RAINFALL
The drought continues. Geelong has this year only received 62% of its normal 11-monthly rainfall. Just 280 mm has fallen in the city since Januaryand the situation is similar across most of the region, including the Otways water catchment which now stands at 27% of capacity, indicating aperilous summer ahead.
Rain fell on 11 days despite promising forecasts and a synoptic situation which brought some heavy rains to Melbourne and its eastern suburbs,not to mention Gippsland. On the wettest day 15.6 mm was recorded at Mt Duneed on the 8th.
There were 3 thunder days: 13th, 14th and 27th, but no severe storms. This has been our driest spring since 1982 when 66 mm was recorded and the total for the city this spring has been around 70 mm.
Geelong’s driest spring season was in 1888, with a total of 55mm.
TEMPERATURES AND WIND
November was 0.9 degree C warmer than the long-term average. Maximums averaged 21.9 C (mean 20.4) and minimums 9.7 C (mean 9.4). We had 3 days over 30 degrees, including 35.6 on the 13th. There were no frosts but on the coldest morning (5th) the temperature fell to 2.6 C.
THE OUTLOOK
The outlook is not good. For the summer months the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted only a 45-50% percent chance of average rainfalls,and a 65-70% chance of higher than normal temperatures. Coupled with Geelong’s desperate water shortage this situation could result in adangerous fire season for the region.
There were six windy days with gusts over 60 kph and the maximum (72 kph) was reached on the 13th, 21st and 22nd. Only some minor damage was reported.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Aireys Inlet | 46.8 | 59.7 |
| Anakie | 41.6 | 55.0 |
| Anglesea | na | 55.0 |
| Apollo Bay | 57.6 | 81.7 |
| Bacchus Marsh | na | 45.5 |
| Ballan | 42.0 | 59.0 |
| Ballarat | 57.6 | 56.0 |
| Bannockburn | 21.8 | 47.0 |
| Barwon Heads | 44.5 | 53.0 |
| Bellbrae | na | 51.2 |
| Bells Beach | na | 51.2 |
| Beeac | 32.0 | 52.1 |
| Birregurra | 39.2 | 55.4 |
| Boonah | 56.2 | 71.1 |
| Cape Otway | 35.6 | 64.1 |
| Clifton Springs | 37.6 | 41.9 |
| Colac | 34.8 | 57.7 |
| Cressy | 38.0 | 52.0 |
| Curlewis | na | 42.0 |
| Drysdale | na | 41.9 |
| Durdidwarrah | 42.8 | 58.9 |
| Fiskville | na | 45.0 |
| Forrest | 58.2 | 78.0 |
| Gellibrand | na | 74.0 |
| Gerangamete | 31.6 | 57.7 |
| Inverleigh | 26.0 | 47.2 |
| Lake Colac | na | 57.7 |
| Lal Lal | 23.8 | 61.7 |
| Lavers Hill | 109.0 | 120.0 |
| Laverton | 30.4 | 52.0 |
| Lethbridge | na | 48.0 |
| Little River West | na | 42.9 |
| Melbourne (City) | 52.6 | 60.0 |
| Melba Gully | na | 140.0 |
| Meredith | na | 61.0 |
| Meredith (Darra) | 39.0 | 60.7 |
| Modewarre | na | 48.0 |
| Moriac | 32.6 | 59.4 |
| Morrisons | 41.8 | n.a. |
| Mt Cowley | 86.2 | n.a. |
| Mt Mercer | na | 50.8 |
| Mt Sabine | 103.8 | n.a. |
| Ocean Grove | 44.4 | 55.0 |
| Point Lonsdale | 33.0 | 48.0 |
| Pollocksford | 28.8 | n.a. |
| Portarlington | na | 48.0 |
| Queenscliff | na | 49.0 |
| Scotsburn | na | n.a. |
| Shelford | na | 48.5 |
| Sheoaks | 30.8 | 50.0 |
| Skipton | 38.0 | n.a. |
| St Leonards | 44.0 | 50.0 |
| Teesdale | na | 40.4 |
| Torquay | 39.5 | 53.0 |
| Warncoort | 38.0 | n.a. |
| Weeaproinah | 154.8 | 140.2 |
| West Barwon Dam | 50.0 | 88.2 |
| Winchelsea | na | 45.5 |
| Wooloomanata | 15.0 | 42.9 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Avalon | 25.2 | 39.9 |
| Bell Park | na | 48.8 |
| Belmont | 26.2 | 50.6 |
| Ceres | na | 50.6 |
| City | na | 47.2 |
| Connewarre | 30.2 | 52.4 |
| Corio | 23.6 | 45.0 |
| Drumcondra | na | 45.0 |
| Grovedale | 28.5 | 50.6 |
| Hamlyn Heights (1) | 24.0 | 56.4 |
| Hamlyn Heights (2) | 25.5 | 56.4 |
| Highton | na | 50.4 |
| Lara | 25.0 | 40.9 |
| Lara (Serendip) | na | 40.9 |
| Leopold | 20.0 | 66.6 |
| Leopold East | 40.5 | 66.6 |
| Manifold Heights | 27.2 | 48.8 |
| Mt Duneed Airport | 31.8 | 45.0 |
| Mt Duneed West | 37.4 | 45.0 |
| Waurn Ponds | 30.2 | 56.4 |
| Whittington | na | 47.0 |
| Urban Area Average | 30.0 | 52.0 |