Tuesday, 1 April 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in March 2008
A Hot and Mostly Dry Month - Many Records Tumble!

Summary

Victoria experienced a hot and mostly dry March 2008, with many records for extreme heat tumbling.

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Rainfall

Rainfall totals were below normal in many areas, although some useful rain later in the month meant that the departures from normal were not great in most cases. The wettest overall was 113.4 mm at Weeaproinah. The driest overall was 0.4 mm at Walpeup Research. The wettest single day 37.8 mm at Stawell Aerodrome on the 25th. Some sites had their lowest total March rainfall on record. Some sites had their lowest total March rainfall for at least 20 years.

Temperature

The hottest day was 42.0°C at Avalon Airport on the 16th. The warmest days on average were 31.9°C at Ouyen (Post Office). The coolest days on average were 14.0°C at Mt Hotham. The coldest day was 1.2°C at Mt Hotham on the 29th. Some sites had their highest March temperature on record. Some sites had their coldest March day (lowest maximum temperature) on record. Some sites had their highest March mean daily maximum temperature on record. Some sites had their highest March mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years.

The coldest night was −3.6°C at Mt Hotham on the 1st, and also on the 27th. The coolest nights on average were 6.3°C at Mt Hotham. The warmest nights on average were 15.4°C at Gabo Island Lighthouse. The warmest night was 26.9°C at Melbourne on the 18th. Some sites had their lowest March temperature on record. Some sites had their warmest March night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Wind

The strongest wind gust was 117 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 31st.

Further information

Dr Harvey Stern
Climate Meteorologist
Victoria Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4956
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au

Extremes

Hottest day
Highest temperature		 42.0°C at Avalon Airport on the 16th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 31.9°C at Ouyen (Post Office)
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 14.0°C at Mt Hotham
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 1.2°C at Mt Hotham on the 29th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −3.6°C at Mt Hotham on the 1st
−3.6°C at Mt Hotham on the 27th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 6.3°C at Mt Hotham
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 15.4°C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 26.7°C at Sheoaks on the 18th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 113.4 mm at Weeaproinah
Driest overall
Lowest total rainfall		 0.4 mm at Walpeup Research
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		 37.8 mm at Stawell Aerodrome on the 25th
Highest wind gust
 117 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 31st

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Records

Record lowest total March rainfall
Total rainfall
for March 2008 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for March		 Years of
record		 Normal for
March
Noojee (Slivar) 23.0 23.6 in 2006 27 68.7

Lowest total March rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for March 2008 (mm) 		Most recent lower
for March		 Years since
lower		 Normal for
March
East Sale Airport 8.4 5.0 in 1986 22 49.3
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 11.4 8.8 in 1986 22 44.5


Record highest March temperature
Highest temperature
in March 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for March		 Years of
record		 Normal for
March
Cape Otway Lighthouse 39.7 on the 17th 39.0 on the 11th in 1978 114 19.8
Ouyen (Post Office) 41.5 on the 13th = 41.5 on the 12th in 1998 52 28.4
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 36.9 on the 14th 36.8 on the 12th in 1998 52 19.2
Casterton Showgrounds 40.4 on the 17th 40.1 on the 7th in 1966 47 24.4
Longerenong 40.7 on the 16th 40.4 on the 7th in 1991 44 26.1
Kerang 41.0 on the 14th 40.8 on the 12th in 2006 43 27.7
Heywood Forestry 41.0 on the 17th 39.4 on the 7th in 1966 39 22.9
Lake Eildon 39.1 on the 15th 37.8 on the 7th in 1991 39 25.5
Point Hicks (Lighthouse) 37.8 on the 16th 37.7 on the 21st in 1980 38 22.0
Wonthaggi 39.3 on the 16th 38.8 on the 12th in 1998 38 22.6
Weeaproinah 35.9 on the 17th 34.9 on the 1st in 1989 27 18.2
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 40.5 on the 17th 39.4 on the 6th in 1986 26 20.9
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 40.4 on the 16th 40.1 on the 12th in 1998 25 24.2
Hamilton Airport 39.6 on the 16th 39.4 on the 2nd in 2000 24 24.0
Mount Buller 25.3 on the 15th 24.7 on the 8th in 1991 24 14.2
Noojee (Slivar) 37.4 on the 16th = 37.4 on the 7th in 1991 24 22.5
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve 37.2 on the 17th 35.2 on the 2nd in 2000 22 22.2


Record lowest March daily maximum temperature
Lowest daily maximum
temperature
in March 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for March		 Years of
record		 Normal for
March
Hamilton Airport 14.1 on the 26th 14.6 on the 20th in 2003 24 24.0


