Weather News

Sydney gloom gives way to ample sunshine

Brett Dutschke, Monday August 8, 2016 - 12:43 AEST

The sun is now shining in Sydney, bringing an end to the gloomiest week in two months and gloomiest August week in 18 years.

The city will see more sunshine today than it did during the past three days combined, now that a persistent low pressure trough has finally moved away.

Wind is also turning warmer northerly, allowing warmth to combine with mostly sunny days.

Today and the next few days will feel more like spring than winter as temperatures make their way into the twenties for the first time this month. This brings an end to the coolest August week in six years, which stayed cooler than 18.5 degrees.

During the past seven days, Sydney averaged about two hours sunshine per day, making it the city's cloudiest week since early June. It was also the cloudiest August week since 1998 when the average daily sunshine was only 75 minutes.

Typically, August is a month of increasing sunshine as we move further away from the relatively cloudier June and July. However, this August has been an exception until now, short-changed about five hours sunshine per day.

A low pressure system and pool of cold air moved into southeastern Australia early last week and only very gradually weakened on its slow travel to the coast. The movement and weakening was so slow that even when it was very weak it was still generating a lot of cloud and at times showers. This was aided by a warmer-than-normal sea surface which kept moisture levels relatively high for this time of year.

Showers occurred on six of the seven days in many suburbs, including Campbelltown, Bankstown, Parramatta, Mascot and the CBD. This gave little opportunity to get the washing dry and it was so wet leading up to the weekend that many sports were cancelled.

The city (92mm), Marsfield (83mm), Pennant Hills (73mm) and Canterbury (70mm) have already exceeded their monthly rainfall average.

Looking ahead, weather conducive of many outdoor activities will last through to Wednesday, beyond for those of whom don't mind a bit of chill in the wind. A front will take temperatures from five-or-six degrees above average to about average from Thursday to the weekend.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2016

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