Wednesday, 1 March 2006

MONTHLY CLIMATE SUMMARY - VICTORIA

Generally dry in February 2006

Rainfall Summary

February rainfall across Victoria was generally below average and, were it not for thunderstorm activity on the 23, 24 and an eventful 25th, totals may have been significantly below average throughout the State. Indeed, across much of the west, it was very dry. However, the thunderstorms produced excellent rainfall through much of Central Victoria giving some relief to an otherwise dry month.

Click here to view maps of rainfall, and long term climate trends.

Temperature Summary

Nights were slightly cooler than normal at most places, but much of inland Victoria experienced warmer than usual daytime temperatures.

Click here to view maps of temperature, and long term climate trends.

Significant Weather Systems

A sharp trough brought the thunderstorms late in the month, but high pressure ridges dominated the pressure patterns during the earlier weeks.

Melbourne Summary

Melbourne’s average minimum temperature for February 2006 was slightly above normal (by 0.5 deg C) at 15.8 deg C, whilst the average maximum temperature was slightly below normal (by 0.8 deg C) at 25.3 deg C.  Melbourne’s rainfall for February 2006, at 72 mm, was 26 mm above average.

Included in this summary are a table of State extremes, some new records, and summaries for locations 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
Dr Harvey Stern (03) 9669 4949
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 12 PM on Wednesday 1 March 2006 . Although every effort has been made to check them, it is possible that results may change as new information becomes available.

Extremes

Weather extremes during February 2006
Highest temperature Hottest day	40.4 °C	Yarrawonga on 17th
Highest mean daily maximum temperature Warmest days on average	33.0 °C	Albury Airport
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature Coolest days on average	17.5 °C	Mt Hotham
Lowest daily maximum temperature Coldest day	10.0 °C	Mt Hotham on 9th
Lowest temperature Coldest night	-2.7 °C	Mt Hotham on 7th
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature Coldest nights on average	7.7 °C	Mt Hotham
Highest mean daily minimum temperature Mildest nights on average	15.8 °C	Albury Airport and Mildura Airport and Point Hicks (Lighthouse) and Melbourne Regional Office
Highest daily minimum Warmest night	23.9 °C	Albury Airport on 2nd
Highest total rainfall Wettest overall	72.4 mm	Melbourne Regional Office
Lowest total rainfall Driest overall	1.2 mm	Mildura Airport and Swan Hill Aerodrome
Highest daily rainfall Wettest day	41.8 mm	Melbourne Regional Office on 26th

Records

Lowest Total Rainfall for 20 or more years for February
	Total rainfall for February 2006 (mm)	Most recent lower for February
Bairnsdale Airport	10.0	7.8	in 1986

Summaries

Summary statistics for February 2006
	Maximum temperatures for February (°C)			Minimum temperatures for February (°C)			Rainfall for February (mm)
	Mean for 2006	Difference from normal	Highest for 2006	Mean for 2006	Difference from normal	Lowest for 2006	Total for 2006	Normal total
Albury Airport	33.0	+2.2	40.0	15.8	+0.7	9.1	15	35
Bairnsdale Airport	25.5	0	39.0	12.4	-0.2	7.2	10	45
Ballarat Aerodrome	24.8	-0.4	34.5	10.5	-1.1	4.4	19	37
Benalla	31.3	+0.7	39.0	14.5	-0.1	7.5	21	33
Bendigo Airport	29.2	+0.5	35.7	12.8	-1.9	6.3	9	26
Cape Otway Lighthouse	20.3	-1.1	37.1	13.8	-0.2	8.9	46	39
Cerberus	23.5	-2.9	37.2	13.7	-3.1	6.9	30	42
Colac	23.7	-2.9	36.5	12.0	+0.7	8.9	20	30
Coldstream	25.9	-3.5	36.0	11.0	-1.6	3.6	56	45
East Sale Airport	25.6	+0.1	37.7	12.6	-0.5	7.2	14	30
Echuca Aerodrome	31.4	+0.7	39.2	13.9	-1.0	8.2	16	22
Geelong Airport	23.8	-2.5	38.3	13.2	-0.5	7.3	16	25
Hamilton Airport	24.5	-2.6	33.7	11.1	-0.1	6.6	39	21
Horsham	29.3	-0.4	36.2	10.7	-3.0	5.9	5	22
Kerang	31.8	+0.6	38.6	14.7	-0.7	9.1	2	20
Kilmore Gap	23.2	+0.1	34.8	11.0	-0.8	7.6	23	51
Lake Eildon	29.1	+0.6	37.0	11.6	-0.8	5.6	24	37
Longerenong	29.1	-0.7	36.5	11.0	-2.3	4.1	2	20
Mangalore Airport	29.1	-0.2	39.0	13.6	-0.6	5.7	10	29
Maryborough	28.1	-0.9	35.4	12.5	-1.0	6.8	9	33
Melbourne Regional Office	25.3	-0.8	36.5	15.8	+0.3	10.9	72	46
Mildura Airport	32.1	+0.4	39.5	15.8	-0.7	10.4	1	16
Morwell	26.3	-0.2	37.7	12.8	+0.2	6.2	24	42
Mt Hotham	17.5	+1.9	21.6	7.7	+0.8	-2.7	22	67
Nhill	29.0	-0.8	36.4	11.1	-1.9	4.4	10	19
Noojee	24.4	-0.9	34.6	11.0	+0.2	4.8	36	59
Orbost	24.3	-1.6	36.4	13.4	-0.3	6.6	21	47
Ouyen	31.7	-0.1	38.3	14.3	-1.1	9.5	2	23
Point Hicks	24.2	+0.5	32.0	15.8	-0.2	8.1	11	55
Portland	21.2	-1.5	33.2	11.7	-0.9	5.4	50	21
Shepparton Airport	30.9	+0.8	39.0	13.6	-1.4	7.9	17	27
Stawell Aerodrome	27.2	-1.0	35.1	12.2	-1.0	6.6	19	29
Swan Hill Aerodrome	31.9	+0.6	38.2	14.6	-1.1	9.0	1	20
Wangaratta Aero	31.9	+1.2	39.4	12.7	-1.0	5.5	11	41
Warracknabeal Museum	29.9	-0.8	36.6	13.0	-1.3	7.4	10	20
Warrnambool Airport Ndb	23.0	-0.5	35.8	11.4	-0.2	5.2	38	35
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	20.4	-0.3	29.9	15.4	+0.3	12.9	19	40
Wonthaggi	23.0	-1.5	36.0	13.7	+0.8	9.0	50	33
Yarrawonga	32.5	+0.9	40.4	14.3	-1.4	7.5	5	31

Note

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 12 PM on Wednesday 1 March 2006 . 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.
Climate averages for 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
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au