Thursday, 5 January 2017 - Annual Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC56R0

Victoria in 2016: a wet and warm year

Victoria had its fifth-warmest year on record in 2016 and its warmest mean minimum temperatures on record. After a generally dry start, Victorian rainfall was above average, with 2016 the State's wettest year since 2011.

Wetter than average

• Victoria's wettest year since 2011, with rainfall 19% above average
• Areas of very much wetter than average in the west, north and east of the State
• Close to average rainfall around Melbourne and central districts
• There were areas of serious to severe rainfall deficiencies in western and central districts earlier in the year before May, June and July brought above average rainfall totals across the State
• In early June, very heavy rainfall was recorded in far east Victoria; this resulted in moderate to major flooding along the Snowy River
• Victoria had its second wettest September on record, with major flooding recorded in a number of catchments during September, including the Avoca, Glenelg, Wimmera and Loddon rivers
• Flooding continued during October, with the Ovens River reaching major flood levels
• Some sites had their highest daily rainfall on record
• Several sites in the State's northeast had their wettest year on record

Much warmer than average

• Victoria's fifth-warmest year on record, with the State mean temperature 0.90 °C above average
• Mean minimum temperatures were warmest on record (1.06 °C above average) and mean maximum temperatures were 0.74 °C above average
• Apart from the far west of the State, most of Victoria experienced mean temperatures that were very much above average
• The much warmer than average temperatures at the end of 2015 for Victoria continued into 2016: each of the months from January to September were warmer than average overall and autumn 2016 was Victoria's warmest on record
• Temperatures during October and November were cooler than average; October was the coolest for Victoria as a whole since 2003
• A prolonged heatwave affected Victoria in March: persistent heat in northern Victoria exceeded any previous such event in March, with temperatures ten degrees or more above average in those northern areas from 5-9 March
• In late December, Coldstream had its warmest night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record
• Sites across the State had their warmest mean daily minimum temperatures on record
• There were several significant bushfires around the State during the year

Thunderstorms and strong winds

• More than one-third of days during the year recorded wind gusts over 90 km/h somewhere in the State
• The passage of a vigorous cold front on 18 March resulted in Victoria's strongest recorded wind gust for the year: 165 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse
• Thunderstorms and fronts during the year brought significant impacts including flash flooding, damaging winds, downed trees, damaged homes, blackouts, golf-ball sized hail, crop damage and outbreaks of asthma to areas of the State

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Extremes in 2016
Hottest day	45.6 °C at Echuca Aerodrome on 13 Jan
Warmest days on average	24.8 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest days on average	9.4 °C at Falls Creek
Coldest day	-4.6 °C at Mount Hotham on 24 Jun -4.6 °C at Mount Hotham on 13 Jul
Coldest night	-8.0 °C at Mount Hotham on 13 Jul -8.0 °C at Mount Hotham on 14 Jul
Coolest nights on average	3.1 °C at Falls Creek
Warmest nights on average	12.9 °C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Warmest night	28.9 °C at Mildura Airport on 26 Dec
Warmest on average overall	18.0 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest on average overall	6.3 °C at Falls Creek
Wettest overall	2105.0 mm at Mount Buller
Driest overall	358.6 mm at Mildura Airport
Wettest day	158.6 mm at Mount Hotham on 30 Dec
Strongest wind gust	165 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on 18 Mar

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

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Monthly maps
	Rainfall rank	Maximum temperature rank	Minimum temperature rank
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

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Record highest daily rainfall
	New record (mm)		Old record		Years of record
Tarnagulla	76.6	on 14 Sep	76.2	on 18 Feb 1919	127
Manangatang	89.8	on 23 Jan	87.4	on 20 Jan 1979	102
Bullioh (Hindleton)	92.8	on 9 May	90.8	on 16 Oct 2010	49
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	108.0	on 30 Dec	104.8	on 3 Feb 2005	38
Mount Hotham	158.6	on 30 Dec	131.4	on 5 Sep 2010	24

