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- Heavy cloud over Lord Howe’s lagoon
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- Rainbow ends near Capella!
It was a beautiful day to be on Lord Howe Island today. We were recorded as the hottest place in New South Wales, reaching a very balmy 19.8 degrees Celsius. Being July, you would expect to be bundled up in your winter woolies, snuggling up by the open fire! Our average low is approximately14 degrees over winter, so we won’t be looking out for a snow-capped Mount Gower any time soon.
Lord Howe is fortunate to have its very own Bureau of Meteorology, which has been around for over 100 years. The Met (as it is known to islanders) not only provides much needed climatological data for aircraft using the island’s airstrip, and for sea-faring islanders, it also provides data that can be used all over the globe.
Our meteorologist collects data daily from weather balloons outfitted with a thermometer, hygrometer, and barometer. A radar can track the balloon for two hours, and the Met can then collect all the information relevant to the daily forecast.
Tourists and islanders alike enjoy watching the balloon being released, and the local meteorologist is always happy to have a chat about the process. Bus tours that operate around the island will stop in at the Met, and you can learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the weather!
