Tuesday, 31 May 2005

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - VICTORIA

Very warm and dry - Victoria in May 2005

Preliminary Bureau of Meteorology figures show that May 2005 has been exceptionally warm and dry across Victoria, with the State experiencing its driest May in at least 70 years.  The warm and dry conditions continue the prolonged spell stretching back into April.

In regard to rainfall across Victoria, the Mallee, Wimmera, North Central and Northern Country Districts have received only between 5 and 10 mm for the month (during a normal May, these Districts receive between 40 and 60 mm). Southern Victorian Districts have fared only slightly better, averaging between 20 and 30 mm (during a normal May these Districts receive between 60 and 100 mm).  It was the 2nd driest May in 106 years of high quality state averaged rainfall records, behind 1934.

Temperatures across the state were 1 to 3°C above average.  Numerous towns recorded their warmest daytime temperatures during May for over 30 years.  Sunny skies and clear nights contributed to the warm conditions during the day and colder temperatures during the nights, with night-time temperatures 1 to 2°C below average.

Autumn has been very warm and extremely dry.  It was the driest Autumn for Victoria since records began in 1900, beating the previous driest in 1991.  Daytime temperatures were 2 to 3°C above average, the warmest since high quality state averaged temperature records began in 1950, beating the previous warmest in 2002.

Melbourne experienced its 3rd driest May on record with 10.6mm and driest since 1984, average is 68mm.  Temperatures were 1.5 degrees above average during the day and average during the night.  It was the driest Autumn on record for Melbourne with 50mm, beating the previous driest of 58mm set in 1923.  Average Autumn daytime temperatures will most likely exceed or equal the previous record average of 22.1°C set in 1985.

Synoptic situation: A cold front produced totals of 5mm across southern Victoria at the beginning of the month.  The next 2 weeks saw a series of slow moving high pressure systems move across the state with any associated cold fronts disappating and slipping to the south of the state. Warm temperatures and rainfall totals of 1-5mm were recorded during this period.  During the last week of the month, a series of cold fronts sent a surge of cold air over Eastern Australia with temperatures dropping into the mid to high teens and some light falls of rain recorded across parts of Victoria.

Included in this summary are a table of State extremes, some new records, and summaries for sites across the State. Visit our maps of rainfall and temperatures for this month.

Please contact us for further information.

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

Extremes

Weather extremes during May 2005
Highest temperature Hottest day	28.0 °C	Mildura Airport on 5th
Highest mean daily maximum temperature Warmest days on average	21.6 °C	Mildura Airport
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature Coolest days on average	6.3 °C	Mt Hotham
Lowest daily maximum temperature Coldest day	-1.1 °C	Mt Hotham on 28th
Lowest temperature Coldest night	-5.0 °C	Mt Hotham on 26th
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature Coldest nights on average	0.8 °C	Mt Hotham
Highest mean daily minimum temperature Mildest nights on average	12.2 °C	Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse
Highest daily minimum Warmest night	17.0 °C	Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on 4th
Highest total rainfall Wettest overall	58.8 mm	Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse
Lowest total rainfall Driest overall	1.2 mm	Ouyen (Post Office)
Highest daily rainfall Wettest day	26.2 mm	Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on 1st

Records

Lowest Total Rainfall for 20 or more years for May
	Total rainfall for May 2005 (mm)	Most recent lower for May
Echuca Aerodrome	3.2	2.8	in 1938
Melbourne Regional Office	10.6	10.2	in 1984

Record Highest Mean Maximum Temperature for May
	Mean daily maximum temperature for May 2005 (°C)	Previous highest for May		Years of record
Mangalore Airport	19.0	18.8	in 2002	46
Lake Eildon	18.2	17.5	in 2002	36
Warracknabeal Museum	19.7	19.6	in 2002	32
Albury Airport	19.9	19.2	in 2003	22
Morwell	18.1	18.0	in 1999	22

Highest Mean Maximum Temperature for 20 years or more for May
	Mean daily maximum temperature for May 2005 (°C)	Most recent higher for May
Benalla	20.3	22.1	in 1938
Mildura Airport	21.6	22.3	in 1947
Ouyen	21.2	21.6	in 1947
Echuca Aerodrome	20.0	20.2	in 1947
Kerang	20.6	21.3	in 1947
Maryborough	18.1	18.9	in 1947
Nhill	19.3	19.4	in 1975
Castlemaine Prison	17.5	17.8	in 1972
Horsham	19.0	19.3	in 1972

Lowest Mean Minimum Temperature for 20 years or more for May
	Mean daily minimum temperature for May 2005 (°C)	Most recent lower for May
Echuca Aerodrome	4.4	3.6	in 1900
Morwell	5.4	3.4	in 1984
Albury Airport	3.7	3.2	in 1984

