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Warmer, wetter but less
fog and wind in 1981
Because of record temperatures
last January, the ACT had a
warmer year than normal, accord
ing to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The average maximum temperature
last January was 31.8 degrees with the
highest maximum of 37.8 on January
26.
Both night and day temperatures last
year were about a degree above the
annual average. The average maximum
was 20.1 degrees (long-term mean 19.4)
and the average minimum 7.9 (6.2).
The coldest day was July 11 when
minus S.l was registered.
It was also a wetter year, rainfall
totalling 669.4 millimetres, 40 milli
metres above the mean. And it was a
"frostier" year, with 139 frosts, 40 more
than the average.
There were 25 days when it thun
dered, compared with an average of
21.1 days. Foggy days numbered 22,
well down from the average of 4S.7.
Wind was not a great problem. Top
gust for the year was 89 km/h, re
corded in August. This was well below
the record 128 km/h gust of Novem
ber, 1957.
Widespread snow fell on the ranges
during winter, but no falls were re
corded in Canberra itself.
Last month there were three thunder
storms and there was frost on one day.
Total December rainfall was 35 milli
metres/recorded over 10 days, but this
was only two-thirds of the December
average of 53 millimetres over eight
days.
The average maximum temperature
of 26.3 degrees was almost spot on the
long-term mean of 26.2. But the average
minimum was 12.5, up 1.4.
The month's highest temperature was
35.6 degrees, recorded on December 5.
The lowest was 5.4 on December 16.
Humidity averages were close to
means — at 9am 65 per cent (long-term
59) and at 3pm 33 (35).
Evaporation was well down — 218.2
millimetres compared with the long
term mean of 266.
Bushfire-control authorities are con
cerned about the increased fire risk.
The season began only last month and
will not end until March.
the deputy chief fire-control officer,
Mr Gary Croston, said yesterday that
the risk was high because the several
days of rain over Christmas meant there
would be more fuel for fires as the bush
dried out.
"We already are well up on calls for
this season with a couple of months to
go', he said. "We have had cloise to 40
calls. Last summer, we had close to'60".
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