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Record highest annual total rainfall
	New record (mm)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Dartmouth Reservoir	1406.0	1360.8	in 1931	60	1014.1
Mount Buller	2105.0	1971.4	in 1989	23	1548.6
Hunters Hill	1709.4	1691.0	in 2000	22	1209.6

Highest annual total rainfall for at least 20 years
	Observed (mm)	Most recent higher		Annual average
Balmoral (Post Office)	855.8	912.9	in 1889*	617.1
Coleraine (Melville Forest)	826.7	846.2	in 1964*	593.6
Mitta Mitta	1470.4	1532.4	in 1973	1046.4
Apsley (Post Office)	757.8	764.5	in 1973*	571.7
Murchison	745.0	840.4	in 1974*	548.8
Yackandandah	1299.4	1380.2	in 1981*	944.5
Cavendish (Post Office)	801.4	867.2	in 1992*	632.2
Hamilton Airport	839.2	886.6	in 1992*	616.9
Derrinallum (Craigmore)	745.0	912.8	in 1992*	569.1
Kaniva	593.2	612.8	in 1992*	450.1
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	1446.8	1490.4	in 1995	1055.3

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported

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Highest annual mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent higher		Annual average
Gabo Island Lighthouse	19.3	19.7	in 1895*	17.9

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported

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Record highest daily minimum temperature
	New record (°C)		Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Coldstream	24.7	on 29 Dec	24.4	on 12 Jan 2010	23	7.4

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Record highest annual mean daily minimum temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
Kerang	10.6	10.5	in 1988	102	9.4
Ouyen (Post Office)	10.6	= 10.6	in 2009	78	9.7
Laverton RAAF	10.7	10.6	in 2014	72	9.3
Walpeup Research	10.8	= 10.8	in 2014	64	9.9
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	9.4	9.3	in 1981	51	8.4
Kyabram	9.9	9.7	in 2007	49	8.6
Ararat Prison	8.3	= 8.3	in 2011	46	7.0
Lake Eildon	9.0	8.8	in 2010	45	7.9
Melbourne Airport	10.4	= 10.4	in 2007	45	9.6
Essendon Airport	11.0	10.8	in 2014	44	9.3
Castlemaine Prison	9.7	8.7	in 2007	43	7.7
Moorabbin Airport	11.2	11.1	in 2014	43	10.1
Wonthaggi	10.9	10.7	in 2013	42	9.7
Strathbogie	7.2	= 7.2	in 2007	36	6.2
Dartmouth Reservoir	8.8	8.5	in 2011	35	7.6
Bairnsdale Airport	9.2	= 9.2	in 2007	32	8.3
Hamilton Airport	8.5	8.3	in 1988	31	7.6
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport)	9.2	8.9	in 1988	31	8.2
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	10.5	= 10.5	in 2007	30	9.6
Wangaratta Aero	9.0	8.8	in 1988	27	7.5
Bendigo Airport	9.4	8.8	in 2014	24	7.9
Cerberus	10.5	10.4	in 2014	24	9.8
Sheoaks	9.2	= 9.2	in 2007	24	8.4
Gelantipy	7.5	= 7.5	in 2007	23	6.7
Coldstream	8.5	8.3	in 2011	21	7.4
Combienbar AWS	9.6	= 9.6	in 2014	21	9.0
Avalon Airport	10.1	= 10.1	in 2007	20	9.3

Highest annual mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent higher		Annual average
Echuca Aerodrome	10.1	10.5	in 1973*	9.3
Ballarat Aerodrome	7.9	8.0	in 1978*	7.1
Mangalore Airport	9.4	9.5	in 1988	8.4
Maryborough	8.9	=8.9	in 1988	8.0
East Sale Airport	9.1	9.3	in 1990	8.2
Longerenong	8.5	8.8	in 1990*	7.9
Scoresby Research Institute	10.5	10.9	in 1988*	9.5

