RAINFALL
Geelong’s March rainfall was very close to average across the city. The suburbs ranged from just 23 mm at Belmont to 37 mm at Bell Post Hill. Averaged across the urban area we recorded 30 mm, compared to the average 32 mm. Drier areas were around the Golden Plains district of Bannockburn and Bellarine Peninsula, but the Otway Ranges generally received well above average, with Cape Otway (110 mm) receiving double its average figure.
West Barwon Dam and Mt Sabine in the main water catchment zone both fared particularly well. Barwon Water’s figures reveal a 74.9% catchment, the same as for the same time last year. Going into autumn-winter this is good news.
TEMPERATURE
Temperatures were slightly cooler than normal. Average daily minimum was 13.0 degrees C at Breakwater, and average maximum was 23.0 C. Overall this is around 0.2 C lower than normal. There were only two days of 30+ degrees – the March average is 3.6 days – and the top was 33.2 C on the 14th. Somewhat surprisingly 30.9 C was recorded on the 31st.
OTHER FEATURES
There were only two very windy days with gusts over 60 kph. They were the 1st and 23rd, both of which recorded 61 kph gusts at Breakwater.
There were three thunder days (3rd, 14th, 15th) but no severe storms, and no damage was reported despite numerous lightning flashes.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION |
 Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Aireys Inlet |
51.4 |
45.7 |
| Anakie |
41.2 |
35.6 |
| Anakie West |
45.0 |
35.6 |
| Anglesea |
na |
41.0 |
| Apollo Bay |
106.8 |
69.6 |
| Ballan |
66.2 |
34.0 |
| Ballarat |
50.8 |
44.4 |
| Bannockburn |
34.2 |
39.0 |
| Barwon Heads |
na |
43.0 |
| Bellbrae (1) |
na |
37.7 |
| Bellbrae (2) |
na |
37.7 |
| Beeac |
42.7 |
40.4 |
| Benwerrin |
na |
65.0 |
| Birregurra |
48.8 |
41.4 |
| Boonah |
22.0 |
64.0 |
| Cape Otway |
110.4 |
55.8 |
| Clifton Springs |
34.6 |
59.0 |
| Colac |
47.8 |
44.2 |
| Cressy |
45.4 |
45.0 |
| Curlewis |
33.5 |
35.6 |
| Dereel |
68.8 |
46.0 |
| Drysdale |
44.0 |
59.4 |
| Durdidwarrah |
60.6 |
53.1 |
| Forrest (West Barwon) |
95.7 |
62.8 |
| Gellibrand |
na |
60.2 |
| Inverleigh |
na |
43.0 |
| Johanna Heights |
129.0 |
110.0 |
| Lal Lal |
28.2 |
54.4 |
| Lavers Hill |
152.0 |
110.0 |
| Laverton |
40.8 |
36.0 |
| Melbourne (City) |
57.4 |
52.0 |
| Meredith (Darra) |
54.8 |
51.6 |
| Moriac |
na |
35.0 |
| Morrisons |
48.0 |
50.8 |
| Mount Cowley |
150.8 |
66.1 |
| Mount Mercer |
53.8 |
50.5 |
| Mount Sabine |
131.8 |
70.2 |
| Ocean Grove |
na |
43.0 |
| Point Lonsdale |
27.1 |
45.6 |
| Pollocksford |
29.6 |
40.6 |
| Portarlington |
na |
45.7 |
| Queenscliff |
na |
44.5 |
| Scotsburn |
44.2 |
58.0 |
| Shelford |
na |
38.0 |
| Sheoaks |
36.2 |
38.0 |
| Skipton |
35.2 |
38.0 |
| St Leonards |
na |
45.0 |
| Torquay |
38.5 |
36.0 |
| Weeaproinah |
na |
112.8 |
| Winchelsea |
35.8 |
36.1 |
| You Yangs |
na |
32.0 |
|
 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS |
| Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Avalon |
24.2 |
31.0 |
| Bell Post Hill |
37.0 |
37.4 |
| Belmont |
23.0 |
31.9 |
| Breakwater |
27.0 |
30.2 |
| Ceres |
na |
34.0 |
| Connewarre |
26.8 |
27.0 |
| Corio |
21.9 |
35.0 |
| East Geelong |
26.2 |
32.0 |
| Grovedale |
na |
31.7 |
| Grovedale South |
29.0 |
31.7 |
| Hamlyn Heights |
22.9 |
35.0 |
| Herne Hill |
27.0 |
32.0 |
| Highton |
na |
32.0 |
| Lara |
24.6 |
36.6 |
| Lara (Serendip) |
na |
36.6 |
| Leopold |
30.5 |
32.9 |
| Leopold East |
na |
32.5 |
| Manifold Heights |
25.7 |
32.5 |
| Moolap |
26.0 |
32.5 |
| Mt Duneed West |
36.0 |
30.3 |
| Waurn Ponds |
29.4 |
32.0 |
| Whittington |
na |
32.0 |
| Urban Area Average |
30.0 |
32.0 |
|
