Summary of Geelong Weather, 2016
(Current figures are from the Bureau of Meteorology station at Breakwater “Geelong Racecourse AWS”, with all temperature and rainfall averages from several
official Geelong BoM sites from most recent 30-year averages, 1986-2015)
Month Weather Conditions Temps (deg C) Rainfall (mm) Cumulative Rainfall Comments
JAN Warmer than average (1986-2015) by 1.2°C. 4 days over 30° incl 43.7° on 13th. 4 thunder days and 2 strong wind days (incl 72 kph on 13th). Av max 25.6. Jan av max. is 25.1. Av min 15.5. Av is 13.6. Mean 19.4. Breakwater 65.6 mm. Urban area averaged 70 mm.
January 30-yr normal is 39.4 mm. Breakwater 65.6 mm.
Urban area 70 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (1 month) is 39.4 mm. Above av rain except for some Otway and Golden Plains areas. 1 severe storm on 27th caused massive flash flooding and casualties (incl 91 mm at Montpellier). Light plane crash off Pt Lonsdale in drizzle/mist 4 fatalities.
FEB Fractionally warmer than average by 0.25°C. 3 days over 30° incl highest 42.0° on 23rd. Summer warmest since 1981 by 1.35°C and drier than av by 16 mm. Av max 25.0. Feb av max. is 25.2. Av min 14.9. Av is 14.2. Mean 19.7. Breakwater 9.0 mm. Urban area averaged 9.0 mm. February normal is 36.9 mm. Breakwater 76.6 mm.
Urban area 79 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (2 months) is 76.3 mm. Well below average rain for most parts of region except for central & western Otways. No storms, no strong winds. Catchments now only 39.6%; Barwon water considering pumping aquifers.
MAR Warmer by 1.7°C. 6 days >30°, top 34.6° on 17th. Very warm overnight temps, no mins <10°. Highest min 20.4° on 9th, although 2 am temp was 31°. Av max 23.9. Mar av max. is 23.3. Av min 15.0. Av is 12.3. Mean 17.8. Breakwater 32.2 mm. Urban area averaged 30 mm. March normal is 26.4 mm. Breakwater 108.8 mm.
Urban area 109 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (3 months) is 102.7 mm. Above average rain in urban area but generally lower elsewhere. 1 thunder day (4th) but no severe storms, no strong winds. Catchments 36% and Barwon Water to use Melb pipeline.
APR Second warmest April recorded. 2 degrees above average. Top 31.7° on 5th. Warmest overnight 19.9° on 28th. Outlook for above av May-July. Av max 22.5. Apr av max. is 20.3. Av min 11.8. Av is 9.9. Mean 15.1. Breakwater 23.4 mm. Urban area averaged 22 mm. April normal is 39.8 mm. Breakwater 132.2 mm.
Urban area 131 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (4 months) is 142.5 mm. Well below average rain across the region. No thunder days, no storms, no strong winds. Catchments 32% and pipeline and aquifer pumping in progress.
MAY Above average May temps. Highest 26.4°; lowest 1.1° on 31st. Warmest autumn ever recorded: 16.9° cf 15.3° mean.
1 dust storm on 3rd. Av max 18.2. May av max. is 17.1. Av min 9.9. Av is 8.3. Mean 12.7. Breakwater 77.8mm. Urban area averaged 80 mm. May normal is 42.1. Breakwater 210.0 mm.
Urban area 211 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (5 months) is 184.6 mm. Well above average rain. Mt Sabine 364 mm, urban average 80 mm. 2 thunder days, no severe storms and 7 very strong wind days, incl 72 kph on 1st & 3rd. Wetter than normal autumn.
JUNE Right on average temps. Highest max 16.9 C; coldest 9.4C on 24th – Otways snow. Lowest min 0.7 C on 14th. Av max 14.3. June av max. is 14.5. Av min 6.7. Av is 6.4. Mean 10.5. Breakwater 46.2 mm. Urban area averaged 48 mm. June normal is 47.3. Breakwater 256.2 mm.
Urban area 259 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total ( 6 months) is 231.9 mm. Av to above av rain. Mt Sabine 259 mm, urban av 48 mm. No storms, but 2 windy days (70 kph on 23rd). Otways snow on 24th. Catchments 0n 34% of capacity
JULY Warmer than average temps by 0.9°. Lowest min 0.2° on 17th. 1 frost. Snow at Ballarat and Otways on 13th. Av max 14.5. July av max. is 14.0 . Av min 7.1. Av is 5.7. Mean 9.9. Breakwater 82.8 mm. Urban area averaged 86 mm. July normal is 44.5. Breakwater 339.0 mm.
