RAINFALL
Another generally poor rainfall month makes it 5 out of the last 7 that Geelong has had below average rain. The urban area averaged only 30mm for the month, from 16mm at Lara to 46mm at Leopold. The Bellarine Peninsula received better falls this month owing to a couple of fronts which directed rain up from the southwest, thus avoiding the Otways rain shadow. St Leonards received 55mm. The average for May in Geelong is 47mm. The water catchment areas of the Otways again fell short, as did the Moorabool system, and water supply is now down to 42% of capacity, lower than last year at the same time. The latest outlooks are not promising, with a below average winter predicted by most models. If this eventuates it will presage more water restrictions for Geelong later in the year.
TEMPERATURE
Geelong’s average daily minimum and maximum temperatures were below the 30-year normals for the month. This makes May the 8th month out of the last ten where the temperatures have been below normal. A.D. Min for May was 7.3C (normal 8.1C) and A.D. Max was 16.5C (normal 17.2C). This puts the month about 0.75C below the long-term average.
OTHER FEATURES
There were at least 3 days on which wind gusts exceeded 70kph. The strongest was on the 2nd, when 71kph gusts buffeted Bellbrae. Hail fell on one day at Ocean Grove (18th) but there were no thunder days.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION |
 Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Aireys Inlet |
53.4 |
(55.6) |
| Anakie |
na |
(52.0) |
| Anglesea |
na |
(63.0) |
| Apollo Bay |
78.8 |
(99.2) |
| Ballan |
36.0 |
(47.5) |
| Ballarat |
48.2 |
(68.1) |
| Bannockburn |
20.4 |
(46.0) |
| Barwon Heads |
na |
(64.0) |
| Bellbrae |
29.8 |
(65.1) |
| Beeac |
na |
(57.2) |
| Birregurra |
40.0 |
(64.5) |
| Cape Otway |
93.4 |
(91.7) |
| Colac |
40.2 |
(71.9) |
| Drysdale |
na |
(64.5) |
| Durdidwarrah |
29.6 |
(59.0) |
| Fiskville |
36.0 |
(42.0) |
| Forrest (West Barwon) |
63.0 |
(108.4) |
| Forrest |
na |
(108.4) |
| Gellibrand |
48.0 |
(93.7) |
| Inverleigh |
18.0 |
(56.6) |
| Lal Lal |
33.4 |
(64.2) |
| Lethbridge |
25.4 |
(53.3) |
| Melba Gully |
na |
(n.a.) |
| Meredith (Darra) |
31.0 |
(60.2) |
| Moriac |
na |
(55.0) |
| Morrisons |
32.6 |
() |
| Mt Cowley |
69.0 |
() |
| Mt Mercer |
39.2 |
() |
| Mt Sabine |
111.0 |
() |
| Paraparap |
na |
() |
| Pollocksford |
18.2 |
() |
| Point Lonsdale |
49.8 |
(57.0) |
| Portarlington |
na |
(58.4) |
| Queenscliff |
na |
(58.1) |
| Scotsburn |
20.4 |
() |
| Sheoaks |
29.4 |
() |
| Shelford |
26.0 |
(47.0) |
| Skipton |
na |
(44.0) |
| St Leonards |
55.5 |
(58.0) |
| Teesdale |
na |
(45.2) |
| Torquay |
na |
(58.0) |
| Weeaproinah |
197.0 |
(200.1) |
| Werribee |
na |
(43.4) |
| Winchelsea |
24.8 |
(48.0) |
| Wurdi Boluc |
38.0 |
() |
|
 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS |
| Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Avalon |
18.8 |
(48.5) |
| Bell Park |
28.0 |
(50.7) |
| Belmont |
33.6 |
(47.1) |
| City |
28.0 |
(49.8) |
| Cloverdale |
na |
(43.0) |
| Connewarre |
na |
(43.9) |
| Corio |
na |
(43.0) |
| Grovedale |
28.6 |
(49.8) |
| Grovedale South |
na |
(49.8) |
| Hamlyn Heights |
24.0 |
(53.5) |
| Highton |
na |
(49.8) |
| Lara |
16.0 |
(39.4) |
| Lara (Serendip) |
20.7 |
(39.4) |
| Leopold |
na |
(44.4) |
| Leopold East |
46.1 |
(44.4) |
| Manifold Heights |
26.5 |
(50.7) |
| Mt Duneed Airport |
27.2 |
(49.0) |
| Mt Duneed West |
36.7 |
(49.0) |
| St Albans Park |
31.2 |
(49.8) |
| Whittington |
na |
(49.8) |
| Average across Urban Area |
30.0 |
(47.2) |
|
