November 2015

 RAINFALL

Another below average rainfall month has occurred across the region.  Except for a small area around Lismore the rest of the Geelong-Otways region was struck again by well below average rainfall for the fourth month in a row.  Not since July has Geelong received its monthly average.  The urban area averaged only 27 mm of the normal 53 mm.

This has been a disastrous spring, when rainfalls around Geelong are normally expected to total 50-60 mm per month.  This year spring only resulted in less than half the 30-year average rain.  As a result the water catchments are only at 55% capacity and the West Barwon Reservoir is less than one third full, not a good start to summertime’s expected maximum usage.

The only good news on the horizon is the expected breakdown of El Nino in the early new year with more rain expected then and in the following months.

 TEMPERATURE

The dry period has also coincided with a warmer November than normal and a much warmer spring than the latest 30-year average.  There were 5 days over 35 degrees C and the maximum reached 35.9 C on the 9th.  November was 1.45 degrees C warmer than normal and spring overall was 1.2 degree C warmer by virtue of the hottest October on record.

OTHER FEATURES

There were two thunder days on the 5th and 30th and one occasion of light hail on the 26th.  Three days of very strong wind gusts occurred on the 25th, 26th and 30th.  The maximum gust of 83 kph was recorded at Breakwater on the 25th and there was some minor tree damage.  At Queens Park a maximum of 93 kph was reached and there were gusts over 100 kph at Mt Gellibrand on that day.

On the 7th a small 2.2 earthquake was registered near Anakie.

RAINFALL and TEMPERATURE DATA

GEELONG REGION Location Total for Month (mm) Monthly Average (mm) Aireys Inlet 32.4 59.7 Anakie 37.5 55.0 Anglesea na 55.0 Apollo Bay 42.1 81.7 Ballan 32.8 59.0 Ballarat 14.8 56.0 Bannockburn 23.4 47.0 Barwon Heads 30.8 53.0 Bellbrae na 51.2 Bells Beach na na Beeac 61.5 52.1 Beech Forest 42.8 na Birregurra 45.2 55.4 Boonah 48.2 n.a. Cape Otway 24.6 64.1 Clifton Springs 24.0 41.9 Colac 58.9 57.7 Cressy 29.0 52.0 Curlewis 29.5 42.0 Drysdale 34.8 41.9 Durdidwarrah na 58.9 Forrest (West Barwon) 37.4 88.2 Inverleigh 26.0 47.2 Johanna Heights na na Lake Colac na 57.7 Lal Lal 20.0 61.7 Lismore 60.0 na Laverton 39.0 52.0 Melba Gully na 140.0 Melbourne (City) 43.0 60.0 Meredith (Darra) 43.2 60.7 Moriac 18.8 59.4 Morrisons na n.a. Mt Buninyong na n.a. Mt Cowley 36.2 n.a. Mt Mercer 28.2 50.8 Mt Sabine 53.0 n.a. Ocean Grove 39.7 n.a. Point Lonsdale 28.6 48.0 Pollocksford 20.2 n.a. Portarlington na 48.0 Queenscliff na 49.0 Shelford na 48.5 Sheoaks 31.8 50.0 Skipton 43.6 n.a. St Leonards na 50.0 Sutherlands Creek 25.6 na Torquay na 53.0 Warncoort na n.a. Wyelangta na 140.2 Winchelsea 43.2 51.1 You Yangs 27.0 46.5

GEELONG SUBURBS Location Total for Month (mm) Monthly Average (mm) Avalon 37.4 39.9 Bell Post Hill 27.0 49.5 Belmont 22.5 50.6 Breakwater Racecourse 26.6 51.0 Connewarre 27.1 52.4 Corio 30.7 45.0 East Geelong 27.5 50.6 Grovedale 25.0 50.6 Grovedale South 29.2 50.6 Hamlyn Heights 28.0 56.4 Highton 27.0 50.4 Lara 32.4 40.9 Lara (Serendip) na 40.9 Leopold Nth 34.0 60.0 Leopold East na 66.6 Manifold Heights 33.5 48.8 Moolap 27.2 48.8 Queens Park 31.4 52.0 Moolap 27.2 48.8 Waurn Ponds 25.0 52.0 Whittington 25.8 54.0 Urban Geelong Average 27.0 52.8