The southeast Australian foehn is a westerly foehn wind and a rain shadow effect that usually occurs on the coastal plain of southern New South Wales , and as well as in southeastern Victoria and eastern Tasmania , on the leeward side of the Great Dividing Range .
45-526: Nowra ( / n aʊər ə / ) is a city in the South Coast region of New South Wales , Australia. It is located 160 kilometres (99 mi) south-southwest of the state capital of Sydney (about 120 kilometres (75 mi) as the crow flies ). As of the 2021 census, Nowra has an estimated population of 22,584. Situated in the southern reaches of the Sydney basin , Nowra is the seat and commercial centre of
90-712: A high diurnal range of temperature . The Great Dividing foehn is primarily observed in the southeast of New South Wales, east of the Great Dividing Range, in places such as the Sydney metropolitan area ( Cumberland Plain ), the Illawarra , some areas of the Southern Highlands , parts of the Monaro region, and the South Coast . It can also occur in the Central Coast , Hunter Valley and
135-578: A land grant in the Burrier area, on the southern side of the Shoalhaven River . The Nowra township was officially recognised in 1852. Less than ten years later, in 1861, a postal service was established. In 1861, the racehorse Archer , which was trained in Nowra by Etienne de Mestre , won the first Melbourne Cup . Nowra was declared a town in 1885 and a city in 1979. A major landmark in the area
180-514: A large polar air mass from the south-west of the continent in the Southern Ocean which moves east or north-eastward across Victoria towards the east coast. Moreover, temperatures on the lee of the Great Dividing Range tend to rise substantially (due to a katabatic effect ) when cold fronts push warm and dry air from the desert across the country's eastern states and over the Range (this
225-745: A library. Nowra has a growing tourist industry, especially in the summer months, when visitors (mostly from Sydney and Canberra) flock to the beaches to enjoy swimming, surfing, fishing, shopping, and relaxing in the restaurants and cafés. Nowra sits in the Shoalhaven region, where there are several vineyards. Nowra has three public high schools: Nowra High School , Shoalhaven High School and Bomaderry High School . There are also several non-government schools , three of which are religiously affiliated: The district also has an independent school of special assistance. The Shoalhaven River College commenced classes in 2019 and enrols 60 students in years 9-12 in
270-607: A new venue at the South Nowra Soccer Complex. The Shoalhaven Tigers represent the area in the New South Wales State Basketball League and have won several championships from 1988 until 2007. Archer was an Australian thoroughbred racehorse trained in the Nowra area who won the first and the second Melbourne Cups in 1861 and 1862. He won both Cups by a significant margin. Archer is one of only five horses to have won
315-670: A strong anticyclone is located to the south of these low-pressure systems, rainfalls of up to 350mm (14 inches) in a day and 500 mm (20 inches) in two days may occur. For example, in May 1925 the region received an averages of as much as 860 millimetres (33 inches) of rain, with some places receiving as much as 1,270 mm (50 inches) for the month. However, in dry years the region can receive as little as 400mm (16 inches) for an entire year. Furthermore, Bega received 380 mm (15 inches) in May 1944 and over 400mm (16 inches) in two days during April 1945 - but only around 200 mm (8 inches) in
360-930: Is a saltwater river , although it does not flow into the sea. The Shoalhaven River meets the sea through the canal that joins the Shoalhaven and Crookhaven Rivers, which was dug by convicts under the direction of local entrepreneur and pioneer Alexander Berry . Nowra possesses a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen: Cfa), with very warm, wet summers and mild, relatively dry winters. Compared with nearby Wollongong and Kiama which have an oceanic climate , Nowra has slightly warmer summers due to its inland location, thus qualifying it as humid subtropical climate . Average maxima vary from 27.6 °C (81.7 °F) in January to 16.8 °C (62.2 °F) in July, while average minima fluctuate between 16.8 °C (62.2 °F) in January and 6.8 °C (44.2 °F) in July. Annual precipitation
405-601: Is bordered to the west by the coastal escarpment of the Southern Tablelands , and is largely covered by a series of national parks, namely Jervis Bay National Park , Eurobodalla National Park , and Beowa National Park . To the east is the coastline of the Pacific Ocean , which is characterised by rolling farmlands, small towns and villages along a rocky coastline, interspersed by numerous beaches and lakes. The South Coast includes Shoalhaven district in
450-575: Is generally followed by a southerly buster ). As such, the Great Dividing foehn is one the few reasons why Sydney, among other places on the coastal plain, registers high temperatures in the warm season but seldom attains cold maximum temperatures in the winter. Furthermore, when the warm season north-westerly winds strike (such as the Brickfielder ), the hottest and driest areas of southeastern Australia will generally be located along
