RAINFALL Well above average rainfall fell across the Geelong region in June, making it the first time above average rain has been recorded since May, 2006, and longer in some areas. As of 26th June most suburbs and the Bellarine Peninsula had received 60-65 mm compared to the average 45-50 mm. Some areas to the west around Skipton did not…
Category: Articles
May 2007
RAINFALL Yet another disappointing month for Geelong’s rainfall has ended. Despite many good falls elsewhere in the state preliminary figures show that the Geelong and Bellarine regions have generally received below average totals for May and autumn as a whole. Geelong’s average rainfall for May is 51 mm, but only around 30-35 mm was recorded across the urban area. West…
April 2007
RAINFALL After a depressing first 3 weeks of the month during which less than 10 mm fell over most of the Geelong area, the final weekend saw between 15 and 25mm rain recorded when a low pressure system crossed the state. Geelong averaged from 22mm at Lara to 35mm in just one part of Hamlyn Heights, but this was still…
March 2007
RAINFALL Another dry month, varying around 50-60% of normal for March across the Geelong region, now sees Geelong in an invidious situation with only 16% capacity in its water catchments. Urban Geelong only received between 14 and 25mm, compared with the average 32mm, and the northern suburb of Lara fared better with up to 32 mm at Serendip. Rain fell…
February 2007
RAINFALL Despite the official recent death notices for El Nino, its effect lives on around Geelong. In February we only received between 12 and 26mm despite the long term average being 36mm. The Otways catchment fared well with 88mm at West Barwon (average 44) after a similarly wet January, however the catchments still only contain 18.5% of capacity. Rain fell…
January 2007
RAINFALL In the last month rainfall has been below the January average for most of the immediate Geelong region. Geelong received around 85% of normal January totals, and the Moorabool catchment area was similar. Geelong suburbs received around 35 mm (average 41mm). Further afield, to the south and west, the situation was different. The Otways catchment received generally well above…
Summary of 2006 Weather
(Temperature figures are from the Bureau of Meteorology station at Mount Duneed) Month Weather Conditions Temps (deg C) Rainfall (mm) Cumulative Rainfall Comments JAN Warmer than av by 0.9 deg. 5 days > 30 deg, incl 43.7 on 22nd and 40.3 on 26th.Hottest night 22.4 on 27th. Anakie bushfires 25-27th. Av max 25.1 Jan av max. is 25.2. Av min…
December 2006
RAINFALL The drought continues. Despite a few days of light rain in the last few days of the month, Geelong only received around 8 mm altogether. As a result of similarly low rain in the Otways catchment our water supplies are down to 22%. TEMPERATURE and OTHER FEATURES The coldest Christmas day on record saw a maximum of only 15.2…
November 2006
RAINFALL Another very disappointing rainfall month saw Geelong and most surrounding districts end up with well below average rainfall for the whole spring season. In fact Geelong recorded its second lowest spring rainfall ever (total 56 mm) equalling our second lowest set in 1896. Urban Geelong totalled 15mm for November and most nearby districts, including the Bellarine Peninsula were similar.…
October 2006
RAINFALL October was Geelong’s driest month since March, adding just 11 mm to the annual total. In what ought to be our wettest month, most areas within the district only registered between 10 to 30% of normal rainfall. It was Geelong’s driest October since 1967. In some suburbs, notably Hamlyn Heights, the 6 mm received was equal to Geelong’s lowest…
September 2006
RAINFALL Poor rainfall totals right across the Geelong-Otways region came as no surprise. Geelong only received 32 mm which is 60% of the average for September. West Barwon Dam’s figure was 82mm which is around 60%. Geelong’s total rain for the year to date is only 250mm, which is 135mm below normal for this time of year. Barwon Water catchments…
August 2006
RAINFALL Another month of low rainfall has meant Geelong is in the grip of a widespread dry spell. Whether to call it drought or not is a moot point which won’t occur until certain technical requirements are met. Suffice to say however that this dry period, which has prevailed since last October, is not likely to break in a hurry.…
July 2006
RAINFALL A cut off low pressure system in the middle of the month brought good rains right across Victoria over a four-day period. Most of the rain originated from the southeast in Geelong and consisted of light showers and drizzle, totalling around 15 mm. A very heavy rain period between the 15th and 18th saw Mt Sabine, at the head…