Almost 400 days since Wollongong cracked 30 degrees

You'd be right - the thermostat hasn't cracked 30 degrees in Wollongong in almost 400 days.

The last time temperatures rose into the 30's at Bellambi weather station was more than a year ago on December, 19, 2021, when the mercury hit 32.1 degrees.

According to Bureau of Meteorology data, Wollongong annually records an average of 14 days a year above 30 degrees, but in 2022, not a single day shot into the 30's.

The region's wettest year is likely to blame for Wollongong's unusual run of cooler days, Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said.

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Bureau of Meteorology data shows weather station at Bellambi had 2258 millimetres of rain in 2022, an increase of 36 per cent on 1998, the previous wettest year on record.

By October, the Illawarra had already far exceeded its average annual rainfall.

"We've had more cloudy and wet days than we'd get in a typical year," he said.

"It's significantly reduced the chances of hotter weather."

On sunny days, the wind has generally been blowing off the water, he said, and the sea breeze has not allowed temperatures to climb.

Although the Illawarra is well into summer, Mr Dutschke said temperatures over the next week and a half are unlikely to break the spell.

"It's not going to warm up a great deal, largely due to the same reason it hasn't been warm during the past year," he said.

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