RAINFALL
Generally rainfall in December was below average across the Geelong-Otways Region. Urban Geelong received falls between 25 and 35 mm, compared with the December average 41mm. Rain fell on just 6 days and the heaviest recorded was a fall of around 20mm across Geelong on the 18th. On New Year’s Eve a spectacular electrical storm, which caused only minor damage locally, crossed Geelong in time to compete with the New Year’s fireworks display, but the 10 mm of rain which fell will be included in the January 2010 figure since it fell after 9am. In an impressive localised downpour, the Lara-Little River-You Yangs area recorded 15-20mm on Christmas Eve, despite only 4mm falling in the city.
While some parts of the Otways ridge received a little above average rain (Lavers Hill, Johanna and Weeaproinah) most of the Barwon catchment was below average, although West Barwon Dam recorded close to its December normal.
Catchments are still holding around 35% of their capacity.
TEMPERATURE & OTHER FEATURES
December was warmer than average by about 0.9 degree C. Daily minimums averaged 10.7 (BoM long term published average 11.0) and maximums averaged 24.7 C (BoM long term published average 22.6). Despite this, December figures since 1903 still show an overall flat trend with no noticeable long-term changes, although some short-term fluctuations have occurred, typical of any climate. The change of BoM site in 1983 from North Geelong to Mt Duneed shows an inconclusive result because comparison figures were not continued for a long enough period. The total yearly raw Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) figures also show no overall warming in Geelong in over 100 years, despite the alarmist claims originating from some BoM researchers who ought to know better.
There were 5 days over 30 degrees in December this year (the average is 5) and the top was 40.4 C, reached on the 16th. There were 4 very windy days and the maximum gust was 74 kph, recorded on both the 3rd and the 31st. There was one thunder-lightning day with a storm on New Year’s Eve, but only minor damage and just one total fire ban day on the 16th. For a complete summary of the year’s weather, please see the separate annual summary.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Aireys Inlet | 48.4 | 34.0 |
| Anakie | 31.8 | 55.0 |
| Anglesea | na | 48.0 |
| Apollo Bay | 63.6 | 63.2 |
| Bacchus Marsh | 27.2 | 47.1 |
| Ballan | 40.8 | 45.9 |
| Ballarat | 32.0 | 51.6 |
| Bannockburn | 30.2 | 42.0 |
| Barwon Heads | 32.4 | 47.0 |
| Bellbrae | 37.0 | 54.0 |
| Bells Beach | na | 54.0 |
| Beeac | 46.4 | 42.4 |
| Benwerrin | 60.4 | n.a. |
| Birregurra | 41.2 | 42.4 |
| Boonah | 64.2 | n.a. |
| Cape Otway | 40.2 | 52.7 |
| Clifton Springs | 37.6 | n.a. |
| Colac | 51.8 | 46.6 |
| Cressy | 40.4 | 42.7 |
| Curlewis | 34.2 | 44.2 |
| Dereel | na | 44.2 |
| Drysdale | na | 44.7 |
| Durdidwarrah | 43.2 | 55.1 |
| Fiskville | na | n.a. |
| Forrest | 60.0 | 60.3 |
| Gellibrand | na | n.a. |
| Gerangamete | 34.4 | n.a. |
| Inverleigh | na | 45.5 |
| Johanna | 87.4 | na |
| Lake Colac | na | 45.5 |
| Lal Lal | 36.8 | n.a. |
| Lavers Hill | 115.0 | 90.0 |
| Laverton | 32.4 | 45.0 |
| Lethbridge | na | 55.9 |
| Melba Gully | na | n.a. |
| Melbourne (City) | 55.0 | 59.0 |
| Meredith | na | n.a. |
| Meredith (Darra) | 58.4 | 51.8 |
| Moriac | 34.5 | n.a. |
| Mt Buninyong | na | n.a. |
| Mt Cowley | 52.2 | 85.0 |
| Mt Mercer | na | n.a. |
| Mt Sabine | 52.6 | 90.0 |
| Point Lonsdale | 31.8 | 45.0 |
| Pollocksford | 32.8 | n.a. |
| Portarlington | na | 45.5 |
| Queenscliff | na | 43.4 |
| Shelford | na | 45.0 |
| Sheoaks | 28.0 | 29.2 |
| Skipton | 31.5 | 46.4 |
| St Leonards | na | 45.0 |
| Teesdale | na | 39.9 |
| Torquay | 39.0 | 40.0 |
| Warncoort | na | n.a. |
| Weeaproinah | 113.8 | 112.9 |
| West Barwon | 65.6 | 65.0 |
| Winchelsea | na | 41.1 |
| Wooloomanata | na | n.a. |
| You Yangs | 35.0 | n.a. |
| GEELONG SUBURBS | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Avalon | 30.0 | 28.1 |
| Bell Park | 29.9 | 47.8 |
| Belmont | 30.6 | 44.0 |
| Connewarre | 30.5 | 52.1 |
| Ceres | na | 44.0 |
| City | 25.0 | 40.9 |
| Corio | 31.0 | 42.0 |
| Grovedale | 33.5 | 44.2 |
| Grovedale South | 32.5 | 44.2 |
| Hamlyn Heights | 30.7 | 57.0 |
| Highton | na | 44.2 |
| Lara | 33.0 | 42.0 |
| Lara (Serendip) | 29.8 | 42.0 |
| Leopold | 35.0 | 53.9 |
| Leopold East | 39.7 | 42.0 |
| Manifold Heights | 32.2 | 47.8 |
| Moolap | 35.2 | 38.0 |
| Mt Duneed Airport | 32.6 | 41.0 |
| Mt Duneed West | na | 42.2 |
| Waurn Ponds | 30.4 | 42.2 |
| Whittington | na | 42.0 |
| Urban Area Average | 30.0 | 41.0 |