Tasmanian Summer Weather Summary

Rainfall was above average across northern Tasmania and close to average elsewhere. Temperatures were close to average in most parts but nights were warmer than average in the north-east.

Wettest summer in 10 years

• Summer rainfall was 19% above average for the state overall.
• It was Tasmania’s highest summer rainfall since 2010–11.
• Pockets of the north had summer rainfall totals in the wettest 10% of records.
• The state’s highest daily rainfall this summer, 125.0 mm, was recorded at Mathinna (Fingal Road) on 21 December when a low pressure system moved across Bass Strait..
• December was wetter than average in the north-east, but close to average elsewhere; February was wetter than average in the far north-east and January’s rainfall was close to average for the state as a whole, but wetter than average across the north.
• Several sites had their highest summer daily rainfall on record on 6 February when a complex low pressure system, cold front and pre-frontal trough tracked over Tasmania.
• A few sites had their highest total summer rainfall on record and others their wettest summer for at least 20 years.

Coolest summer days on average in 10 years

• Averaged across the state, the mean maximum temperature was 0.15 °C lower than average and the coolest since summer 2010–11.
• Averaged across the state, the mean minimum temperature was only 0.04 °C lower than average but still the coolest since summer 2008–09.
• Both mean maximum and minimum temperatures were close to average for summer for most of Tasmania, however minimum temperatures were warmer than average for parts of the north-east.
• In terms of mean maximum, mean minimum and mean temperatures, December and February were cooler than average, while January was warmer than average.
• Bicheno (Council Depot) had their warmest summer night on record and their highest summer mean daily minimum temperature on record.
• Orford (Aubin Court) had their lowest summer mean daily minimum temperature since 1995.

Hobart (Ellerslie Road)

• Total rainfall for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 153.0 mm, which is 107% of the long-term average of 142.8 mm.
• The mean daily maximum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 21.9 °C, which is 0.6 °C above the long-term average of 21.3 °C.
• The warmest day was 37.5 °C on 25 January, and the coolest day was on 16 December when the temperature reached 15.5 °C.
• The mean daily minimum temperature for Hobart (Ellerslie Road) was 12.2 °C, which is 0.5 °C above the long-term average of 11.7 °C.
• The coldest morning was 6.3 °C on 20 January, and the warmest morning was on 15 December when the minimum temperature was 20.7 °C.

Find more detailed summer weather data at the BoM seasonal summary page for Tasmania.