RAINFALL October’s rainfall in Geelong and the whole region including the Bellarine and the Otway Ranges was depressingly low. Only around 30-50% of the 30-year average fell in most areas and the predictions of a dry spring are now very obviously coming to fruition. The Otway and Moorabool water supplies are still showing 80% of capacity and there is no…
Category: Observations
September 2014
RAINFALL Virtually the whole of the region and beyond suffered well below average rainfall in September. Breakwater only received 14.8 mm from 11 rain days and the rest of the urban area was well below the long-term average 50 mm. There were no severe storms. The Otway catchments received less than 50% of normal rains, and the capacity of the…
August 2014
RAINFALL Most of the region received below average rainfall for August, except for the actual Geelong urban area most of which recorded around 50 mm and which represents 110% of the normal amount. Rain fell on 13 days and varied from 32.2 mm at Avalon to over 60 mm at Grovedale South. Most of the Otways and Moorabool catchment areas received…
July 2014
RAINFALL Rainfall varied greatly across the region. Some parts of central Geelong received only around 70% of normal for July while southern and western suburbs like Herne Hill, Belmont, Highton and Grovedale recorded above the 30-year average which is 44 mm. Breakwater only measured 29.2 mm and the Golden Plains town Inverleigh was just in the middle ‘teens. The Otways…
June 2014
RAINFALL An excellent rainfall month has seen the whole Geelong region rejoice in well-above average falls. From the Otway Ranges to Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Golden Plains, June’s rainfall has exceeded expectations – with winter off to a promising start. The Geelong area received over 140% of the June normal – 46 mm – with totals generally over…
May 2014
RAINFALL In what was a disappointing rainfall month, most of the region received only between half and three quarters of its normal totals for May. The latest 30-year average for May rainfall in Geelong is 41.5 mm, but this month we only received around 30 mm. Even the Otway towns from Beech Forest to Lavers Hill only recorded 75-80% of…
April 2014
RAINFALL Above average rainfall characterised most of the region. Breakwater AWS received 47.4 mm and the urban area average was 50 mm. The latest 30-year average for April is 39.8 mm so this month was a welcome addition after a slow rainfall start to the year. On the wettest day 14 mm was recorded at 9 am on the 30th.…
March 2014
RAINFALL Geelong’s rain averaged 28 mm over the urban area and was higher in the southern and western suburbs than elsewhere (Grovedale South 38 mm). Both the Bellarine Peninsula and most of the Otways were below average for the month. When comparing rainfalls it is important to compare intelligently. Geelong’s 143-year history of recorded rainfalls shows that the long-term average…
February 2014
RAINFALL An extraordinarily severe localised thunderstorm on the 19th dropped 54 mm of rain on central Geelong. In less than half an hour, between 5.00 pm and 5.30 pm, a slow-moving thunderstorm cell gave Geelong one of the most intense rainfall events ever recorded here. Around 5.10 pm our recorder at Queens Park measured the equivalent of 433 mm per…
January 2014
RAINFALL January was well below average in rainfall with only around 50-60% of the long-term average being received. Breakwater received 24.6 mm compared to the long-term average 34.6 mm. Most of the Bellarine Peninsula was in the same dry position, and the Otway water catchment areas only slightly better. Low rainfalls in January are not unusual, and even a dry…
Summary of Geelong Weather, 2013
(Current figures are from the Bureau of Meteorology station at Breakwater “Geelong Racecourse AWS”, with all temperature and rainfall averages from several official Geelong BoM sites from 1903 to 2012) Month Weather Conditions Temps (deg C) Rainfall (mm) Cumulative Rainfall Comments JAN Warmer by 0.7 C. 5 days >30 deg. Hottest 42.2 on 4th. Lowest max 20.1 on 13th,…
December 2013
RAINFALL Only 70-80% of Geelong’s normal December rainfall fell this month. Even the Bellarine Penisula and the Golden Plains were well down, but most of the Otway Ranges reported higher than average falls. This has ensured that the water catchments – now 89% of capacity – will see us through 2014 and into 2015. TEMPERATURE and OTHER FEATURES It was…
November 2013
RAINFALL In November Geelong had 42.4 mm at Breakwater and an average of 50 mm across the whole urban area, just below the long-term average. In contrast the Otways region received in some cases almost double the monthly average, but some Golden Plains areas received less than half the normal, a strange situation which reflects mainly the on-shore southeasterlies from…