495-586: Is moderately high (averaging 1,026.1 mm (40.40 in)), and is spread across 86.7 precipitation days (over 1.0 mm (0.039 in)). Due to its position on the leeward side of the Great Dividing Range , Nowra experiences a foehn effect , particularly in late winter and spring. The town experiences 99.6 clear days and 127.4 cloudy days per annum. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 45.6 °C (114.1 °F) on 21 December 2019 to −0.9 °C (30.4 °F) on 24 August 2002. According to
SECTION 10
#1732772417459540-539: Is mostly linked with the passage of a deep low pressure system or westerly cold fronts across the Great Australian Bight and southeastern Australia that cause strong winds to reorient virtually perpendicular to some parts of the Great Dividing Range, predominantly between late autumn into winter and spring, particularly during a negative SAM phase. Their occurrence is owed to the incomplete orographic blocking of comparatively moist low-level air and
585-828: Is played by two clubs from the Shoalhaven area, with the Bomaderry Tigers playing at Artie Smith Oval. Further south, the Bay and Basin Bombers play at the Leisure Centre at Vincentia. These two clubs are both members of the South Coast AFL , fielding junior and senior teams. The Shoalhaven Mariners were established in 2006 and represent the area in the sport of baseball. The team plays home matches out of Fred Finch Park in Berkeley , Wollongong . Baseball has
630-424: Is the house Bundanon , which renowned Australian artist Arthur Boyd and his wife Yvonne donated to the people of Australia in 1993 along with an adjoining property that had been previously owned by Boyd's brother-in-law, the equally famous Australian artist Sidney Nolan . Bundanon began as a single-storey weatherboard structure built around 1840. In 1866, a two-storey sandstone house, made of locally quarried stone,
675-467: Is the southernmost zone in the state of New South Wales that features a subtropical rainforest . The Illawarra Steam Navigation Company serviced the South Coast and Illawarra by ship transporting passengers and goods from the 1850s to the 1950s. The NSW TrainLink Illawarra railway line services Berry before it terminates at Bomaderry , situated approximately 123 km south of Sydney on
720-458: The City of Shoalhaven . The region around Nowra is a farming community with a thriving dairy industry and a significant amount of state-owned forest land. It is also an increasingly popular retirement and leisure area for people from Canberra and Sydney. The naval air station HMAS Albatross is located about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) south-west of Nowra. Prior to European arrival, the part of
765-515: The Illawarra railway line terminates at nearby Bomaderry railway station with NSW TrainLink operating services to Kiama and Sydney . South Coast, New South Wales The South Coast refers to the narrow coastal belt from the Shoalhaven district in the north to the state border with Victoria in the south in the south-eastern part of the State of New South Wales , Australia . It
810-582: The Mid North Coast to the north. In many instances, it is observed in the East Gippsland region in Victoria as well as the eastern portion of Tasmania to the south. Foehn winds may also impact other parts of Australia, such as east of the Great Dividing Range in southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales . The Great Dividing foehn does not heavily impact areas northward from
855-739: The Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital , which is a hub for oncology services, and Nowra Private Hospital. The four major codes of football in Australia are all popular in the Nowra area. Rugby league was traditionally represented by the Nowra Warriors and Bomaderry Swamp Rats , however, at the end of 2007 these teams merged to form the Shoalhaven Jets Rugby League Football Club. Other rugby league teams in
900-424: The Southern Ocean (which are most frequent between May and October). Consequently, winters in leeward zones are drier with the summers being relatively wet, unlike those on the windward side which, conversely, have drier summers and damp winters. Areas that lie to the west of the Great Dividing Range are windward and therefore never experience a foehn effect under a westerly stream, with persistent cloud cover. On
945-618: The wind chill factor can paradoxically make the temperatures feel cooler than what they are. The Australian foehn has also impacted international sporting events and as well as recreational aviation , such as in 2007, when a light aircraft crashed in the Central Highlands due to severe winds on a region that is prone to mountain-wind waves . Much like the Santa Ana winds in California, they may elevate fire danger in
SECTION 20
#1732772417459990-415: The 2021 census, Nowra has a population of 22,584. This covers suburbs only south of the Shoalhaven River . The population is slightly younger than the state and country as a whole, with an average age of 37 compared to 38 for both Australia and New South Wales. However, the population is bimodally distributed , with a larger percentage of children and the elderly than the state and national averages. 79.7% of
