Weather News

Windy warmth for Tassie

James Casey, Tuesday September 30, 2014 - 11:50 AEST

Warm and wild northwesterly winds became damaging overnight while teaming up with cloud to create a warm September night over Tasmania.

A warm airmass over Tasmania have brought maximum temperatures more typical of early summer than early spring the last few days. The heat has also been lingering into the night as strong winds and cloud prevent the temperature from dropping. Last night cloud and winds kept eastern parts of Tasmania unusually warm for this time of year with the mercury only cooling to 13.1 at Hobart and 13 in St Helens, their warmest September night since 2008 and 2009 respectively.

This unseasonal warmth is due to a strong northwesterly flow dragging a warm airmass to the south ahead of a strong cold front.

Damaging winds terrorised the west coast and ranges last night. Winds are classified damaging when they gust in excess of 90km/h and last night northwesterly winds gusted well over 100km/h at Mount Wellington, 115km/h, Scotts Peak, 109km/h, and Mattsuyker Island, 106km/h. Elsewhere damaging wind gusts were recorded at Mount Read, 98km/h, Hartz Mountain, 98km/h, and Low Rocky Point, 92km/h, while Hobart got close recording a gust of 80km/h.

A steep pressure gradient ahead of the approaching cold front was the reason for these breezy conditions overnight.

The front will shift winds to the west today although they are unlikely to be as gusty as last night. These brisk westerlies will bring heavy rain to western parts of the state, while drying up a bit over the ranges with a lighter falls expected in the east.

On Wednesday, a ridge of high pressure will build over Tasmania bringing mostly sunny skies although westerly winds will remain gusty until later in the week. Temperatures will return closer to average for the start of October before the weekend warms up to the low 20s.

- Weatherzone

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