Record Highest Daily Minimum Temperature for May
	Highest daily minimum temperature in May 2005 (°C)		Previous highest for May		Years of record
Portland	15.3	on 4th	14.6	on 5th in 1990	23

Summaries

Summary statistics for May 2005
	Maximum temperatures for May (°C)			Minimum temperatures for May (°C)			Rainfall for May (mm)
	Mean for 2005	Difference from normal	Highest for 2005	Mean for 2005	Difference from normal	Lowest for 2005	Total for 2005	Normal total
Albury Airport	19.9	+2.3	26.0	3.7	-1.9	-1.0	4	67
Bairnsdale Airport	18.3	+1.0	26.7	5.9	-0.8	2.0	15	51
Ballarat Aerodrome	15.6	+1.9	20.3	4.8	-1.2	-1.5	19	70
Benalla	20.3	+3.1	25.1	4.2	-1.6	0.5	6	71
Bendigo Airport	18.6	+2.5	22.2	4.3	-2.4	-1.6	7	60
Cape Otway Lighthouse	15.5	+0.1	24.3	11.2	+0.9	7.3	37	99
Castlemaine Prison	17.5	+1.8	22.0	4.4	-0.6	-1.2	15	63
Cerberus	17.3	+1.4	23.5	7.8	-2.7	1.4	20	78
Colac	16.1	+0.2	24.0	7.9	+1.6	3.6	12	81
Coldstream	17.3	+0.8	22.3	4.1	-1.2	-3.2	22	92
East Sale Airport	17.8	+1.0	24.2	5.7	-0.5	1.1	15	64
Echuca Aerodrome	20.0	+2.4	26.4	4.4	-2.4	0.0	3	48
Geelong Airport	18.3	+1.4	25.9	7.3	-0.4	0.7	10	58
Hamilton Airport	16.7	+1.0	25.2	6.4	-0.1	0.3	17	53
Horsham	19.0	+1.8	25.9	4.5	-1.9	0.0	13	51
Kerang	20.6	+2.7	27.9	5.7	-1.7	0.5	3	41
Kilmore Gap	14.4	+3.0	18.3	6.8	+1.3	4.1	13	77
Lake Eildon	18.2	+2.2	22.1	3.9	-2.4	1.0	16	89
Longerenong	18.7	+1.4	25.4	4.0	-2.5	-1.1	12	49
Mangalore Airport	19.0	+2.4	23.6	4.6	-1.6	-1.7	4	63
Maryborough	18.1	+2.0	21.4	4.9	-1.5	1.2	13	59
Melbourne Regional Office	18.6	+1.6	22.9	9.7	+0.2	5.1	11	68
Mildura Airport	21.6	+2.7	28.0	6.6	-1.1	0.7	3	27
Morwell	18.1	+1.3	24.1	5.4	-1.1	-0.1	17	57
Mt Hotham	6.3	+1.2	12.7	0.8	+1.4	-5.0	20	208
Nhill	19.3	+1.8	26.4	3.6	-2.7	-1.8	9	40
Noojee	16.1	+0.9	21.9	5.1	-0.5	0.5	28	82
Orbost	17.4	-0.4	24.8	8.0	+0.8	4.4	28	92
Ouyen	21.2	+2.5	27.0	6.5	-0.9	2.5	1	34
Point Hicks	16.9	0	21.7	11.2	+0.2	8.2	58	110
Portland	16.6	+0.9	26.2	8.4	0	2.4	32	79
Shepparton Airport	19.6	+2.6	23.6	4.2	-2.2	-0.7	2	55
Stawell Aerodrome	17.7	+1.8	23.8	5.1	-1.9	-1.1	9	62
Swan Hill Aerodrome	20.8	+2.5	27.3	5.1	-2.4	-0.1	2	38
Wangaratta Aero	19.7	+2.3	24.7	1.5	-3.2	-3.4	5	73
Warracknabeal Museum	19.7	+2.0	25.5	5.0	-1.7	-1.0	5	45
Warrnambool Airport Ndb	17.5	+1.3	26.6	7.1	-0.3	-0.7	23	77
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	15.9	+1.0	22.1	12.2	+0.8	8.9	59	136
Wonthaggi	17.3	+0.6	24.8	9.1	+0.6	4.5	34	106
Yarrawonga	20.3	+2.3	24.9	4.6	-1.6	0.8	7	48

Note

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 1 PM on Tuesday 31 May 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
Mr Neal Moodie (03) 9669 4949
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au