RAINFALL
Most of the Geelong region had average to above average rain in May, despite the experts’ pessimistic outlooks. Apart from the northern suburbs and Moorabool catchment areas, most of the region south and east of the Barwon River has continued its run of average to wetter-than-average months, originating in August last year. Geelong Airport received 47.6 mm (av. 46.5), Torquay 70 mm (av. 58), St Leonards 68 mm (av. 58), Apollo Bay 120 mm (av. 99), Weeaproinah 198 mm (av. 200) and West Barwon Dam 96 mm (av. 108). The catchments are holding steady on 72% of capacity.
Autumn overall in Geelong was close to average with the region receiving around 95-100% of its normal autumn falls, again despite pessimistic probability forecasts.
TEMPERATURE
Geelong was a full degree C cooler than average in May. Daily minimums averaged 7.4 C and maximums 15.5 C, compared to the 20-year Airport means of 7.9 C and 17.0 C. It was Geelong’s coldest May in the 20-year Airport history.
This has resulted in a much colder autumn than normal, the coldest since 1996, and the third coldest in 20 years.
The warmest day was the 21st with 23.5 C, and the coldest were the 24th and 29th, with 12.9 C. Lowest minimum was 2.7 C on the 18th, but there were no frosts.
OTHER FEATURES
May was a very settled month as far as wind is concerned, with only one windy day >60kph, on the 13th when a maximum gust of 61kph was measured. On one of these settled days however, a small funnel cloud was observed and photographed over the Bellarine Peninsula near St Leonards on the 29th. No evidence was seen of it having touched down. There were no storms.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION |
 Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Aireys Inlet |
44.6 |
(55.6) |
| Anakie |
50.6 |
(52.0) |
| Anglesea |
na |
(63.0) |
| Apollo Bay |
119.8 |
(99.2) |
| Ballan |
62.2 |
(47.5) |
| Ballarat |
65.4 |
(68.1) |
| Bannockburn |
38.4 |
(46.0) |
| Barwon Heads |
54.2 |
(64.0) |
| Bellbrae |
37.0 |
(65.1) |
| Bells Beach |
na |
(65.1) |
| Beeac |
34.4 |
(57.2) |
| Birregurra |
43.6 |
(64.5) |
| Cape Otway |
72.0 |
(91.7) |
| Colac |
54.2 |
(71.9) |
| Clifton Springs |
49.0 |
(n.a.) |
| Curlewis |
44.9 |
(n.a.) |
| Drysdale |
48.0 |
(48.0) |
| Durdidwarrah |
na |
(59.0) |
| Forrest (West Barwon Dam) |
96.4 |
(108.4) |
| Gellibrand |
na |
(93.7) |
| Inverleigh |
na |
(56.6) |
| Johanna Heights |
na |
(170.0) |
| Lal Lal |
na |
(64.2) |
| Lavers Hill |
na |
(180.0) |
| Melba Gully |
na |
(n.a.) |
| Meredith (Darra) |
52.6 |
(60.2) |
| Moriac |
na |
(55.0) |
| Morrisons |
na |
() |
| Mt Cowley |
113.4 |
() |
| Mt Mercer |
59.0 |
() |
| Mt Sabine |
168.0 |
() |
| Pollocksford |
na |
() |
| Point Lonsdale |
60.9 |
(57.0) |
| Portarlington |
na |
(58.4) |
| Queenscliff |
na |
(58.1) |
| Scotsburn |
na |
() |
| Sheoaks |
42.2 |
() |
| Shelford |
na |
(47.0) |
| Skipton |
56.4 |
(44.0) |
| St Leonards |
68.0 |
(58.0) |
| Teesdale |
na |
(45.2) |
| Torquay |
70.0 |
(58.0) |
| Weeaproinah |
198.2 |
(200.1) |
| Winchelsea |
38.2 |
(48.0) |
| You Yangs |
27.0 |
(44.0) |
|
 |
| GEELONG SUBURBS |
| Location |
Total for
Month
(mm) |
Monthly
Average
(mm) |
| Avalon |
23.6 |
(48.5) |
| Bell Park |
30.2 |
(50.7) |
| Belmont |
37.2 |
(47.1) |
| City |
29.0 |
(49.8) |
| Connewarre |
34.7 |
(43.9) |
| Corio |
23.3 |
(43.0) |
| East Geelong |
28.9 |
(43.0) |
| Grovedale |
41.0 |
(49.8) |
| Grovedale South |
46.5 |
(49.8) |
| Hamlyn Heights |
29.4 |
(53.5) |
| Herne Hill |
na |
(53.5) |
| Highton |
42.0 |
(49.8) |
| Lara |
21.5 |
(39.4) |
| Lara (Serendip) |
na |
(39.4) |
| Leopold |
na |
(44.4) |
| Leopold East |
48.5 |
(44.4) |
| Manifold Heights |
31.0 |
(44.4) |
| Moolap |
34.0 |
(46.0) |
| Mt Duneed Airport |
47.6 |
(46.5) |
| Mt Duneed West |
59.7 |
(49.0) |
| Waurn Ponds |
43.0 |
(49.0) |
| Whittington |
na |
(49.8) |
| Average across Urban Area |
45.0 |
(45.0) |
|
