Summary of 2008 Weather

(Most figures are from the Bureau of Meteorology station at Mount Duneed – called “Geelong AP AWS”, and averages from 1983-2007)

Month	Weather Conditions	Temps (deg C)	Rainfall (mm)	Cumulative Rainfall	Comments
JAN	Hotter by 1.8 deg. Highest 40.6C on 10^th. 6 days >30C. 2 very windy days >60kph. Highest 70kph at Mt D on 11^th. No severe storms.	Av max 26.1 Jan av max. is 24.2. Av min 14.6. Av is 12.9.	Mt Duneed 9.4 mm. Urban area averaged 8.0 mm. January normal is 36.9 mm.	Mt Duneed 9.4 mm. Urban area 8.0 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (1 month) is 36.9 mm.	Very low rainfalls right across region but very humid (>80%) at times. One 36-hour period >80% RH on 19^th-20^th. Only 5 rain days. Catchments 33.5%. Highest min temp 22.0 C on 1^st.
FEB	Cooler by 1.15 deg. Highest 36.5C on 19^th; lowest max 17.6 on 20^th. 5 very windy days incl 72kph at Mt D on 23^rd. 4 days >30 deg.	Av max 23.1. Feb av max. is 24.9. Av min 13.0. Av is 13.5.	Mt Duneed 28.8 mm. Urban area averaged 26.0 mm. February normal is 31.1.	Mt Duneed 38.2 mm. Urban area 34 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (2 months) is 68.0 mm.	Most areas below av rain. Lara 14 mm, West Barwon 35 mm. Catchments 31%. 11 rain days. Dereel area received 100 mm on 6^th. I thunder day – no severe storms.
MAR	Warmer by 1.4 deg. Hottest March day recorded: 41.5C on 16^th. 8 days >30 deg. 3 very windy days (74 kph at Mt D on 14^th).	Av max 26.0. March av max. is 22.9. Av min 11.7. Av is 12.0.	Mt Duneed 19.4 mm Urban area averaged 20.0 mm. March normal is 30.3.	Mt Duneed 57.6 mm. Urban area 54 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (3 months) is 98.3 mm.	Geelong and Golden Plains only 40-50% of average rain, Otways better. Catchments 28%. 10 rain days. 2 thunder days but no severe storms.
APR	Colder by 0.5 degree. 1 day >30 deg (11^th). Lowest minimum 3.2 deg on 30^th. 3 very windy days, incl 100 kph on 2^nd. 1 severe wind storm with damage and red rain on 2^nd.	Av max 20.5 April av max. is 20.1. Av min 8.2. Av is 9.5.	Mt Duneed 10.2 mm Urban area averaged 8.0 mm. April normal is 48.3.	Mt Duneed 67.8 mm. Urban area 62 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (4 months) is 146.6 mm.	Very poor rainfall despite La Nina year. 14 rain days. Catchments 26%. Most fronts weakening and heading to SE. Models giving conflicting outlooks.
MAY	Colder by 0.3 degrees. 2 frost days – lowest min 1.6C on 24^th. Coldest max 12.0C on 17^th, warmest 21.5C on 15^th. Autumn temps overall warmer by 0.6C.	Av max 17.2 May av max is 17.1. Av min 7.1. Av is 7.8.	Mt Duneed 30.6 Urban area averaged 34 mm May normal is 49.5.	Mt Duneed 98.4 mm. Urban area 96 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (5 months) is 197.6 mm.	Another below average rainfall month. 12 rain days, catchments 25.3%. No storms. 1 very windy day (72kph at Mt Duneed on 2^nd). Autumn rain 62mm – half of long-term mean (lowest 10%).
JUNE	Warmer by 1.5 degrees. Only 1 frost day (-0.2 on 2^nd.) Warmest day 18.4 on 17^th. 5 very windy days incl 91kph at Mt Duneed on 30^th.	Av max 15.6 June av max is 14.4. Av min 7.8 . Av is 6.1.	Mt Duneed 21.0. Urban area averaged 20 mm. June normal is 45.0.	Mt Duneed 119.4 mm. Urban area 116 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (6 months) is 242.6 mm.	Disastrous 6 months – Jan-June lowest rain since 1967 and 2^nd lowest ever. Catchments 25%. 1 storm at Anakie on 19^th (19mm in 1 hour).
