RAINFALL
Well above average rainfall fell across the Geelong region in June, making it the first time above average rain has been recorded since May, 2006, and longer in some areas. As of 26th June most suburbs and the Bellarine Peninsula had received 60-65 mm compared to the average 45-50 mm. Some areas to the west around Skipton did not fare as well although this is expected to increase later.
The reasonable falls in the Otways (eg, Mt Sabine 124 mm) and more meagre totals in the Moorabool catchment (eg, Lal Lal 57 mm) have not yet had a great impact on water storage levels (currently 15.2%) because soil moisture content has been so dry for the past 12 months and more. With continued rain and lower temperatures the catchment systems are expected to start increasing more noticeable from July onwards, if the rain patterns persist.
Certainly the development of east coast low pressure systems is a welcome sign that Geelong could be in for some extended rain periods in the near future.
TEMPERATURES
The swift transition into winter has surprised many observers. While May was one of the warmest Mays, June was 0.65 of a degree cooler than normal. While overnight low temperatures have not fallen too far below the mean 6.1 degrees – up to the 27th the coldestwas 1.7C on the 25th – the average maximum has been around 1.4 degrees below the long-term average maximum.
The cold and wet start to winter is more typical of normal winters in the Geelong region, and this year is due to the return to more normal Pacific Ocean temperatures, bordering on La Nina conditions with floods in several places in eastern Australia.
OTHER FEATURES
There were two thunder days but no severe storms in June. Snow-like sleety hail fell in Jan Juc on the 3rd and on two other days hail fell in Geelong and Bellbrae.
Strong winds gusting over 60kph at Mt Duneed were recorded on 3 days.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Aireys Inlet | 80.0 | 66.8 |
| Anakie | na | 49.0 |
| Anglesea | na | 57.0 |
| Apollo Bay | 96.1 | 109.8 |
| Bacchus Marsh | na | 38.6 |
| Ballan | 73.2 | 45.0 |
| Ballarat | 42.2 | 64.7 |
| Bannockburn | na | 42.0 |
| Barwon Heads | 86.5 | 57.0 |
| Bellbrae | 84.2 | 60.4 |
| Bells Beach | 103.5 | 60.4 |
| Beeac | na | 55.9 |
| Benwerrin | na | na |
| Birregurra | 50.4 | 64.8 |
| Boonah | 101.4 | na |
| Cape Otway | 53.6 | 98.0 |
| Colac | 40.6 | 76.8 |
| Clifton Springs (BoM) | 69.4 | 36.8 |
| Clifton Springs (2) | 63.5 | 36.8 |
| Clifton Springs (3) | 86.0 | 36.8 |
| Curlewis | 50.0 | 36.8 |
| Dereel | 49.8 | 65.0 |
| Drysdale | na | 62.5 |
| Durdidwarrah | 72.6 | 57.2 |
| Forrest | na | 113.0 |
| Forrest (West Barwon) | 120.0 | 125.0 |
| Gellibrand | 71.8 | 111.8 |
| Inverleigh | na | 46.7 |
| Lake Colac | na | 76.8 |
| Lal Lal | 57.0 | na |
| Laverton | 38.4 | 38.0 |
| Melba Gully | na | na |
| Melbourne (City) | 45.0 | 50.0 |
| Meredith (Darra) | 57.4 | 57.9 |
| Moriac | 79.0 | 53.0 |
| Morrisons | 53.4 | na |
| Mt Buninyong | na | na |
| Mt Cowley | na | na |
| Mt Mercer | na | na |
| Mt Sabine | na | na |
| Point Lonsdale | 76.2 | 58.0 |
| Pollocksford | 47.4 | na |
| Portarlington | na | 55.4 |
| Queenscliff | na | 56.6 |
| Shelford | na | 47.0 |
| Sheoaks (1) | 51.8 | na |
| Sheoaks (2) | 45.6 | na |
| St Leonards | 76.5 | 55.0 |
| Teesdale | na | 50.0 |
| Torquay | 101.5 | 52.0 |
| Warncoort | 60.0 | 68.0 |
| Weeaproinah | 196.2 | 213.1 |
| Winchelsea | na | 48.5 |
| You Yangs | 37.0 | 35.0 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Avalon | 42.8 | 35.6 |
| Bell Park | na | 46.1 |
| Belmont | 63.5 | 43.9 |
| Belmont South | 72.6 | 43.9 |
| City | 62.0 | 46.1 |
| Connewarre | na | 48.7 |
| Corio (1) | 53.8 | 40.0 |
| Corio (2) | 43.0 | 40.0 |
| Grovedale | 74.5 | 48.2 |
| Grovedale South | na | 48.2 |
| Hamlyn Heights(1) | 52.5 | 49.9 |
| Hamlyn Heights(2) | 53.7 | 49.9 |
| Highton | na | 48.1 |
| Lara | na | 37.3 |
| Lara (Serendip) | 41.4 | 37.3 |
| Leopold(1) | 75.0 | 62.9 |
| Leopold(2) | 79.0 | 62.9 |
| Leopold East | 86.5 | 62.9 |
| Mt Duneed Airport | 58.6 | 42.6 |
| Mt Duneed West | 85.2 | 42.6 |
| Whittington | 64.5 | 46.1 |
| URBAN AREA AVERAGE | 60.0 | 43.3 |