RAINFALL
An incredible period on the 21st and 22nd of March saw Geelong receive 78 mm over less than 48 hours. The steady rain fell as a low pressure system cloudband wrapped around its centre and directed a northward-moving flank of moist air over the Bellarine Peninsula, Geelong and right up to Melbourne’s northern suburbs. Over the month urban Geelong received around 100 mm, or three times the average! This puts the yearly total up to over 130 mm. The Otways catchment did not fare as well as Geelong but Forrest (West Barwon) did receive 84 mm for the month, while the Moorabool catchment received over 80 mm.
TEMPERATURE
Overall Geelong was around half a degree cooler in March than normal. Average daily maximum was 23.2 degrees compared with 23.5 normal, and minimum 11.9 compared with 12.8 normal. There were three days over 30 degrees and the top temperature was 34.4 on the 9th.
OTHER FEATURES
Exceptionally strong winds were experienced on the night of the 16th, when a cold front with attendant downbursts created wind velocities of 130 kph at Lovely Banks and 117 kph at Point Lonsdale. Structural damage was caused to buildings and powerlines in several areas, notably Clifton Springs.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION |
 Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Aireys Inlet |
63.0 |
45.7 |
| Anglesea |
77.4 |
41.0 |
| Apollo Bay |
84.6 |
69.6 |
| Bacchus Marsh |
29.0 |
44.8 |
| Ballan |
85.8 |
34.0 |
| Ballarat |
84.0 |
44.4 |
| Bannockburn |
46.0 |
39.0 |
| Barwon Heads |
70.0 |
43.0 |
| Bellbrae |
118.0 |
37.7 |
| Beeac |
34.8 |
40.4 |
| Benwerrin |
102.4 |
65.0 |
| Birregurra |
62.8 |
41.4 |
| Boonah |
102.2 |
64.0 |
| Cape Otway |
71.2 |
55.8 |
| Clifton Springs |
91.0 |
59.0 |
| Colac |
62.4 |
44.2 |
| Cressy |
44.6 |
45.0 |
| Drysdale |
98.5 |
59.4 |
| Durdidwarrah |
97.4 |
53.1 |
| Forrest (West Barwon) |
84.4 |
62.8 |
| Forrest (Town) |
68.0 |
62.0 |
| Gellibrand |
90.4 |
60.2 |
| Inverleigh |
39.0 |
43.0 |
| Lal Lal |
60.2 |
54.4 |
| Laverton |
140.2 |
36.0 |
| Lethbridge |
59.7 |
36.0 |
| Melba Gully |
153.0 |
n.a. |
| Melbourne (City) |
82.8 |
52.0 |
| Meredith (Darra) |
75.0 |
51.6 |
| Morrisons |
64.8 |
50.8 |
| Modewarre |
|
36.0 |
| Mount Cowley |
107.0 |
66.1 |
| Mount Mercer |
52.2 |
50.5 |
| Mount Sabine |
126.2 |
70.2 |
| Paraparap |
|
36.0 |
| Pollocksford |
73.0 |
40.6 |
| Portarlington |
109.0 |
45.7 |
| Queenscliff |
131.4 |
44.5 |
| Queenscliff Fort |
124.5 |
44.5 |
| Scotsburn |
71.4 |
58.0 |
| Shelford |
|
38.0 |
| Sheoaks |
68.2 |
38.0 |
| Skipton |
45.8 |
38.0 |
| St Leonards |
153.0 |
45.0 |
| Teesdale |
|
45.7 |
| Torquay |
102.3 |
36.0 |
| Wallington |
78.3 |
51.0 |
| Warrnambool Airport |
64.4 |
56.2 |
| Weeaproinah |
184.4 |
112.8 |
| Werribee |
|
41.4 |
| Winchelsea |
44.9 |
36.1 |
| Wurdi Boluc |
52.0 |
38.0 |
|
 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS |
| Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Avalon |
79.2 |
31.0 |
| Bell Park |
103.0 |
37.4 |
| Belmont |
95.0 |
31.9 |
| City |
92.0 |
42.0 |
| Cloverdale |
86.0 |
35.0 |
| Connewarre |
|
27.0 |
| Corio |
73.5 |
35.0 |
| East Belmont |
96.4 |
31.9 |
| Grovedale |
96.4 |
41.7 |
| Hamlyn Heights |
91.0 |
35.0 |
| Highton |
102.0 |
40.3 |
| Lara |
81.0 |
36.6 |
| Lara (Serendip) |
79.3 |
36.6 |
| Leopold South |
94.9 |
32.5 |
| Leopold |
89.0 |
32.5 |
| Manifold Heights |
88.5 |
37.4 |
| Mt Duneed Airport |
100.2 |
41.7 |
| Mt Duneed West |
99.3 |
28.1 |
| St Albans Park |
104.5 |
42.0 |
| Whittington |
108.2 |
42.0 |
| Urban Area Average |
94.0 |
34.6 |
|
