Tuesday, 4 January 2005

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - VICTORIA

Wet end to 2004 - Victoria in December 2004

Rainfall:

December 2004 was wetter than normal over most of Victoria. The northwest was particularly wet, with the North Mallee averaging 45.2 mm (normal: 21.8 mm) and the South Mallee averaging 74.8 mm (normal: 23.7 mm). The only District to receive less rain than its usual allocation was the East Central District with 57.9 mm (normal: 66.8 mm). 

Over the year as a whole, it was drier than normal across much of the State. The northwest was particularly dry, with the North Mallee averaging 235.0 mm (normal: 321.9 mm), the South Mallee averaging 297.0 mm (normal: 365.7 mm), and the North Wimmera averaging 279.9 mm (normal: 404.2 mm).  By contrast, slightly above average rainfall (812.6 mm) was gratefully received by the West Coast (normal: 777.5 mm).

Temperatures:

December 2004 was characterised by cooler than normal days (daytime temperatures were about 0.5 deg C below normal), and nighttimes characterised by near normal temperatures.

Over the year as a whole, daytime temperatures were about 0.5 deg C above normal in the north, but very close to normal at most southern localities. Nighttime temperatures were about 0.5 deg C below normal across most of the State.

Melbourne:

December 2004 in Melbourne was slightly warmer than normal, the average minimum being 14.5 deg C (normal: 13.7 deg C) and the average maximum 24.9 deg C (normal: 24.1 deg C). 60.2 mm of rain fell (close to the normal of 58.1 mm).

Over the year as a whole, Melbourne had its eighth consecutive year of below normal rainfall, the first time this has happened since records began in 1855. Only 623.4 mm was recorded (normal: 638.8 mm). Temperatures over the year were slightly above normal, with the average minimum being 11.5 deg C (normal: 11.0 deg C), and the average maximum 20.4 deg C (normal: 19.9 deg C).

Included in this summary are a table of State extremes, some new records, and summaries for sites across the State.

Please contact us for further information.

Victoria Climate Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Dr Harvey Stern (03) 9669 4949
Mr Neal Moodie (03) 9669 4906
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au

Extremes

Weather extremes during December 2004
Highest temperature Hottest day	41.0 °C	Ouyen (Post Office) on 23rd
Highest mean daily maximum temperature Warmest days on average	30.3 °C	Mildura Airport
Lowest daily maximum temperature Coldest day	2.2 °C	Mt Hotham on 28th
Lowest temperature Coldest night	-4.3 °C	Mt Hotham on 28th
Highest daily minimum Warmest night	22.4 °C	Ouyen (Post Office) on 6th
Highest total rainfall Wettest overall	107.0 mm	Ballarat Aerodrome
Highest daily rainfall Wettest day	49.4 mm	Lake Eildon on 7th

Records

Record Lowest Temperature for December
	Lowest temperature in December 2004 (°C)		Previous lowest for December		Years of record
Echuca Aerodrome	0.0	on 28th	2.9	on 9th in 1994	123
Longerenong	2.0	on 2nd	= 2.0	on 16th in 2001	69

