SUMMARY
A cooler December coincided with an average rainfall in the local Geelong region saw the year 2020 end up with a much wetter year overall (715 mm) and slightly cooler period of six months. A more detailed annual summary can be seen in the separate article. November became a warmer month than December this year.
TEMPERATURE
December temperatures were 11.7 C (compared to 11.8 C average of the latest 30-years) and 22.4 C (compared to 23.6 average), with an average 0.7 C cooler than the normal month.
There were only three days exceeding 30 C, the maximum day reaching 34.7 C on the 14th. This month Geelong received only three days over 30.0 C, compared to six such days in November.
RAINFALL
Rainfall patterns resulted in an average total of 40 mm compared to the 30-year average of 37.6 mm for the month. Close areas to Geelong received very similar falls, except that the Otways generally received above average falls, based on 30-year averages.
The heaviest fall over a 24-hour period at Breakwater Racecourse of 22.2 mm occurred on the 22nd.
OTHER FEATURES
Both maximums and minimum temperatures generally reached lower figures in the first, third and fourth weeks of December. During those weeks some very windy days were experienced (at least five maximum gusts passing 60 km/h at Breakwater, with Avalon reaching 83 km/h on the 27th and 74 km/h on the 7th). The strongest gust at Breakwater was 72 km/h on the 5th.
Only one thunder day occurred on the 5th, but there were no storms, very unusual for a summer month. La Nina is expected to phase out during summer and despite some heavy rain expected early in January, lower falls are likely during the rest of summer.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) | Monthly Average (mm) |
| Aireys Inlet | 51.0 | 34.0 |
| Anakie | 36.2 | 55.0 |
| Anglesea | 44.2 | 48.0 |
| Apollo Bay | na | 63.2 |
| Bacchus Marsh | 43.0 | 47.1 |
| Ballan | 45.4 | 45.9 |
| Ballarat | 37.8 | 51.6 |
| Bannockburn | na | 42.0 |
| Barwon Heads Golf Club | 46.0 | 47.0 |
| Bells Beach | na | 54.0 |
| Beeac | 20.3 | 42.4 |
| Beech Forest (Fly) | 167.0 | 96.4 |
| Benwerrin | 84.2 | n.a. |
| Boonah | 64.0 | n.a. |
| Cape Otway | 54.2 | 52.7 |
| Colac | na | 46.6 |
| Curlewis | na | 44.2 |
| Dereel | 40.4 | 44.2 |
| Drysdale | 46.6 | 44.7 |
| Forrest (West Barwon) | na | n.a. |
| Inverleigh | 48.8 | 45.5 |
| Lal Lal | 46.6 | n.a. |
| Laverton | 20.0 | 45.0 |
| Lorne | 74.0 | na |
| Melbourne (City) | 38.8 | 59.0 |
| Meredith (Darra) | 46.6 | 51.8 |
| Moriac | na | n.a. |
| Mt Buninyong | 51.2 | n.a. |
| Mt Cowley | 103.8 | 85.0 |
| Mt Gellibrand | 46.0 | na |
| Mt Mercer | 46.4 | n.a. |
| Mt Sabine | 161.6 | 90.0 |
| Point Lonsdale | 35.6 | 45.0 |
| Ocean Grove | 54.4 | 45.5 |
| Queenscliff | 45.8 | 43.4 |
| Shelford | 40.4 | 45.0 |
| Sheoaks | 44.0 | 29.2 |
| Skipton | 42.0 | 46.4 |
| St Leonards | na | 45.0 |
| Sutherland’s Creek | 42.0 | na |
| Torquay | 57.6 | n.a. |
| Winchelsea | 49.6 | 45.0 |
| Wensleydale | 51.0 | 41.1 |
| Wooloomanata | 26.6 | n.a. |
| GEELONG SUBURBS | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) | Monthly Average (mm) |
| Armstrong Creek | 36.8 | 28.1 |
| Avalon | 36.8 | 28.1 |
| Batesford | na | 44.0 |
| Bell Post Hill | 51.2 | 47.8 |
| Belmont | 38.0 | 44.0 |
| Breakwater Racecourse AWS | 38.6 | 39.0 |
| Charlemont | 49.0 | 44.2 |
| Corio | 40.2 | 42.0 |
| Grovedale | 40.4 | 44.2 |
| Grovedale South | 43.2 | 44.2 |
| Hamlyn Heights | 46.8 | 42.0 |
| Herne Hill | 50.0 | 42.0 |
| Highton | 48.0 | 44.2 |
| Highton West | 32.6 | 44.0 |
| Lara | 30.8 | 42.0 |
| Leopold | 40.0 | 53.9 |
| Leopold North | 43.0 | 42.0 |
| Manifold Heights | 47.1 | 40.8 |
| Moolap | 32.8 | 38.0 |
| Moolap Salt Works | 30.2 | 42.2 |
| North Shore | 67.0 | 44.0 |
| Waurn Ponds | 38.2 | 42.2 |
| Whittington | 39.1 | 42.0 |
| Urban Area Average | 40.0 | 40.0 |