The MacAlba

In contrast to 2011, 2012 was a drier year – especially the three months August to October. 709 mm (27.9 inches) of rain were recorded for the year compared to a long term average of 790 mm (31 inches) for Armidale.

Monthly rainfall tallies (in millimetres) for the past 11 years, as measured 20 km (12.5 miles) east of Armidale, NSW.

Year  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec   Total
2002  50.0  80.0  78.7   3.5   4.3  21.9  10.3  58.2  26.7  25.0  83.2  75.6  517.4
2003  51.6 144.5  52.7 108.7  39.1  31.8  18.9  23.0   5.7  91.3  55.9  71.1  694.3
2004 192.1  77.8  65.2  22.4   5.4  20.4  43.3  49.6  45.9 111.2  69.0 133.8  836.1
2005  92.9  66.3  16.2  13.2  18.8  82.6  20.9  13.4  87.1  60.2 154.3  98.7  724.6
2006 109.5 115.2 110.2  22.5   3.6  45.8  46.4  30.8  44.8  29.8 133.6  43.8  736.0
2007  98.1 137.1  95.4  43.6  21.7  39.9   8.7 105.4  13.8  95.7 102.8 127.7  889.9
2008 133.6 203.0   3.8  68.9  10.9  60.4  25.8  35.0  54.5  57.1 119.4  61.2  833.6
2009  67.8 160.4  56.6  67.1 121.1  46.1  23.4  18.2  31.3  53.7  52.2 138.4  836.3
2010 134.7  63.4  86.0  53.9  47.3  38.0  68.2  48.8  59.1  59.0 128.6  67.1  854.1
2011 151.6  58.4  87.8  69.3  50.6 156.5  11.7  76.4  70.9  64.3 241.2 116.4 1155.1
2012 122.3  75.6  52.4  55.0  10.7  43.1  75.8  12.8   8.2  14.2 128.4 110.7  709.2

Avg  109.5 107.4  64.1  48.0  30.3  53.3  32.1  42.9  40.7  60.1 115.3  95.0  798.8

The 135 year average for Armidale (in millimetres) is:

Avg  104.5  87.1  65.0  45.9  44.4  56.9  49.2  48.4  51.6  67.8  80.4  89.2  790.1

My, 2011 was a wet year. 1155 mm (45.5 inches) of rain recorded for the year, compared to a long term average of 790 mm (31 inches). The higher-than-average months of note were June, November and December. Thanks La Niña.

Monthly rainfall tallies (in millimetres) for the past 10 years, as measured 20 km (12.5 miles) east of Armidale, NSW.

      Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec   Total
2002  50.0  80.0  78.7   3.5   4.3  21.9  10.3  58.2  26.7  25.0  83.2  75.6  517.4
2003  51.6 144.5  52.7 108.7  39.1  31.8  18.9  23.0   5.7  91.3  55.9  71.1  694.3
2004 192.1  77.8  65.2  22.4   5.4  20.4  43.3  49.6  45.9 111.2  69.0 133.8  836.0
2005  92.9  66.3  16.2  13.2  18.8  82.6  20.9  13.4  87.1  60.2 154.3  98.7  724.6
2006 109.5 115.2 110.2  22.5   3.6  45.8  46.4  30.8  44.8  29.8 133.6  43.8  735.0
2007  98.1 137.1  95.4  43.6  21.7  39.9   8.7 105.4  13.8  95.7 102.8 127.7  889.9
2008 133.6 203.0   3.8  68.9  10.9  60.4  25.8  35.0  54.5  57.1 119.4  61.2  833.6
2009  67.8 160.4  56.6  67.1 121.1  46.1  23.4  18.2  31.3  53.7  52.2 138.4  836.3
2010 134.7  63.4  86.0  53.9  47.3  38.0  68.2  48.8  59.1  59.0 128.6  67.1  854.1
2011 151.6  58.4  87.8  69.3  50.6 156.5  11.7  76.4  70.9  64.3 241.2 116.4 1155.1

The 135 year average for Armidale (in millimetres) is:

Avg  104.5  87.1  65.0  45.9  44.4  56.9  49.2  48.4  51.6  67.8  80.4  89.2  790.1

I’ve been across in Western Australia for 10 days – it’s not too cold there. On my first day back on the Tablelands the overnight temperature dipped to -8 degC (18 degF) – and there was still ice on the dam at 1 pm as I passed by.

[Woolbrook, not too far south of us, dipped to -11 degC (12 degF)].