The Young Shire has farewelled a warmer than average 2014, but it was a year that had the best autumn rainfall.
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Young’s average monthly temperatures for the year were recorded at least one to two degrees above the long term average, with October and November striking three to four degrees higher.
This year was also slightly (one to two degrees) cooler than 2013 - except in October and November.
And according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Young broke a few records this year too.
We claimed the hottest temperatures on record (over 20 years), taken at the Young Airport weather station, for their respective months on October 24 with 34.4 degrees and on November 23 with 42.1.
The maximum long term average for October is 21.8 degrees and November, 26.1.
November also took the coldest temperature on record for November on the third day with -2.4 degrees, almost 11 degrees below the long term average.
As statistics show, November 23 was Young’s hottest day for the year, closely followed by January 16 at 41.2 degrees and February 10 with 41.
December’s heat only peaked at 36.8 degrees this year, on December 16.
It’s monthly average was just one degree higher than the long term average and one below 2013’s December average.
But August 11 took the prize for the coldest day in 2014 at -5.8, six degrees below the long term average and just 0.7 degrees shy of the 1994 August record.
Coming in second and third coldest days was July 13 (-4.9) and September 4 and 19 (-3.5).
The hottest month was January with an average of 33.7 degrees, two above the long term monthly average and two below 2013’s average.
Our coldest month was August with a monthly average of 0.1 degrees, almost one degree below the long term average and two below 2013’s average.
March by far took the wettest month title at 132.8 millimetres, a very high figure for that time of year according to district agronomist Paul Parker.
“It’s well above average,” he said.
The BOM recorded 60.6 millimetres of rain in March 2013 and 49.3 millimetres as the month’s long term average.
2014 now sits second on the wettest March record over 20 years behind 2012 at 162.6 millimetres.
The driest month was January with 16 millimetres, 21 millimetres below the long term average for the month but nine millimetres above 2013’s average (7).
The 55 millimetres that fell in December was on par with the long term average for the month (58.9).
“January’s rainfall was exceptionally low,” Mr Parker said.
“Our second half of the year, from July to November, was very dry. But our annual rainfall wasn’t that far behind.
“We had good falls in March, April, May and that made up for it. They say it was the best autumn year we’ve had.”
