Friday, 8 January 2021 - Annual Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC56R0

Victoria in 2020: close to average rainfall, warm nights in the east and south

Victorian rainfall in 2020 was close to average over large areas of the state. Most months were drier than average, but several months, particularly in the first half of the year, were wetter than average. Daytime temperatures were close to average across the state away from parts of Gippsland and Northeast. Night-time temperatures were above average in most of the eastern and southern Victoria.

Close to average rainfall

• Victria's total rainfall for the year was close to average overall.
• Total rainfall was above average in some areas, including scattered parts of central Victoria.
• Most months during the year were drier than average, but January, February, April and October were wetter than average.
• In February rainfall for Victoria was 70% above average, the wettest February since 2012.
• April rainfall total for Victoria was more than double the long-term April average; it was the third wettest April on record, and wettest since 1974.
• Victoria had below average rainfall in June, July, and August resulting in an overall dry winter, with below average rainfall across most of Victoria away from Gippsland.
• There were several days with widespread rainfall in December, but the total rainfall for the month was below averge for Victoria as a whole.
• Some sites had their highest daily rainfall on record.
• With 2188.2 mm for the year, Falls Creek (Rocky Valley) was the wettest place in Victoria.
• Some sites had their highest total rainfall since at least 1990.

Warm nights in the east and south

• In 2020, mean minimum temperatures were above average in most of eastern and southern Victoria.
• Mean maximum temperatures were close to average in most of Victoria, except in parts of Gippsland and the Northeast, where days were warmer than average.
• For Victoria as a whole, mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 0.39 °C and 0.55 °C warmer than the annual average respectively.
• The State's mean temperature was 0.47 °C warmer than the annual average, the lowest since 2008.
• The year started with a warmer than average January, followed by close to average mean temperatures in February, March and April.
• May was Victoria's coolest since 2006, with both daytime and night-time temperatures cooler than average for most of the state.
• After close to average mean temperatures in June, July, and August, spring months saw warmer to much warmer than average mean temperatures for Victoria.
• September was Victoria's sixth-warmest on record, and November was Victoria's second-warmest on record, both contributing to the State's third-warmest spring on record.
• Mount Hotham's minimum temperature of -7.9 °C on 5 August was the coldest temperature recorded in Victoria this year.
• Some sites had their highest temperature on record in January.
• The highest temperature for the year in Victoria was 46.2 °C, recorded at Kyabram and Rutherglen Research on 31 January.
• Some sites had their warmest night on record on 1 February, in a warm north-west airflow preceding the arrival of a cold front.
• Mildura and Ouyen had their coldest day on record on 8 July, due to fog and low clouds.
• Stawell Aerodrome had its lowest mean daily maximum temperature on record, and Bairnsdale Airport had its lowest mean daily maximum temperature since 1996.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

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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

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

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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top