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported

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Record highest annual mean temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Annual average
East Sale Airport	14.8	= 14.8	in 2014	70	13.9
Wangaratta Aero	15.7	= 15.7	in 2007	27	14.8

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for 2016
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean for 2016	Diff from average	Highest for 2016		Mean for 2016	Diff from average	Lowest for 2016		Total for 2016	Average annual total	Rank of 2016	Fraction of annual average
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport	24.8	+1.0	44.5	13 Jan	11.1	+0.8	-1.7	13 Jun	358.6	290.6	high	123%
Ouyen (Post Office)	24.5	+0.8	44.5	23 Feb	10.6	+0.9	0.2	3 Sep	410.4	330.4	high	124%
Walpeup Research	24.2	+1.0	44.3	23 Feb	10.8	+0.9	0.7	25 Aug	394.0	334.0	high	118%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport	23.5	-0.5	44.3	13 Jan	9.4	+0.7	-2.1	26 Aug	430.2	296.4	high	145%
Swan Hill Aerodrome	23.7	-0.2	45.2	13 Jan	10.1	+0.8	-1.3	26 Aug	362.2	302.1	high	120%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill Aerodrome	22.0	-0.6	42.1	23 Feb	9.2	+0.6	-0.4	12 Jun	471.2	327.1	v high	144%
Warracknabeal Museum	22.5	+0.1	42.7	13 Jan	9.3	+0.6	-1.0	16 Jul	484.3	393.3	high	123%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport	20.6	-0.6	41.2	8 Mar	9.2	+0.5	-0.5	25 Jun	680.2	485.3	high	140%
Horsham Aerodrome	21.7	-0.5	43.0	13 Jan	8.1	+0.9	-1.5	13 Jun	462.0	370.8	high	125%
Kanagulk	20.5	-0.6	40.8	13 Jan	8.7	+0.6	-0.7	25 Jun	693.8	458.7	v high	151%
Longerenong	21.9	+0.4	43.9	13 Jan	8.5	+0.6	-1.2	13 Jun	507.8	415.6	high	122%
Stawell Aerodrome	20.2	-0.4	40.7	23 Feb	9.2	+0.7	-0.4	12 Jun	641.2	478.2	v high	134%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton	22.8	-0.3	44.1	13 Jan	9.6	+0.6	-0.8	26 Jun	553.0	366.7	high	151%
Echuca Aerodrome	23.1	+0.8	45.6	13 Jan	10.1	+0.8	-0.8	14 Jun	524.9	426.8	high	123%
Kerang	23.5	+0.6	45.0	13 Jan	10.6	+1.2	-0.7	13 Jun	472.1	373.8	high	126%
Kyabram	22.6	+0.9	44.8	13 Jan	9.9	+1.3	-0.8	26 Jun	627.0	448.0	high	140%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport	21.5	+0.4	42.3	13 Jan	9.4	+1.5	-1.7	26 Jun	676.8	514.4	high	132%
Shepparton Airport	22.1	-0.3	44.0	13 Jan	10.0	+1.4	-1.0	26 Jun	640.8	451.6	v high	142%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	21.8	+0.4	43.4	13 Jan	9.4	+1.0	-1.9	26 Jun	623.8	483.4	high	129%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport	22.1		43.7	13 Jan	9.5		-1.8	17 Jul	811.1
Corryong Airport	21.8		41.3	13 Jan			-2.9	6 Aug	1088.0	854.9	high	127%
