RAINFALL
July was another disappointing rainfall month, according to Lindsay Smail, manager of Geelong Weather Services. Much of the region only received between one third and two-thirds of the normal July totals. But there were some surprising local variations; from a low of 11 mm at Werribee to a high of 34.5 mm at Barwon Heads. The Geelong urban area varied from 14 mm at Lara to 32 mm at Hamlyn Heights, averaging around 23 mm, which is just over half the July normal of 41.9 mm.
Much of the problem has been due to the southward migration of high pressure systems, normally further north at this time of year. These have tended to direct more dry northerly airstreams across the region than is usual.
The Otways water catchment is now at an absolutely critical phase: unless copious rainfall is received creating above average runoff over the next few months, Geelong can look forward to worse water restrictions than those we already have.
TEMPERATURES
Average July temperatures were about a full degree higher than normal. On only five days in the month was the maximum below the average 13.9 degrees. And this was despite the lowest temperature for five years occurring on the 26th: minus 2.3 degrees.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION |
 Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Aireys Inlet |
23.0 |
75.7 |
| Anakie |
21.0 |
49.0 |
| Anglesea |
18.0 |
64.0 |
| Apollo Bay |
48.4 |
116.8 |
| Bacchus Marsh |
15.0 |
34.3 |
| Ballan |
23.6 |
47.3 |
| Ballarat |
31.4 |
68.0 |
| Bannockburn |
20.0 |
43.0 |
| Barwon Heads |
34.5 |
59.0 |
| Bellbrae |
24.0 |
63.7 |
| Beeac |
23.6 |
63.2 |
| Birregurra |
30.2 |
71.4 |
| Cape Otway |
59.6 |
105.8 |
| Colac |
32.6 |
78.0 |
| Drysdale |
18.0 |
54.4 |
| Forrest (West Barwon) |
72.0 |
139.0 |
| Gellibrand |
40.0 |
106.2 |
| Inverleigh |
22.5 |
52.8 |
| Laverton |
11.0 |
42.0 |
| Melbourne (City) |
19.6 |
49.0 |
| Meredith (Darra) |
21.0 |
55.4 |
| Modewarre |
27.3 |
57.0 |
| Portarlington |
20.0 |
55.1 |
| Queenscliff |
29.8 |
56.0 |
| Shelford |
33.0 |
45.0 |
| St Leonards |
27.5 |
55.0 |
| Teesdale |
25.0 |
42.7 |
| Torquay |
14.2 |
59.0 |
| Wallington |
25.7 |
54.1 |
| Warrnambool Airport |
58.4 |
101.9 |
| Weeaproinah |
116.4 |
227.7 |
| Werribee |
11.0 |
39.9 |
| Winchelsea |
22.0 |
51.1 |
|
 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS |
| Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Avalon |
13.6 |
45.2 |
| Bell Park |
28.0 |
47.2 |
| Belmont |
24.5 |
37.5 |
| City |
20.0 |
49.5 |
| Connewarre |
25.0 |
41.4 |
| Corio |
29.3 |
40.0 |
| East Belmont |
17.5 |
37.5 |
| Grovedale |
26.8 |
49.2 |
| Hamlyn Heights |
32.0 |
50.9 |
| Highton |
24.1 |
49.2 |
| Lara |
14.0 |
38.6 |
| Lara (Serendip) |
15.2 |
38.6 |
| Leopold |
20.0 |
47.4 |
| Manifold Heights |
28.0 |
47.2 |
| Manifold Heights North |
28.3 |
47.2 |
| Mt Duneed Airport |
19.0 |
53.8 |
| Mt Duneed West |
25.2 |
53.8 |
| Norlane |
29.0 |
41.9 |
| St Albans Park |
21.3 |
49.5 |
|