Summaries

Summary statistics for December 2004
	Maximum temperatures for December (°C)			Minimum temperatures for December (°C)			Rainfall for December (mm)
	Mean for 2004	Difference from normal	Highest for 2004	Mean for 2004	Difference from normal	Lowest for 2004	Total for 2004	Normal total
Albury Airport	28.2	-0.2	34.7	13.5	+0.4	7.2	55	53
Bairnsdale Airport	22.6	-0.8	27.6	11.1	0.0	6.0	77	61
Ballarat Aerodrome	22.3	-0.1	32.8	9.9	+0.3	3.9	107	47
Benalla	28.0	-0.4	36.5	12.9	+0.5	6.5	53	54
Bendigo Airport	26.7	+0.2	36.1	12.3	-0.4	6.2	40	40
Cape Otway Lighthouse	18.6	-0.4	32.0	13.0	+0.9	8.7	45	57
Castlemaine Prison	24.8	-0.8	34.8	10.4	-0.3	2.8	29	42
Cerberus	22.2	+0.2	34.0	12.3	-1.3	6.2	37	56
Colac	22.6	-0.7	36.2	11.3	+1.7	6.3	34	51
Coldstream	23.8	-1.0	34.3	9.8	+0.8	4.2	61	74
East Sale Airport	22.8	-0.5	27.8	11.2	-0.3	4.8	29	58
Echuca Aerodrome	28.1	-0.5	37.0	12.7	-0.4	0.0	77	29
Geelong Airport	23.2	+0.7	36.6	11.5	+0.7	6.1	26	43
Hamilton Airport	24.7	+0.9	36.6	10.2	+0.7	3.5	49	43
Horsham	27.8	+0.6	39.0	11.8	+0.1	4.2	44	23
Kerang	28.8	-0.5	39.1	13.8	+0.2	7.5	58	28
Kilmore Gap	20.6	na	31.6	10.2	na	4.2	68	na
Lake Eildon Goulburn Murray Water	25.7	-0.2	34.4	10.9	0	5.6	99	61
Longerenong	28.4	+1.0	39.9	12.1	+0.8	2.0	38	24
Mangalore Airport	26.9	+0.1	36.6	12.2	+0.4	5.5	45	44
Maryborough	25.9	-0.2	36.2	11.6	+0.2	5.0	47	38
Melbourne Regional Office	24.9	+0.9	37.2	14.5	+0.8	8.9	60	58
Mildura Airport	30.3	+0.2	40.7	15.2	+0.4	8.2	28	22
Morwell	23.8	+0.2	32.4	11.2	0	5.4	84	74
Mt Hotham	13.1	-1.0	19.3	4.7	-0.4	-4.3	103	115
Nhill	28.5	+0.9	39.6	11.5	+0.1	2.8	10	26
Noojee	22.3	na	32.7	10.1	na	5.7	87	na
Orbost	22.5	-1.2	30.5	11.8	-0.3	7.5	97	87
Ouyen	30.0	-0.1	41.0	14.6	+0.8	7.9	67	25
Point Hicks	22.1	+0.6	31.2	14.1	-0.1	8.0	96	75
Portland	21.3	+1.4	35.8	11.3	+0.5	3.5	40	49
Shepparton Airport	28.4	+0.7	36.6	12.5	-0.1	6.7	39	44
Stawell Aerodrome	26.4	+0.8	38.7	11.7	+0.5	4.5	24	26
Swan Hill Aerodrome	29.1	-0.4	39.0	13.7	-0.3	8.0	58	24
Wangaratta Aero	28.3	-0.4	35.3	11.4	-0.1	6.3	87	37
Warracknabeal Museum	29.2	+0.6	40.2	13.1	+1.0	5.8	18	24
Warrnambool Airport Ndb	22.5	+1.9	36.2	10.9	+0.7	4.3	47	63
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	18.3	-0.3	28.4	13.8	+1.0	10.5	38	63
Wonthaggi	22.0	+0.3	33.8	12.7	+1.3	6.8	37	61
Yarrawonga	29.3	na	36.9	13.3	na	6.4	51	na

Note

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 2 PM on Tuesday 4 January 2005 . Although every effort has been made to check them, it is possible that results may change as new information becomes available.

Long term averages are calculated using the WMO standard of 1961 to 1990.

Localities with blank averages may not have long enough records for a WMO average. However, climate averages for nearby Victoria localities are available here.

Please use the following localities to cover these regions: Coldstream for the Yarra Glen area; Ceberus for the Mornington Peninsula; Morwell for the Latrobe Valley; Mangalore for Seymour; Mt Hotham for the Alpine area.

Daily Weather Observations for selected Victoria localities are available here.

Please contact us for further information.

Victoria Climate Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Dr Harvey Stern (03) 9669 4949
Mr Neal Moodie (03) 9669 4906
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au