1035-531: The Central Coast. The effect is gradient; being more common and efficacious towards the South Coast (due to the latter region being in the track of prevailing westerlies, which exponentially falters north of 35° S). With leeward areas, or areas that receive foehn winds, precipitation is predominantly derived from the Tasman Sea to the east, since the Great Dividing Range blocks frontal westerlies off
1080-454: The Föhn wall, builds up along the ridgelines of the southeastern highlands due to condensation of moisture as the air ascends the windward slopes. Meanwhile, the Föhn arch, with its broad layer of altostratus cloud, shapes downwind of the mountains in the ascending component of a standing lee mountain wave . In weather maps , a band of clear air called the Föhn gap, which is over the downwind of
1125-448: The Great Dividing region, can be seen between the wall and arched cloud cover. This foehn wind can be referred to as thermodynamically driven. The existence of topographically induced atmospheric waves in connection with foehn occurrence has been indicated, which develop with the descent of upper-level air above of the ridgetop and pass into the lee of the ranges as broad-scale, vertically supporting gravity waves. The wind shears and
1170-586: The Melbourne Cup on two or more occasions, and one of only four horses to have won two successive Cups. Nowra Coaches operates services from Nowra to Bomaderry , Huskisson , Vincentia and Jervis Bay . Shoal Bus operates services from Nowra to Berry , Gerringong and Sussex Inlet . Premier Motor Service operates express services along the Princes Highway from Sydney to Eden that call at Nowra. Nowra has no direct rail connection, but
1215-666: The Nowra region south of the Shoalhaven river was inhabited by the Wandi-Wandandian tribe of the Yuin nation, while the region north of Shoalhaven was inhabited by the Dharawal people. The name Nowra, originally written by Europeans as 'nou-woo-ro' (pronounced Nowa Nowa by the Indigenous Australians of the area), is an Aboriginal word for the black cockatoo . Circa 1824, ex-convict Mary Reibey applied for
1260-863: The Shoalhaven area include the St Georges Basin Dragons, Culburra Dolphins, Sussex Inlet Panthers and Berry Magpies, all of whom source some of their players from Nowra. All of these clubs compete in the Group 7 Rugby League competition. Rugby union is represented by the Shoalhaven Rugby Club, who play out of Rugby Park in South Nowra. The club won the 2008 premiership in the Illawarra district competition, and has produced international and provincial players such as Andrew Walker and Alex Kanaar . Australian rules football
1305-423: The contrary, the Great Dividing Range also blocks frontal systems originating in the southern Tasman as well as the eastern Bass Strait . When south/southeasterly frontal systems lift over the coastal slopes, the western edge of the Range would, conversely, experience foehn-like winds. The Great Dividing wind can be particularly damaging to homes and would affect flights , in addition to being uncomfortable, as
1350-440: The eastern seaboard. A vertically propagating gravity wave over the affected region exists. The descending motion over the coastal escarpment is stronger than that over the primary range and is connected with more powerful shear. The downslope winds tend to be strong, particularly near the lee's surface of the coastal escarpment. Smaller-scale, trapped lee waves over the affected region exist, and their incidence, together with
1395-535: The mainstream curriculum. There are seven public primary schools in the Nowra area: East Nowra Public School, Nowra Public School, Bomaderry Public School, Illaroo Road Public School, North Nowra Public School, Nowra Hill Public School, and Terara Public School. The University of Wollongong has a campus in Nowra, and there is a campus of TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute in Bomaderry. There are two hospitals in Nowra:
Nowra - Misplaced Pages Continue
1440-444: The moist air rises over the windward side of the ranges, it cools and it would condense, thereby creating precipitation on the upwind slopes. The precipitation then gets rid of the moisture from the air mass on the lee side of the ranges, and the condensation raises the air temperature as it descends the lee slopes towards the coastal plains because of the adiabatic compression. During these conditions, an orographic cloud band, or
1485-980: The north and the Bega Valley in the more remote south as well as the Eurobodalla Shire and the Commonwealth Jervis Bay Territory which is adjacent to the City of Shoalhaven Local Government Area. Some definitions of the region include the Illawarra , but it is often seen as a separate and distinct region of New South Wales . The region has a mild, warm temperate climate. Maximum temperatures range from around 30 °C (86 °F) in summer to approximately 17 °C (62 °F) in winter. However, rainfall tends toward erratic as falls can occur in heavy, but often irregular, storms. These storms may occur at any time of year, but are most frequent in late autumn and early winter. When
1530-550: The northern side of the Shoalhaven River. Bus services operate to locations south of Nowra. The South Coast region is traversed by the Princes Highway which links Sydney and Melbourne by the coast, but is longer than Hume Highway which is the direct route between the two cities. The region is a reached from Canberra to the west by the Kings Highway . Road linkages north to Sydney were only completed in
