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 on an average six days and the largest fall was by 9am on the 24th (12.4mm at Mt Duneed). The Otways catchments only received around one third to half of their normal rain for the month.
TEMPERATURE
If the Bureau of Meteorology’s newly-devised average temperatures of 11.9C (minimum) and 22.8C (maximum) are used, Geelong in March was 1.1 degrees above average. Average minimum wwas 12.7C and average maximum 24.2C. There were 5 days over 30 degrees (normal 4) and the top temperature of 38.4C was recorded on the 23rd. Coldest overnight temperature was 9.2C on the 10th.
OTHER FEATURES
There were two thunder days but no storms in Geelong, and only 4 days of strong winds where gusts exceeded 60kph at Mt Duneed. Top gust was 76kph on the 23rd.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION |
 Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Aireys Inlet |
25.8 |
45.7 |
| Anakie |
25.5 |
35.6 |
| Anglesea |
na |
41.0 |
| Apollo Bay |
35.6 |
69.6 |
| Ballan |
25.8 |
34.0 |
| Ballarat |
30.6 |
44.4 |
| Bannockburn |
18.6 |
39.0 |
| Barwon Heads |
20.5 |
43.0 |
| Bellbrae |
36.2 |
37.7 |
| Bell’s Beach |
na |
37.7 |
| Beeac |
17.4 |
40.4 |
| Benwerrin |
28.0 |
65.0 |
| Birregurra |
27.2 |
41.4 |
| Boonah |
na |
64.0 |
| Cape Otway |
24.8 |
55.8 |
| Clifton Springs |
20.0 |
59.0 |
| Colac |
22.6 |
44.2 |
| Cressy |
18.4 |
45.0 |
| Drysdale |
na |
59.4 |
| Durdidwarrah |
21.6 |
53.1 |
| Forrest (West Barwon) |
27.0 |
62.8 |
| Gellibrand |
24.6 |
60.2 |
| Inverleigh |
17.0 |
43.0 |
| Lal Lal |
na |
54.4 |
| Laverton |
28.8 |
36.0 |
| Lethbridge |
na |
36.0 |
| Little River West |
35..0 |
32.0 |
| Melba Gully |
na |
n.a. |
| Melbourne (City) |
41.2 |
52.0 |
| Meredith (Darra) |
21.2 |
51.6 |
| Moriac |
21.0 |
35.0 |
| Morrisons |
18.6 |
50.8 |
| Mount Cowley |
na |
66.1 |
| Mount Mercer |
na |
50.5 |
| Mount Sabine |
na |
70.2 |
| Point Lonsdale |
10.0 |
45.6 |
| Pollocksford |
29.6 |
40.6 |
| Portarlington |
na |
45.7 |
| Queenscliff |
na |
44.5 |
| Scotsburn |
na |
58.0 |
| Shelford |
na |
38.0 |
| Sheoaks |
27.4 |
38.0 |
| Skipton |
16.6 |
38.0 |
| St Leonards |
23.0 |
45.0 |
| Teesdale |
na |
45.7 |
| Torquay |
30.5 |
36.0 |
| Weeaproinah |
40.0 |
112.8 |
| Winchelsea |
na |
36.1 |
|
 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS |
| Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Avalon |
24.2 |
31.0 |
| Bell Park |
20.0 |
37.4 |
| Belmont(1) |
14.6 |
31.9 |
| Belmont(2) |
14.0 |
31.9 |
| Ceres |
17.5 |
34.0 |
| City |
na |
42.0 |
| Connewarre |
16.3 |
27.0 |
| Corio |
21.5 |
35.0 |
| Drumcondra |
na |
35.0 |
| Grovedale |
17.0 |
41.7 |
| Grovedale South |
16.8 |
41.7 |
| Hamlyn Heights (1) |
24.7 |
35.0 |
| Hamlyn Heights (2) |
18.0 |
31.9 |
| Lara |
25.5 |
36.6 |
| Lara (Serendip) |
34.2 |
36.6 |
| Leopold |
20.0 |
32.9 |
| Leopold East |
23.4 |
32.5 |
| Mt Duneed Airport |
17.6 |
41.7 |
| Mt Duneed West |
17.1 |
28.1 |
| Whittington |
23.0 |
42.0 |
| Urban Area Average |
20.0 |
34.6 |
|
