Editing New South Wales (section)

=== Climate ===
[[File:New South Wales Köppen.svg|thumb|left|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] in New South Wales]]
A little more than half of the state has an [[arid]] to [[semi arid]] climate, where the rainfall averages from {{convert|150|to|500|mm}} a year throughout most of this climate zone. Summer temperatures can be very hot, while winter nights can be quite cold in this region. Rainfall varies throughout the state. The far north-west receives the least, less than {{Convert|180|mm|abbr=on|0}} annually, while the east receives between {{Convert|700|and|1400|mm|abbr=on|0}} of rain.<ref name="NSWclimate">{{cite web |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/sevwx/facts/stormy-weather.pdf |title=Stormy Weather |publisher=Bureau of Meteorology |access-date=16 May 2014 |archive-date=20 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920170035/http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/sevwx/facts/stormy-weather.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

The climate along the flat, [[coastal plain]] east of the range varies from [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]] in the south to [[humid subtropical]] in the northern half of the state, right above [[Wollongong]]. Rainfall is highest in this area; however, it still varies from around {{convert|800|mm}} to as high as {{convert|3000|mm}} in the wettest areas, for example [[Dorrigo, New South Wales|Dorrigo]]. In the state's south, on the westward side of the [[Great Dividing Range]], rainfall is heaviest in winter due to [[cold front]]s which move across [[southern Australia]], while in the north, around [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]], rain is heaviest in summer from tropical systems and occasionally even [[tropical cyclone|cyclones]].<ref name="NSWclimate"/> During late winter, the coastal plain is relatively dry due to [[Southeast Australian foehn|foehn winds]] that originate from the Great Dividing Range;<ref>Sharples, J.J. Mills, G.A., McRae, R.H.D., Weber, R.O. (2010) ''Elevated fire danger conditions associated with foehn-like winds in southeastern Australia. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology''.</ref> the mountain range [[rain shadow|block]] the moist, [[westerlies|westerly]] cold fronts that arrive from the [[Southern Ocean]], whereby providing generally [[foehn wind|clear conditions]] on the [[leeward]] side.<ref>[https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/5291/rain+shadows.html Rain Shadows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922232632/https://www.willyweather.com.au/news/5291/rain+shadows.html |date=22 September 2021 }} by Don White. Australian Weather News. Willy Weather. Retrieved 24 May 2021.</ref><ref>[https://thenewdaily.com.au/weather/2020/05/28/bom-winter-weather-forecast-2020/ And the outlook for winter is ... wet] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210725121537/https://thenewdaily.com.au/weather/2020/05/28/bom-winter-weather-forecast-2020/ |date=25 July 2021 }} by Kate Doyle from [[The New Daily]]. Retrieved 24 May 2021.</ref>

The climate in the southern half of the state is generally warm to hot in summer and cool in the winter. The seasons are more defined in the southern half of the state, especially as one moves inland towards [[South West Slopes]], [[Central West (New South Wales)|Central West]] and the [[Riverina]] region. The climate in the [[Northern Rivers|northeast region]] of the state, or the [[New South Wales North Coast|North Coast]], bordering [[Queensland]], is hot and humid in the summer and mild in winter. The [[Northern Tablelands]], which are also on the North coast, have relatively mild summers and cold winters, due to their high elevation on the Great Dividing Range.

Peaks along the Great Dividing Range vary from {{convert|500|m|ft|0}} to over {{convert|2000|m|ft|0}} above sea level. Temperatures can be cool to cold in winter with frequent [[frost]]s and [[snowfall]], and are rarely hot in summer due to the elevation. [[Lithgow, New South Wales|Lithgow]] has a climate typical of the range, as do the regional cities of [[Orange, New South Wales|Orange]], [[Cooma]], [[Oberon, New South Wales|Oberon]] and [[Armidale]]. Such places fall within the [[subtropical highland]] (''Cwb'') variety. Rainfall is moderate in this area, ranging from {{convert|600|to|800|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}.

Snowfall is common in the higher parts of the range, sometimes occurring as far north as the [[Queensland]] border. On the highest peaks of the [[Snowy Mountains]], the climate can be [[Oceanic climate#Subpolar variety (Cfc, Cwc)|subpolar oceanic]] and even [[alpine climate|alpine]] on the higher peaks with very cold temperatures and heavy snow. The [[Blue Mountains (New South Wales)|Blue Mountains]], [[Southern Tablelands]] and [[Central Tablelands]], which are situated on the Great Dividing Range, have mild to warm summers and cold winters, although not as severe as those in the Snowy Mountains.<ref name="NSWclimate"/>

The highest maximum temperature recorded was {{Convert|49.7|°C|°F|0}} at [[Menindee, New South Wales|Menindee]] in the west of the state on 10 January 1939. The lowest minimum temperature was {{Convert|-23|°C|°F|0}} at [[Charlotte Pass, New South Wales|Charlotte Pass]] in the Snowy Mountains on 29 June 1994. This is also the lowest temperature recorded in the whole of Australia excluding the Antarctic Territory.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/extreme/records/national.pdf|title=Rainfall and Temperature Records: National|publisher=[[Bureau of Meteorology (Australia)|Bureau of Meteorology]]|access-date=14 November 2009|archive-date=27 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327211715/http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/extreme/records/national.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = New South Wales
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 49.7
|Feb record high C = 48.5
|Mar record high C = 45.0
|Apr record high C = 40.0
|May record high C = 34.4
|Jun record high C = 31.0
|Jul record high C = 31.7
|Aug record high C = 37.8
|Sep record high C = 39.6
|Oct record high C = 43.9
|Nov record high C = 46.8
|Dec record high C = 48.9
|year record high C = 49.7
|Jan record low C = -5.6
|Feb record low C = -7.0
|Mar record low C = -7.2
|Apr record low C = -13.0
|May record low C = -13.4
|Jun record low C = -23.0
|Jul record low C = -19.6
|Aug record low C = -20.6
|Sep record low C = -16.7
|Oct record low C = -12.0
|Nov record low C = -9.4
|Dec record low C = -7.0
|year record low C = -23.0
|source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/extremes/daily_extremes.cgi?period=%2Fcgi-bin%2Fclimate%2Fextremes%2Fdaily_extremes.cgi&climtab=tmax_high&area=nsw&year=2013&mon=12&day=11|title=Official records for Australia in January|date=31 July 2013|work=Daily Extremes|publisher=Bureau of Meteorology|access-date=12 March 2014|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904005534/http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/extremes/daily_extremes.cgi?period=%2Fcgi-bin%2Fclimate%2Fextremes%2Fdaily_extremes.cgi&climtab=tmax_high&area=nsw&year=2013&mon=12&day=11|url-status=live}}</ref>
|date=March 2014
}}