Dartmouth Reservoir	20.7	+0.2	39.1	13 Jan	8.8	+1.2	-2.6	16 Jun	1406.0	1014.1	highest	139%
Hunters Hill	16.6	+0.2	35.2	13 Jan	8.4	+0.5	-2.5	13 Jul	1709.4	1209.6	highest	141%
Strathbogie	18.8	+0.2	39.8	13 Jan	7.2	+1.0	-3.5	30 May	1164.8	964.5	high	121%
Wangaratta Aero	22.4	+0.3	42.7	13 Jan	9.0	+1.5	-2.0	26 Jun	780.8	615.0	high	127%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Falls Creek	9.4	0.0	25.3	7 Mar	3.1	+0.5	-7.5	13 Jul	1612.6	1273.8	high	127%
Mount Buller	9.6	+0.3	27.7	13 Jan	3.2	+0.4	-7.2	13 Jul	2105.0	1548.6	highest	136%
Omeo	18.6	0.0	35.7	8 Mar	6.3	+0.7	-6.3	15 Jun	917.6	655.5	high	140%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS	18.8	+0.7	37.6	13 Jan	9.6	+0.6	1.6	25 Jun	745.8	993.4	v low	75%
Gabo Island Lighthouse	19.3	+1.4	34.8	13 Dec	12.9	+0.7	6.2	17 Jul	1026.6	942.4	average	109%
Gelantipy	17.0	+0.5	35.4	13 Jan	7.5	+0.8	-1.4	24 Aug	988.4	796.4	high	124%
Mallacoota	20.3	+0.9	36.8	13 Dec	11.5	+0.7	2.4	16 Jun	1030.2	942.0	high	109%
Mount Nowa Nowa	19.2	+0.3	39.9	13 Jan	10.5	+0.5	2.3	24 Jun	1021.2	845.3	high	121%
Point Hicks (Lighthouse)	19.9	+0.9	35.7	13 Feb	12.4	+0.4	3.8	13 Jul	1121.2	970.2	high	116%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport	20.6	+0.4	39.0	23 Feb	9.2	+0.9	-2.4	17 Jul	773.6	650.0	high	119%
Corner Inlet (Yanakie)	18.9		40.2	23 Feb	10.5		1.6	14 Jun	823.2
East Sale Airport	20.4	+0.8	39.7	23 Feb	9.1	+0.9	-2.5	14 Jun	613.4	598.4	average	103%
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport)	20.7	+0.7	40.6	23 Feb	9.2	+1.0	-0.7	17 Jul	813.4	745.2	average	109%
Mount Baw Baw	9.7	+0.3	28.9	13 Jan	3.4	+0.4	-6.6	13 Jul	1696.8	1780.2	average	95%
Nilma North (Warragul)	19.8		42.3	13 Jan	9.4		-2.4	17 Jul	890.6
Pound Creek	19.6		41.2	23 Feb	9.9		-1.0	14 Jun
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	17.3	+0.9	33.5	8 Mar	12.6	+1.3	3.8	26 Jul	1446.8	1055.3	v high	137%
Yarram Airport	19.9		41.0	23 Feb	9.2		-2.2	14 Jun	700.2
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	20.6	+0.5	43.1	13 Jan	10.5	+0.9	0.0	26 Jun	813.0	672.5	high	121%
Cerberus	19.6	+0.5	42.5	13 Jan	10.5	+0.7	0.7	17 Jul	646.2	722.9	low	89%
Coldstream	20.7	+0.3	42.6	13 Jan	8.5	+1.1	-3.6	17 Jul
Essendon Airport	20.5	+0.8	43.8	13 Jan	11.0	+1.7	1.1	31 May	615.6	587.9	average	105%
Ferny Creek	16.8		38.9	13 Jan	9.2		0.5	13 Jul	1483.0
Frankston AWS			38.4	13 Jan	12.1	+0.5	3.8	23 Jul
Melbourne (Olympic Park)	20.3		42.2	13 Jan	12.0		3.0	26 Jun	599.6
Melbourne Airport	20.4	+0.6	43.6	13 Jan	10.4	+0.8	1.0	31 May	600.8	542.0	average	111%
Moorabbin Airport	20.4	+0.6	42.9	13 Jan	11.2	+1.1	0.8	17 Jul	712.2	709.3	average	100%