Urban area 345 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (7 months) is 276.4 mm. Well above av rain. Mt Sabine 358.2 mm. Urban av 86 mm. 6 very windy days, incl 100 kph at Breakwater on 12th. 1 hail day on 23rd, SS damage on 13th, no thunder days. Catchments at 47% of capacity.
AUG Warmer than av by 0.65°. No frosts. Highest max 22.6 C on 18th. No strong winds or frosts, 2 thunder days.
Winter warmer and wetter than average. Av max 15.5 Aug av max. is 14.9. Av min 6.7. Av is 6.0. Mean 10.5 Breakwater 52.4 mm . Urban area averaged 45 mm. August normal 45.4 Breakwater 391.4 mm.
Urban area 390 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total ( 8 months) is 321.8 mm. Average to above average rain over most of region. Catchments 59% of capacity. No severe storms. Tornado funnel at SW Melton, no damage.
SEPT Warmer by 0.5°. Highest 23.5 C on 8th. No strong winds or frosts or thunder days or storms. Very low pressure [987 hPa] on 28th. Av max 16.9 Sept av max. is 17.1. Av min 8.3. Av is 7.2. Mean 12.1 Breakwater 125.2 mm. Urban area averaged 115 mm. September normal is 49.1. Breakwater 516.6 mm.
Urban area 505 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total ( 9 months) is 370.9 mm. Above average to well above average rain across region. 4thhighest Sept rainfall. Minor Barwon flooding 14th to 18th. Catchments 76%.
OCT Cooler by 0.2°. Highest 26.6° on 25th. Lowest 3.4° on 14th. 9 strong wind days incl 80 kph on 9th. 3 light hail squalls on the 5th, 10th & 18th. Av max 18.6 Oct av max. is 19.3 . Av min 8.6. Av is 8.4. Mean 13.8 Breakwater 62.0 mm. Urban area averaged 68 mm. October normal is 52.3. Breakwater 578.6 mm.
Urban area 573 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (10 months) is 423.3 mm. Above average rain across region. 15 rain days. 1 severe wind storm with damage on 9th. Minor Barwon flooding on 23rd. Snow at Beech Forest on 31st. Catchments at 85%.
NOV Cooler by 0.7°. Highest 36.2° on 21st. Lowest min 6.3° on 9th. 3 strong wind days incl 78 kph on 21st. (See comments).
Spring cooler by -0.4°. Av max 20.5. Nov av max. is 21.3. Av min 9.7. Av is 10.3. Mean 15.8 Breakwater 14.0 mm. Urban area averaged 16 mm. November normal is 52.4. Breakwater 592.6 mm.
Urban area 589 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total ( 11 months) is 475.7 mm. Well below average rain in region. Furious but short squall on 21st with little local damage but 9 deaths statewide due to “thunderstorm asthma”. Catchments 85%.
DEC Warmer than average by 1.1°. 7 days over 30°, incl 37.7° on 25th – hottest Christmas day since 1945. 4 high wind days (83 kph on 8th.) Av max 25.1
Dec av max. is 23.4. Av min 12.4. Av is 11.8. Mean 17.8 Breakwater 13.4 mm. Urban area averaged 16mm. December normal is 41.9 Breakwater 604.0mm.
Urban area 608 mm.
Normal Geelong cumulative total (12 months) is 517.6 mm. Below average rain in whole region.
4 very windy days incl (83 kph on 8th). 1 thunder day (29th).
Catchments 80% of capacity.
* Indicates a patched figure has been assigned by GWS owing to a malfunction of the BoM station or its transmission.
SUMMARY: New records and extremes set: 1, Warmest autumn (See red bold print above); Year warmer by 0.7° C, Mean daily temp 15.3° (1986-2015 mean 14.6°C); Tornadoes: 1 funnel on 22nd August; Hottest Day: 43.7° on 13 Jan); Warmest Night: 21.4° on 24 Jan); Coldest Day: 9.4° on 24-6-16; Coldest Night: 0.2° 17 July; Wettest Day: 35 mm on 13 Sept); Wettest Month: September; Driest Month: February; No of Days above 30°C: 24 (average 21); Number of “Thunder Days” in Urban area: 11 (20 in 2015); Number of severe storms: 3; Weather-related fatalities: 4; Strongest Wind Gust: 100 kph on 12 July; Number of frosts: 3 (av = 15); Number of windy days 33 (gusts >60kph): (19 in 2015).
© Copyright Geelong Weather Services, 2016.