TEMPERATURE
Geelong was approximately 1.4 degrees C warmer than the latest 30-year average (1988-2017). There were seven days over 30 degrees including three over 40 C. The top temperature reached 41.7 C on the 6th.
Warmest overnight minimum was 25.1 C on the 29th. No temperature records were broken.
On five times during the month, maximum and minimum figures were not available due to faulty transmissions in BoM equipment. These figures included one very high temperature around 42 degrees C. The missing figures have been effectively patched by GWS with a high degree of accuracy so that reliable averages could be obtained.
A similar event occurred for a few hours on the afternoon of the 18th, but not before the maximum of 40.9 C was reached for that day.
The Bureau will not accept figures from non-BoM sources thus leaving Geelong with an incomplete record of our weather.
It is not good enough that a major metropolitan centre AWS should lose accurate records in what would seem to be completely avoidable situations.
RAINFALL
A major rainfall event took place in Geelong on the evening of the 29th when between 25 and 45 mm fell over the urban area. The result was that Geelong’s January rainfall exceeded the average by up to 50%.
Breakwater received 53.8 mm for the month (latest 30-year average 40.4) and other suburbs such as Highton totalled 63.0. The Bellarine Peninsula and the Otway Ranges in general received much lower than average falls.
There were only 5 rain days in the local region.
OTHER FEATURES
There were two thunder days (26th and 29th) but no days of either severe weather or of strong wind gusts over 60 km/h.
Barwon Water catchments are at 63% of capacity – a satisfactory situation for mid-summer.
RAINFALL DATA
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