Tasmania lies in the Roaring 40s', and endures wild and stormy weather blasted up from the Antarctic regions by regular cold fronts and low pressure systems.

The west coast bears the brunt of the weather, and is a wet and windy place. The aptly named Cape Grim, on the extreme north-western point of Tasmania, is reputed to have the cleanest air anywhere in the world and is the site of a baseline air pollution measurement station.

The east coast is in a rain shadow and is drier and warmer. At least most years it is. This winter has been one off the wettest on record, after several years of severe drought. The east coast towns were desperately short of water only a short time ago, now their water supplies have been replenished to overflowing.

The charts show climactic averages for the east and west coasts.

East Coast...

West Coast...