February 2012

RAINFALL

In a matter of just 8 days of rain Geelong’s February rainfall managed to get more than double the average, but there were wide variations. Most of the urban area received between 55 mm and 70 mm, but a Grovedale site and Mount Duneed West, near the old Airport site, both exceeded 86 mm. The urban average was therefore 65 mm.

Conditions were fairly dry around the Cressy – Beeac area, since they missed out on the heavy falls on the 12th, 27th and 28th, but most of the Otways exceeded the average. The catchments now stand at 77% of capacity and no underground pumping is happening at the moment, giving aquifers a chance to recharge.

Geelong’s total summer rains also exceeded the average (111 mm to 109 mm) despite a drier December.

In February there were 3 thunder days and only one strong wind day (80 kph northerly gust on the 5th at Breakwater). On the 5th there was some storm damage but it was not of severe character, and on the 12th minor Barwon flooding occurred in Belmont after heavy local rain.

TEMPERATURES and OTHER FEATURES

Geelong seems to have been about half a degree C warmer than average, after taking into account the change of Weather Station site, from the Airport into Breakwater. This month’s average minimum was 14.8ºC and average maximum was 26.0ºC. There were 6 days where the maximum exceeded 30 degrees, and the top temperaturereached 38.6ºC on the 25th. The lowest maximum was 20.7ºC on the 7th, and highest minimum was 22.4ºC on the 26th. The coldest overnight temperature was 9.9ºC on the 8th.

It has been a slightly warmer than normal summer, as far as it is possible to judge given the site change. A tentative conclusion is that Geelong was around 0.7 degree C above average.

RAINFALL DATA