RAINFALL After a dry summer and autumn, most of the Geelong region received around double the June average rainfall. Most Geelong suburbs, especially the southern ones, recorded around 95 mmcompared to the average 42.2 mm. Some parts of the Otways received a little less than average butthe encouraging news is that the water catchments did not suffer greatly and now…
Author: Lindsay Smail
May 2013
RAINFALL Another month of below average rain has created a dry spell which, if it had occurred in winter, would have been classed as a serious regional drought.The latest signs are that this has come to an end owing to the effects of a large northwest cloud band which brought heavy rain to most of Victoria onthe last day of…
April 2013
RAINFALL Another disappointing rainfall month has resulted right across the region, with mostplaces receiving well below average rainfall. Most of Geelong averaged 10-12 mm, rangingfrom 5 mm at the You Yangs to 23 mm at Leopold East. There were 11 rain days. Breakwater’s 9.6 mmfalls within the lowest 10% of all Geelong’s historic April rains, since 1903. Geelong’s average April…
March 2013
RAINFALL Disastrous rainfall totals were reported around Geelong in March. All areas were below average: Geelong urban area and the Bellarine received a little over 50%(eg, Breakwater 17 mm), the Golden Plains area and Anakie district around 10-20% (eg, Durdidwarrah 6 mm), Avalon 4 mm, the Colac to Cressy district less than10 mm, and the Otways catchment below 40% (eg,…
January 2013
RAINFALL Dry spells are not uncommon in the Geelong region in January. In January 1878 no rain at all fell, and very small 1 to 3 or 4 mm totals have peppered thehistorical record ever since. This January Geelong had 4.2 mm which fell on two days. In 2009 we had 1.2 mm. So the only special feature of this…
November 2012
RAINFALL November was looking like Geelong’s driest month for the year, until the final four days which produced over 27 mm. We had an average across the urban area of34 mm, compared with the long-term average of 52 mm. There were only 7 rain days, compared to the average 10. Despite three thunder-days which accompanied thelate rain, there were no…
October 2012
RAINFALL Very low rainfall characterised Geelong in October. The Breakwater Racecourse station only recorded 16.2 mm for the month, in contrast to the long-term averageof 51.3 mm. Most of the Bellarine to Otways Region had below 70% of normal rainfall, a state-wide phenomenon. Only Birregurra (60 mm) had close to its average 65 mm.Rain fell on only ten days –…
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…
August 2012
OVERALL “A colder and much wetter than average winter in Geelong,” was Lindsay Smail’s expected summary of recent weather. It surprised no-one in the region, exceptperhaps the Bureau of Meteorology which had predicted warmer and drier conditions once again. RAINFALL Yet another month of above average rainfall for most of the Geelong-Otways Region, except for some areas to the northwest.…
July 2012
RAINFALL Another month of above average rain! For the last 4 months most of the region beat the average. In fact this has been the 5th month out of7 for the year that Geelong has had above average rain – we have scored 408 mm so far, compared to the average 284 mm for this time of the year. Apart…
May 2012
RAINFALL Rainfall for most of the Geelong-Otways-Bellarine Region was well above average for May. A wrap-around cloud band caused by a strong low pressure system whichcrossed the state from the north on the 25th-26th was the cause of heavy rains which tipped the scale. Urban Geelong’s total was around 80 mm for the month (average 45 mm) and similar results…
April 2012
RAINFALL Most of the Geelong urban area and the Bellarine Peninsula received average to above average rain in April. Breakwater Racecourse received the long-term averageamount of 45.4 mm, an average derived from many years at the old Airport site.In contrast, most of the Otway Ranges, Golden Plains and Moorabool Catchment were below average.Despite this, the catchments remain at 79% of…
March 2012
RAINFALL Geelong’s March rainfall was very close to average across the city. The suburbs ranged from just 23 mm at Belmont to 37 mm at Bell Post Hill. Averaged across theurban area we recorded 30 mm, compared to the average 32 mm. Drier areas were around the Golden Plains district of Bannockburn and Bellarine Peninsula, but theOtway Ranges generally received…