Rhyll	19.2	+0.6	40.2	13 Jan	12.3	+0.6	4.4	13 Jul	681.8	691.8	average	99%
Scoresby Research Institute	20.6	+1.0	42.9	13 Jan	10.5	+1.0	0.6	24 Aug	876.8	859.2	average	102%
Viewbank	20.9	+0.1	43.8	13 Jan	10.7	+0.8	0.0	17 Jul	720.6	656.6	high	110%
Wonthaggi			39.5	23 Feb	10.9	+1.2	2.6	17 Jul
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	20.5	+0.2	44.4	13 Jan	10.1	+0.8	-0.3	17 Jul	526.0	459.9	high	114%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse)	20.0		43.7	13 Jan	10.6		0.2	17 Jul	600.2
Laverton RAAF	20.3	+0.6	43.8	13 Jan	10.7	+1.4	0.3	31 May	534.8	536.5	average	100%
Sheoaks	19.3	+0.5	42.2	13 Jan	9.2	+0.8	-1.1	17 Jul	525.2	495.6	average	106%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison			40.3	13 Jan	9.7	+2.0	-0.5	12 Jun
Eildon Fire Tower	17.7	-0.2	39.3	13 Jan	8.9	+0.4	0.3	13 Jul	861.8	645.6	high	133%
Lake Eildon	21.1	+0.6	42.5	13 Jan	9.0	+1.1	0.0	5 Aug	943.8	850.0	high	111%
Mangalore Airport	21.3	+0.2	43.2	13 Jan	9.4	+1.0	-2.0	25 Jun	685.0	568.3	high	121%
Maryborough	20.9	+0.4	41.7	13 Jan	8.9	+0.9	-1.9	26 Jun	660.7	528.1	high	125%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)	17.3	+0.5	39.7	13 Jan	8.6	+0.6	-0.5	24 Jul	855.2	688.0	high	124%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison	20.0	+0.8	39.8	23 Feb	8.3	+1.3	-1.0	5 Aug	772.3	585.8	v high	132%
Ballarat Aerodrome	18.2	+0.8	39.5	13 Jan	7.9	+0.8	-2.0	26 Jun	740.6	689.9	average	107%
Westmere	19.6		41.9	13 Jan	8.1		-1.6	5 Aug	670.2	520.8	high	129%
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet	18.9	+0.6	38.6	23 Feb	11.0	+0.4	1.6	13 Jul	714.6	628.8	high	114%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	17.8	+0.2	36.5	17 Mar	11.7	+0.2	4.6	13 Jul	867.0	709.5	high	122%
Cape Otway Lighthouse	17.5	+0.2	36.0	23 Feb	11.6	+1.0	3.9	13 Jul	982.8	894.2	high	110%
Casterton	19.6	-0.5	38.9	23 Feb	8.8	+0.5	-0.3	24 Aug	843.6	643.3	high	131%
Colac (Mount Gellibrand)	18.5	+0.1	42.0	13 Jan	9.3	+0.5	0.9	13 Jul	679.0	538.8	high	126%
Dartmoor	19.5		39.2	13 Jan	9.0		-0.7	23 Aug	864.2
Hamilton Airport	19.2	0.0	40.9	13 Jan	8.5	+0.9	0.2	24 Aug	839.2	616.9	v high	136%
Mortlake Racecourse	19.6	+0.4	42.0	13 Jan	8.2	+0.7	-1.4	5 Aug	729.2	576.0	v high	127%
Port Fairy AWS	18.4	-0.2	39.7	13 Jan			2.1	26 Jun	600.8	688.0	low	87%
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	17.9	+0.3	37.2	13 Jan	9.8	+0.5	0.4	30 May	1117.0	837.6	v high	133%
Warrnambool Airport NDB	18.8	-0.2	41.5	13 Jan	9.0	+0.5	0.1	5 Aug	907.2	729.2	high	124%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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