OVERALL August was a noteworthy month for several reasons, elaborated below; the warmer than average temperatures and the incredible Otways rainfalls. It was also the warmest winter we have recorded. RAINFALL While Geelong’s rainfall clearly surpassed the average for August (50 mm), much of the surrounding region exceeded averages by huge margins. Wyelangta on the Otway ridge, close to the…
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August 1999
RAINFALL A very timely downpour with local thunderstorms on the 26th brought Geelong’s rainfall over the August average, according to Geelong Weather Services manager, Lindsay Smail. But even this was not enough to bring the winter totals up to average, with figures being only around 75% of average. The southwest area – the Otways Region – again suffered worst owing…
September 2001
RAINFALL AND WIND “A drier month overall” was how Lindsay Smail, Director of Geelong Weather Services described September’s rainfall across the region. He said most areas received only between 50% and 65% of their expected falls, but that in most cases farmers had sufficient rain in view of the present adequate soil-moisture levels, brought about by good rains earlier in…
March 2004
RAINFALL Once again below average rainfall has occurred for the fourth time in the last six months. The Geelong region received an average of 24mm, about two-thirds the average for March. The water catchments of the Otways received better, but still just below average, and the storages are now around 49% of capacity. TEMPERATURE A cooler month than normal occurred…
January 2006
RAINFALL Most areas surrounding Geelong had above average falls in January, owing mainly to several thunderstorms. However Geelong’s southern suburbs generally did not benefit from those and only ended up with around 30mm, a strange anomaly in the midst of higher falls. In spite of this, relative humidity remained very high on several non-rain days.There were 2 thunder days, and…
October 2007
RAINFALL October was Geelong’s third driest month of the year to date, adding just 23 mm to the annual total. In what ought to be our wettest month, most areas within the districtonly registered around 40-50 % of normal rainfall. Geelong’s rain for the year now totals just 347 mm, which is only around 77% of the ten-month average. By…
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…
December 2011
RAINFALL The whole of the Geelong-Bellarine-Otway Region had a below average rainfall in December, apart from a section of the Bellarine Peninsula which received some heavy fallsin storms occurring on the 10th and 11th. Over those days, Clifton Springs recorded 42 mm, Curlewis 39 mm, Drysdale 33 mm, Point Lonsdale 27 mm, Whittington 20 mm and Leopold 19 mm. The…
October 2013
RAINFALL Most of the Geelong urban area enjoyed average to above average rain in October. On the Bellarine Peninsula howevertotals were generally 10% below average, but in the Moorabool and Otways catchments generally the situationwas reversed with above average results. Rain in Geelong varied from over 70 mm in the southern and southwesternsuburbs to little over 40 mm in eastern…
November 1997
RAINFALL Rainfall occurred largely at three main times this month. On the first day, when thunderstorms and heavy rains lashed the region, bringing isolated floods and hail damage to properties right across the region. On the tenth and again on the fourteenth, when, once again, hailstorms damaged buildings and cars, and flash floods devastated areas from Teesdale, Bannockburn, Corio across…
October 1999
RAINFALL October was another disappointing rainfall month for Geelong and surrounding areas, Lindsay Smail, of Geelong Weather Services said today. Average rainfall across the urban area was about 45 mm, ranging from 31 mm at Hamlyn Heights to 60 mm at Leopold South. Geelong’s average for October is 63 mm. Areas to the immediate north, west and most of the…
February 2002
RAINFALL Above average rainfall across the region was caused entirely by the heavy downpours and thunderstorms in the early morning of the 8th, during which parts of the Beeac-Lismore district recorded around 150 mm in less than six hours. The Geelong urban area received an average of 40 mm at that time, and around 45 for the month. Surfcoast towns…
April 2004
RAINFALL While much of the Otways Region and Moorabool River Systems received below average falls for April, Geelong itself from Mt Duneed to Avalon, and the Bellarine Peninsula registered up to 170% of normal falls. Urban Geelong’s April average is 39.2mm; this month an average of 50mm was recorded across town: from 59mm at Whittington to 39mm at Lara. Clifton…