September 2012

RAINFALL

Geelong again recorded average to above average rain for September. The average across the urban area, from Lara to Waurn Ponds, was 52 mm. Long-term averagefor Geelong is 49.7 mm. The wettest suburb was Drumcondra (66.3 mm) and the driest was Connewarre (36.1 mm).For the sixth consecutive month average rainfall or above was received across Geelong.The Otways and the Bellarine Peninsula however fell below average for the first time in six months. Despite this, the water catchments are still at 96% ofcapacity, an excellent position going into spring-summer.

TEMPERATURE

September was around 0.7 degree warmer than average in Geelong. Minimums were almost a degree warmer and maximums were about half a degree higher.Daily minimums averaged 8.1 degrees and maximums 17.6. Coldest overnight temperature was 3.5 C recorded on the 26th, and the warmest overnight was 13.2 C on the 27th.On the warmest day – the 27th – the temperature reached 26.7 C. The coldest day was the 29th – the maximum on that day was 12.7. None of these broke any records.

OTHER FEATURES

There were two days of lightning-thunder: the 20th and the 28th. Neither of these produced large amounts of rain but there was one severe wind storm on the 5th,when 100 kph winds struck Pt Wilson and 76 kph winds rocked Geelong, causing some structural damage. In fact Geelong had six strong wind days with the maximum gust reaching 78 kph on the 7th.The four days from the 5th to the 8th all had maximum gusts over 60 kph. Avalon recorded 30 mm of rain on the 19th, causing local flash flooding in the northern suburbs. Widespread hail was recorded on the 13th, and smaller isolated hail showers were reported in other suburbs. Snow fell at Meredith and on the Otways Ridge on the 29th and Beech Forest had a white carpet about 5 cm deep, later augmented by large hail and rain.Overall it was a very interesting start to what appears to be a fascinating spring.

RAINFALL DATA

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