Climate

Climate Overview
Climate Averages

This data has been obtained from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). Further work is needed to acquire more localised climate histories and predictions (3, 6 and 12 months, updated in this document regularly). For example, monthly averages including solar radiation and wind (for estimation of renewable power potential) and relative humidity (relevant for analogue suit operations, for example) may be useful. In addition, typical daily weather profiles during various months would be useful for operations planning.
 

Climate Overview

This section should be expanded to provide a detailed climatic overview with a focus on central Australia.

Mean Temperature and Median Annual Rainfall for the Australian Continent (click to enlarge).

The driest part of Australia is Lake Eyre (adjacent to the Sturt Stony Desert) with an average rainfall of around 140 mm per annum and less than 30 rain days annually on average.

Climate Averages

Australian weather stations collect data at least daily, and BOM provides averages for a range of parameters. The Queensland Department of Natural Resources provides interpolation of climate averages for locations between stations (navigate to SILO website).

BOM Weather Stations in four States (click to enlarge).

Key Weather Stations relevant for Mars analogue activities
(click images/charts to enlarge)

Location	Image	Rainfall	Temperature
Station Alice Springs, NT Longitude 133.89°E Latitude 23.80°S Elevation 546 m
Station Balgo Hills, WA Longitude 127.99°E Latitude 20.14°S Elevation 420 m
Station Birdsville, QLD Longitude 139.35°E Latitude 25.90°S Elevation 47 m
Station Coober Pedy, SA Longitude 134.76°E Latitude 29.00°S Elevation 215 m
Station Giles, WA Longitude 128.29°E Latitude 25.04°S Elevation 598 m
Station Halls Creek, WA Longitude 127.66°E Latitude 18.23°S Elevation 422 m
Station Kulgera, NT Longitude 133.30°E Latitude 25.84°S Elevation 509 m
Station Leigh Creek, SA Longitude 138.41°E Latitude 30.47°S Elevation 194 m	No Image
Station Moomba, SA Longitude 140.21°E Latitude 28.11°S Elevation 39 m
Station Oodnadatta, SA Longitude 135.45°E Latitude 27.58°S Elevation 117 m	No Image
Station Woomera, SA Longitude 136.82°E Latitude 31.15°S Elevation 167 m
Station Yulara, NT Longitude 130.97°E Latitude 25.19°S Elevation 492 m