1575-569: The population were born in Australia and 82.1% speak only English at home, both above the state and national averages. Nowra has a lower level of tertiary education than typical for the state and nation. Only 15% of the population of Nowra hold a tertiary qualification, compared to 23.3% of Australia and 23.8% of New South Wales. The top five reported ancestries in Nowra at the 2021 census were Australian (40.9%), English (37.7%), Australian Aboriginal (10%), Irish (9.5%), and Scottish (8.3%). Most (63%) people had both parents born in Australia, higher than
1620-622: The season), the effect occurs when westerly winds descend steeply from the Great Dividing Range onto the coastal slopes, thereby causing major adiabatic compression (the rate at which temperature decreases with altitude) and a substantial loss of moisture. The effect is known by other names, such as the Australian chinook , the Great Dividing wind , the Great Dividing foehn or simply westerly foehn . Typically occurring from late autumn to spring, though not completely unheard of in
1665-686: The second half of the twentieth century when the Clyde River was bridged at Batemans Bay in 1956. Before that a punt was used to cross the river. The bridge at Narooma had been completed in 1931 and was the first major bridge constructed on the Princes Highway by the Main Roads Board as part of its efforts to develop the Princes Highway which had been opened in 1920. Major towns on the South Coast include: Southeast Australian foehn Ranging from cool to hot (depending on
1710-466: The southern coastal region of NSW in the lee of the Great Dividing range and coastal escarpment due to the foehn effect. Much lower relative humidity figures would also observed in these leeward stations. The southeast Australian foehn is distinguished by three criteria; surface winds which blow from the mountains' direction, a sharp rise in air temperature in the leeward side of the mountains, and an accompanying diminution in atmospheric moisture . As
1755-543: The state and national averages. The population of the suburb of Nowra (central Nowra) at the 2021 census was 9,956. The Australian Bureau of statistics also recognises a larger built-up area including suburbs north of the Shoalhaven, North Nowra-Bomaderry, which had a population of 16,098 at the 2021 census. Nowra Town Hall was built in 1948 and is in the Central Business District. This district contains many services, including banks, health services and
1800-404: The strength of the downslope motion manifested in the model examination also point that the onslaught of foehn conditions results in increased turbulence near the surface, evident in the gusty conditions observed at the lee stations. In addition to the foehn winds, the same westerly winds also ward off the cooling sea breezes that arrive from the northeast, thereby preventing them from developing in
1845-407: The strong wind shears, signal significant turbulence throughout the boundary layer, which is concordant with the heavy gusty surface winds registered on the leeside. At nighttime, the foehn effect subsides due to a mountain breeze – This is when denser cool air flows down the mountain slopes to settle in the downwind side, thereby providing relatively cold conditions in the night and, consequently,
Nowra - Misplaced Pages Continue
1890-471: The subsidence of drier upper-level air in the lee of the mountains. Foehn occurrence on the southeast coastal plains can also occur when hot, northwesterly winds blow from the interior (even when there is little moisture on the windward side), because the air heats up faster as it descends into the plains than it cooled as it ascended the ranges. Averaging between 60 km/h (37 mph) to 70 km/h (43 mph), sometimes they may be brought on by
1935-423: The summer (particularly in eastern Tasmania), the foehn effect mainly occurs when a westerly or south-westerly frontal system (which brings rainy and windy weather to southern capitals like Melbourne , Perth and Adelaide ) passes over the Great Dividing Range and thereby provides clear to partly cloudy, relatively warmer conditions on the lee. The foehn effect on the coastal plains of southeastern Australia
1980-510: The ten months in between. A 2011 report by the Climate Commission highlighted the risks of the effects of climate change in the South Coast and Illawarra areas. These risks included a higher likelihood of large fires , coastal flooding , changing rainfall patterns , and more intense storms , all impacting the biodiversity in the region. Although the region experiences a temperate oceanic climate , Gulaga National Park
2025-669: Was built immediately in front of the original weatherboard house. The sandstone house features timber verandas and is now listed on the Register of the National Estate . Nowra has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Along the north of Nowra is the Shoalhaven River , which formerly hosted the Australian National wakeboarding championships and is a popular fishing location. The Nowra Bridge connects it to North Nowra and Bomaderry . The Shoalhaven River
#458541