawarra over summer, recorded on Thursday.? 33 degrees was the South Coast's highest maximum temperature, recorded at Nowra on January 31.? February 4 was Wollongong's wettest day over summer when 173mm of rain fell.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury