RAINFALL AND WIND
“A drier month overall” was how Lindsay Smail, Director of Geelong Weather Services described September’s rainfall across the region. He said most areas received only between 50% and 65% of their expected falls, but that in most cases farmers had sufficient rain in view of the present adequate soil-moisture levels, brought about by good rains earlier in the year. Rain fell on only 12 days, compared to the September average of 16. Urban Geelong received around 30 mm (average 53 mm) and even the Otways catchment only registered around 80 mm (average 140 mm). Water supplies are still at around 85% of capacity. Two thunder days were reported and small hail fell briefly in Geelong on the 25th. On the last day of the month a brief thunderstorm downburst brought wind gusts up to 122 kph at Leopold.
TEMPERATURE
September’s average daily maxima were more than a degree warmer than average (18.2 compared to 16.7), and minima were also up (7.4 compared to 6.8). The lowest overnight temperature was 1.1 degrees on the 6th, and the warmest night was on the 23-24th when 14.4 was the lowest recorded. Several days, particularly towards the end of the month, exceeded 23 degrees, with the 30th recording 27.2, making it the warmest September day since 1987. This has been Geelong’s warmest September overall since 1993, with the highest average daily maximum (18.2 degrees C) since 1988 (18.5), forming an impressive warming trend noticeable particularly since 1992.
RAINFALL DATA
| GEELONG REGION | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Aireys Inlet | 50.4 | (71.9) |
| Anakie | (64.0) | |
| Anglesea | 20.4 | (70.5) |
| Apollo Bay | 53.2 | (108.6) |
| Ballan | 38.4 | (51.5) |
| Ballarat | 58.8 | (73.0) |
| Bannockburn | 18.6 | (52.0) |
| Barwon Heads | 47.0 | (61.0) |
| Bellbrae (1) | (60.5) | |
| Bellbrae (2) | 35.1 | (53.8) |
| Beeac | 59.8 | (59.9) |
| Boonah | 81.0 | (n.a.) |
| Benwerrin | 77.6 | (n.a.) |
| Birregurra | 51.2 | (69.6) |
| Buninyong | 41.8 | (n.a.) |
| Cape Otway | 67.8 | (89.6) |
| Colac | 49.0 | (114.9) |
| Cressy | (n.a.) | |
| Drysdale | 44.0 | (68.6) |
| Durdidwarrah | 20.2 | (69.9) |
| Forrest | 75.8 | (118.0) |
| Gellibrand | 78.8 | (n.a.) |
| Inverleigh | 31.0 | (51.6) |
| Lal Lal | 45.4 | (82.0) |
| Lethbridge | 24.0 | (70.4) |
| Little River West | 13.0 | (n.a.) |
| Lovely Banks | (48.5) | |
| Melba Gully | 137.0 | (n.a.) |
| Melbourne (City) | 35.6 | (59.4) |
| Meredith (Darra) | 27.0 | (70.4) |
| Modewarre | (58.9) | |
| Moriac | 44.0 | (n.a.) |
| Morrisons | 35.2 | (n.a.) |
| Mt Cowley | 81.8 | (n.a.) |
| Mt Mercer | 44.2 | (n.a.) |
| Mt Sabine | 80.8 | (n.a.) |
| Paraparap | (58.9) | |
| Point Lonsdale | 29.5 | (59.2) |
| Pollocksford | 34.6 | (n.a.) |
| Portarlington | 40.0 | (59.2) |
| Queenscliff | 36.8 | (59.2) |
| Shelford | (54.6) | |
| Sheoaks | 23.8 | (n.a.) |
| Skipton | 46.4 | (n.a.) |
| St Leonards | 47.5 | (58.0) |
| Teesdale | (57.7) | |
| Torquay | (58.0) | |
| Wallington | (n.a.) | |
| Warrnambool Airport | 56.8 | (108.0) |
| Warncoort | 56.1 | (n.a.) |
| Weeaproinah | 131.8 | (200.3) |
| Winchelsea | 25.0 | (54.4) |
| Wurdi Boluc | 55.0 | (54.4) |
| GEELONG SUBURBS | ||
| Location | Total for Month (mm) |
Monthly Average (mm) |
| Avalon | 30.8 | (46.7) |
| Belmont | 32.0 | (57.7) |
| Bell Park | (55.0) | |
| Bell Post Hill | 21.0 | (53.8) |
| City | (53.2) | |
| Cloverdale | (55.6) | |
| Connewarre | 32.4 | (60.3) |
| Corio | 23.0 | (55.6) |
| East Belmont | 34.3 | (55.0) |
| Grovedale | 31.6 | (55.0) |
| Hamlyn Heights | 31.0 | (61.9) |
| Highton(1) | (61.9) | |
| Highton(2) | 44.0 | (61.9) |
| Lara | 23.5 | (57.5) |
| Leopold | 34.0 | (53.8) |
| Leopold East | 39.9 | (53.8) |
| Leopold North | 28.0 | (53.8) |
| Leopold South | 33.4 | (53.8) |
| Manifold Heights | 24.0 | (53.8) |
| Mt Duneed Airport | 36.4 | (53.2) |
| Mt Duneed West | 43.4 | (53.2) |
| Serendip (Lara) | 17.5 | (57.5) |
| St Albans Park | 26.8 | (50.3) |
| Waurn Ponds | (53.8) | |
| Whittington | (50.3) | |
| Urban Area Average | 30.0 | (53.0) |
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