July 2005

RAINFALL

A good rainfall month in the Geelong and Bellarine Peninsula district was not matched by areas further afield in the Otways and Moorabool catchments. Urban Geelong received around average falls, about 45mm, while the West Barwon Dam only recorded about 86mm, or 62 % of normal.

Rain fell on 20 days and was typically brought mainly by a series of passing cold fronts from the northwest and southwest.

TEMPERATURES

It was a slightly warmer July than normal, and this is becoming the trend over the last few years. Average daily maximum was 15.1 degreesC, compared to 13.9 degrees, and average minimum was 6.3 degrees, compared to 5.1 degrees. The warmest days occurred on the 6th (19.5C) and the 22nd (19.1C), and the coldest day was the 12th, with a top of 10.3 deg. The coldest overnight temperatures were reached on the 21st (0.0 degreesC) and the 5th (1.9C). Frosts occurred on these two mornings. Warm overnight temperatures dominated the week of the 23rd to 29th, when the lowest did not fall below 8.6C and the minimum averaged 9.9C. This made that week the mildest sustained overnight period in late July that we have had.

OTHER FEATURES

Very windy conditions involving gusts over 60kph occurred on the 16th (78kph at Mt Duneed), 22nd, 24th and 25th. Some damage was reported on these days, including an overturned car and trailer on the Bellarine Peninsula on the 25th.

A very strong, stable high pressure system registering 1040 hPa occurred on the 20th, just before the coldest night of the month.

RAINFALL DATA