RAINFALL Geelong received only around half to two thirds of its normal July rain, according to figures compiled by Geelong Weather Services.Geelong Airport received only 23.6 mm, just below half of the average, although some other suburbs (eg, Leopold) exceeded 35 mm.Disappointing falls of the same proportions were received in the Otways and the catchments are still at 32.5% of…
Author: Lindsay Smail
May 2010
RAINFALL It was a drier May than average right across the region with most areas receiving around 65% of the normal falls, except at Corio where a coupleof heavy downpours contributed to another above average month. However the 3-monthly seasonal totals show a different picture and a close to normal autumn thanks to heavy falls in March.Overall autumn falls were…
April 2010
RAINFALL Below average rainfall was received across most of the urban area, but the northwestern suburbs, eg, Bell Post Hill, recorded 46.2mm which is above average for April. Geelong Airport had 34 mm, which is 12mm short of its average figure. Nevertheless, accumulated rain since January shows a totalin Geelong of 142mm, fractionally above the average figure for this time…
February 2010
RAINFALL Geelong received average rain across the district for February, apart from the Bellarine Peninsula and some areas to the west in the long-suffering Moorabool catchment.The Otways catchment recorded well above average, with West Barwon Dam at Forrest receiving 79 mm compared to its average 45 mm. Water supplies are not increasing greatly however, owing to the relatively dry condition…
November 2009
RAINFALL Geelong received well above average rainfall with 75-130 mm falling across the urban area and 90.4 at Geelong Airport. (November average is 51 mm.) Totals varied from 75 mm at Lara to 130 mm at Hamlyn Heights. It has been the wettest month of the year.The western Otways were generally below average because much of the rain originated from…
October 2009
RAINFALL Despite a poor monthly total for October, the Geelong region’s rainfall has been around average over the June to October period. As a result, vegetation growth has boomed during the winter-spring and soil moisture levels and the dams are becoming replenished.In October the Geelong urban area received only around 30 mm – Geelong Airport AWS average is 50.8 mm…
September 2009
RAINFALL For the third month in a row Geelong and the surrounding region has had above average rain. Urban Geelong averaged over 60 mm on 16 days in September(wettest September since 2005)and the West Barwon Dam received 114 mm. Even most areas to the northwest such as Avalon, Anakie and Sheoaks reported above average falls.This is a good result, in…
August 2009
RAINFALL This is a time for rejoicing in the catchment! The West Barwon Dam at Forrest has received well above average rain for the last two months. August’s figure of205.6 mm is a welcome return to normal or better winter rains for Geelong’s water supplies which have risen to over 26% of capacity for the first time thisyear. Urban Geelong…
June 2009
RAINFALL Geelong’s six-monthly rainfall from January to June this year rivals last year’s disastrous result. With just 30 mm recorded in the urban areaGeelong has had only around 50% of its 6-monthly average of 240mm, namely 123 mm. This is the second worst start to a rainfall year since 1967, when only 98mm was received. Last year, 2008, was our…
May 2009
RAINFALL “A disappointing result for May and for autumn in general” was how Geelong Weather Services’ Director Lindsay Smail described Geelong’s latest rainfallfigures. Only 20mm fell across the urban area in May (average 48mm), and a total of 90mm for autumn (average 125mm). “This continues the long run ofdepleted autumn rainfalls in this region, a feature of nine of the…
January 2009
RAINFALL Despite some popular opinion this has not quite been Geelong’s driest January. The Weather Station at Mt Duneed has only been operating since 1983 and it has certainly been the driest one since then. Only 0.4 mm was recorded this time, but in 1878 the North Geelong station received no January rain at all.So it is true to say…
October 2008
RAINFALL October was Geelong’s third driest month of a very dry year to date, adding just 11 mm to the progressive total. In what ought to be our wettest month, most areas within the district only registered around 20-30% of normal rainfall. Urban Geelong’s rain for the year now totals just 251 mm, which is less than half of the…
September 2008
RAINFALL “Another disappointing rainfall result for Geelong,” was how Geelong Weather Services’ Lindsay Smail described September’s poor result.”Geelong received only around 30 mm which is 60% of the average”, he commented, adding that Otway catchments also suffered with a similarproportion of rain falling there. Across the urban area totals varied from 13.5 mm at Lara to 34.2 mm at Mt…