New South Wales records coldest and wettest autumn in 8 years, Australia

Autumn 2020 in New South Wales, Australia, was the state's coldest and wettest since 2012, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) confirmed in a seasonal climate summary issued on June 1, 2020. 

Daytime temperatures were below to very much below average for NSW, except along the coastal strip.

BOM noted that it was a wetter than average autumn inland, but rainfall was below average along the northern and southern coasts.

Across the state's interior, autumn rainfall was above to very much above average. It was the wettest autumn since 2012, although the rainfall in May was more than 50 percent below the long-term average.

It was particularly wet across the district of Central West Slopes, with some areas recording their highest total autumn rainfall on record, or the highest total autumn rain for at least 20 years.

The climate summary also showed that remains of Tropical Cyclone "Esther" led to few areas recording their highest autumn daily rainfall on March 4 or 5, including Wilcannia and Wanganella, which broke records set in 1939.

Meanwhile, much of the north and south coastal areas were 40 to 60 percent drier than average this autumn. Long-term lack of rainfall remains over the northeast southeast and far west of the state.

This autumn's mean maximum temperature statewide was the coldest this century, 0.88 ​°C (1.58 ​°F) below the long-term average.

May areas recorded their lowest autumn mean daily maximum temperature, including Goulburn, Tamworth Airport, and Walgett Airport.

Minimum temperatures were a bit above average, but the autumn mean minimum temperature across the state was the lowest since 2013.

BOM also reported that autumn was the first season with below-average mean temperature for NSW since spring four years ago.

It is worthy to note that while NSW experienced wetter and cooler autumn in 2020, it was warmer and drier than normal in Australia overall.

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