December 2007

RAINFALL

Heavy rains in the second half of the month brought up the monthly totals to well above average for most of the Geelong-Bellarine-Otways region.

Rainfalls ranged from around 45 mm through Geelong (average 39) to over 160 mm at Weeaproinah (average 113) and 80mm at the West Barwon Dam (average 73), maintaining catchment levels at around 37%.

TEMPERATURE & OTHER FEATURES

Temperatures were approximately 1.7 degrees higher than the December average.

There were 8 days over 30 degrees and the hottest day was the 31st when the maximum reached 43.1 degrees C.

On the coldest day (22nd) the top temperature only reached 17.3 degrees. The warmest night was the 20th when the mercury fell to 18.3 degrees C. There were 5 days of very strong winds which gusted to 83kph on the 19th. On that night strong winds associated with severe storms across the district created havoc in rural and urban areas. One property bordering Deakin University at Waurn Ponds reported a number of hay bales blown 500 metres by the wind through fences and into a creek. There was one severe storm in Geelong and two on successive days in Anglesea (19th-20th) which resulted in wind damage and flash flooding. On the night of the 19th a tornado was photographed southwest of Ballarat near the Skipton road.

RAINFALL DATA