MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY - VICTORIAN REGIONAL OFFICE
Southern Victoria dry despite April rain
April weather across Victoria featured warm and sunny conditions, with some useful rains, but southern Victoria is still very dry.Bureau of Meteorology figures released today (Table 1), show that while rain was close to average for April in most districts (and even well above average in the North Mallee), the East Central and West Gippsland districts are still in the grip of their driest three year period on record.
The West Coast and the adjacent South Australian district of Lower Southeast have also both experienced their driest three-year period on record, although April 2000 was actually slightly wetter than usual in these districts.
April minimum temperatures were near to the monthly normal over inland Victoria. Along the coast, minimum temperatures were mostly a little above normal. The lowest reported was - 4.1 deg C at Falls Creek on the 22nd. The highest reported was 19.6 deg C at Melbourne on the 17th.
April maximum temperatures were slightly above normal in all districts. The highest reported was 31.0 deg C at Sale on the 3rd. The lowest reported was 1 deg C at Mt Baw Baw on the 21st (Good Friday). Snow fell on the higher ranges during early Easter.
In Melbourne, April rainfall was near normal (47 millimetres, compared with a normal of 52.4mm), although most (30.4mm) fell in one 24-hour period between 9am on the 4th and 9am on the 5th. Temperatures were above normal, the average minimum being 12.4 deg C (normal 11.7 deg C), the average maximum being 21.8 deg C (normal 20.6 deg C).
A feature of the month's weather was the sunshine, with a daily average of 7.2 hours (normal 5.6 hours).
Ends
Further information: Dr Harvey Stern, tel (03)
9669 4949,
or (after hours) the Senior Forecaster, tel (03)9669 4916.