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WA winter starting cold in south, warm in north

Brett Dutschke, Tuesday June 28, 2016 - 13:24 AEST

So far this winter Western Australia has been divided, unseasonably cold in the south and hot in the north.

Much of Western Australia's west and south, including Perth, is experiencing its coldest start to winter in more than 10 years while record heat affects the north.

In terms of daytime temperatures it has been the coldest June in 11 years in Perth and about 20 years in Morawa, Jacup, Cunderdin and Kalgoorlie.

Perth is averaging a maximum of 18.6 degrees, 0.7 of a degree below the long-term norm and the coldest June since 2005 when the average was 18.0.

Kalgoorlie's average maximum of just under 16 degrees, almost two degrees below average and the coldest June in 23 years.

Temperatures as cool as this are not particularly harsh, just more typical of July and much colder than the north of the state. Residents should spare a thought for those in 1898 when Perth and surrounds had their coldest June on record, the city averaging a maximum of just 15.9 degrees.

In the north, parts of the Kimberley have been running four degrees above normal, averaging as high as 35 degrees at Wyndham, a 16-year high for June.

Broome is having its warmest June in 120 years of records, running 2.8 degrees above average. Days and nights have been combining to average 25 degrees, breaking the record of 24.8 degrees set in 1906.

With cold fronts being fairly frequent across the south and any associated cloud bands generally staying away from the Kimberley.

Today and tomorrow, another front will cool and dampen the south while dry easterly winds maintain the warmth in the far north.

The front will bring some showers to the west and south but much of the region will end the month drier than average.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2016

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