JULY	Colder by 0.95 degree. 9 frosts, incl lowest temp minus 0.2 on 25^th. 4 very windy days incl 87kph gust on 1^st. Lowest max 10.5 on 27^th. Sun halo photographed on 25^th.	Av max 13.5 July av max is 13.9. Av min 4.0. Av is 5.4.	Mt Duneed 57.8. Urban area averaged 58. July normal is 50.5.	Mt Duneed 177.2 mm. Urban area 174 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (7 months) is 293.1 mm.	Above average rains received in Geelong and average in Otways catchment (now 26%). 14 mm at Mt Duneed on 1^st. 1 thunder-lightning day on evening of 27^th. No storms.
AUG	Colder by 0.95 degree. 3 frosts, lowest 0.1C on 8^th. Coldest day 11C on 21^st. Overall winter temps 0.3 C below mean; coldest since 1998. 6 very windy days incl 83kph on 1^st.	Av max 13.8 Aug av max is 15.0. Av min 5.1 Av is 5.8.	Mt Duneed 38.6. Urban area averaged 40. August normal is 49.6.	Mt Duneed 215.8 mm. Urban area 214 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (8 months) is 342.7 mm.	Average to below average rains generally. Waterspout photographed at 13^th Beach on 7^th. 1 hail / thunder day in city on 22^nd. Hail at Little River on 7^th. Catchments now 30.7%. No storms.
SEPT	Warmer by 0.45 degree. Mins lower and maxes higher than av. Warmest 27.4C on 26^th; 1 frost (1.8C) on 4^th. 10 very windy days >60kph (See Comments)	Av max 17.6 Sept av max is 16.5. Av min 6.4. Av is 6.6.	Mt Duneed 34.2. Urban area averaged 26. September normal is 50.7.	Mt Duneed 250.0mm. Urban area 240 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (9 months) is 393.4 mm.	Our 8^th below av rainfall month for the year. Whole region about 60% of av. Catchment now 31% and dropping. 2 severe wind events on 14^th (94 kph) and 15^th (100 kph) – minor damage.
OCT	Warmer by 1.1 degree. New record minimum 0.6C on 23^rd. 3 frosts. 6 very windy days – max 69kph on 3^rd. 5 days >30C. (32.9C on 18^th).	Av max 21.1 Oct av max is 18.5 Av min 7.2. Av is 7.6.	Mt Duneed 11.2. Urban area averaged 11. October normal is 57.1.	Mt Duneed 261.2 mm. Urban area 251 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (10 months) is 450.5 mm.	Another well below average month. 1 thunder day on 30^th. Light mud rain and virga on 26^th, 27^th. 9 rain days (av = 15). Catchment now 29.2%.
NOV	Warmer by 0.7 degree. No frosts – lowest 2.6C on 5^th. 3 days > 30 deg, incl max 35.6C on 13^th. 6 days >60 kph but little damage reported.	Av max 21.6 Nov av max is 20.4. Av min 9.7. Av is 9.4.	Mt Duneed 31.8. Urban area averaged 30. November normal is 49.5.	Mt Duneed 293.0 mm. Urban area 281 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (11 months) is 500.0 mm.	Drought continues. Driest spring since 1982. 3 thunder days but no severe storms. Cut-off lows in final week too far east to bring good rain.
DEC	Fractionally cooler by 0.25 deg. Lowest min 3.3 C on 4^th. 3 days >30 deg, incl max 35.0 on 22^nd. 4 very windy days with gusts >60 kph.	Av max 22.2 Dec av max is 22.6. Av min 10.9. Av is 11.0.	Mt Duneed 74.6. Urban area averaged 80. December normal is 38.5.	Mt Duneed 367.6 mm Urban area 361 mm. Normal Geelong cumulative total (12 months) is 538.5 mm.	Good rains on 12^th-13^th across region saw catchments rise to 28.6%. No storms. Very low MSLP at 3pm on 13^th – 995.4 hPa.

OVERALL: New records (extremes) set: (2) Hottest March day (41.5C), Coldest October night (0.6C); Tornadoes: Nil -but waterspout at 13^th Beach on 7^th Aug; Hottest Day:16^th March – 41.5C; Warmest Night: 1^st Jan – 22.0 C; Coldest Day: 10.5 C on 27^th July; Coldest Night: Minus 0.2 on 2^nd June; Wettest Day: 48.4 mm to 9am on 13^th Dec; Wettest Month: December 74.6mm; Driest Month: January 9.4 mm; No of Days above 30°C: 30 (average 21); Number of “Thunder Days” in Urban area: 9 (23 in 2007); Number of severe storms: 1; Strongest Wind Gust:100 kph on 2^nd April & 15^th Sept; Number of frosts: 19 (av = 15); Number of windy days (gusts >60kph): 55 (60 in 2007).

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