Record highest March mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for March 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for March		 Years of
record		 Normal for
March
Longerenong 30.2 29.4 in 1985 66 26.1
Laverton RAAF 26.8 26.2 in 1974 65 23.6
Mildura Airport 31.7 31.4 in 1986 62 28.3
Scoresby Research Institute 27.5 26.7 in 1974 50 23.9
Casterton Showgrounds 28.2 28.1 in 1974 47 24.4
Kyabram DPI 29.2 29.1 in 1986 43 26.4
Ararat Prison 27.3 26.9 in 2006 39 23.7
Melbourne Airport 27.1 26.3 in 1974 38 23.9
Point Hicks (Lighthouse) 24.0 23.7 in 1978 38 22.0
Wonthaggi 25.5 25.2 in 1974 38 22.6
Moorabbin Airport 26.5 26.0 in 1974 37 23.6
Warracknabeal Museum 30.5 29.6 in 2006 35 27.0
Bairnsdale Airport 25.9 = 25.9 in 1998 27 23.6
Weeaproinah 21.5 20.9 in 2006 27 18.2
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 23.5 22.7 in 2006 26 20.9
Bundoora (Latrobe University) 27.4 26.5 in 1985 25 24.1
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 27.3 26.7 in 2006 25 24.2
Hamilton Airport 27.5 26.2 in 2006 24 24.0
Noojee (Slivar) 26.1 24.9 in 2006 24 22.5

Highest March mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for March 2008 (°C) 		Most recent higher
for March		 Years since
higher		 Normal for
March
Cape Otway Lighthouse 22.6 24.2 in 1898 110 19.8
Echuca Aerodrome 30.3 32.2 in 1940 68 27.1
Melbourne Regional Office 27.1 28.9 in 1940 68 23.8
Ouyen (Post Office) 31.9 33.2 in 1940 68 28.4
Ballarat Aerodrome 25.9 27.5 in 1940 67 22.2
Nhill 31.0 31.3 in 1940 67 26.4
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 22.0 22.9 in 1940 67 19.2
Kerang 31.5 33.0 in 1940 59 27.7
Maryborough 29.0 30.7 in 1940 59 25.4
Horsham Polkemmet Rd 30.1 30.1 in 1940 58 26.4
Walpeup Research 31.7 32.1 in 1940 58 27.8
Essendon Airport 27.2 29.2 in 1940 38 23.8
East Sale Airport 25.7 26.4 in 1974 34 23.4
Castlemaine Prison 27.6 28.5 in 1974 29 24.6
Orbost (Comparison) 26.1 26.2 in 1982 23 23.8
Lake Eildon 28.3 28.4 in 1986 22 25.5
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 28.7 28.8 in 1986 22 26.2


Record highest March daily minimum temperature
Highest daily minimum
temperature
in March 2008 (°C) 		Previous highest
for March		 Years of
record		 Normal for
March
Laverton RAAF 25.8 on the 18th 24.0 on the 19th in 2003 65 12.5
Ballarat Aerodrome 22.1 on the 18th 21.6 on the 4th in 1983 51 9.9
Scoresby Research Institute 25.2 on the 18th 23.2 on the 2nd in 1974 41 12.4
Essendon Airport 25.1 on the 18th 23.9 on the 8th in 1966 39 12.2
Melbourne Airport 24.3 on the 18th 24.0 on the 12th in 1985 38 12.6
Wonthaggi 22.0 on the 18th 21.5 on the 3rd in 1974 38 12.1
Moorabbin Airport 24.0 on the 18th 22.3 on the 19th in 2003 37 12.8
Bundoora (Latrobe University) 24.7 on the 18th 23.4 on the 11th in 2002 25 12.3
Mount Buller 17.2 on the 17th 16.8 on the 21st in 1986 24 6.5
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve 24.2 on the 18th 21.2 on the 19th in 2003 22 12.8


Record lowest March temperature
Lowest temperature
in March 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for March		 Years of
record		 Normal for
March
Longerenong 0.9 on the 28th 1.2 on the 26th in 2005 44 10.7


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Summaries

This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.

Summary statistics for March 2008
Maximum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Rainfall
for March
(millimetres)
Mean for
March
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
March
2008		 Mean for
March
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
March
2008		 Total for
March
2008		 Normal
for
March		 Rank of
March
2008		 Fraction of
March
normal
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport 31.7 +3.4 40.6 13th 14.8 +1.0 5.2 30th 11.6 17.9 normal 65%
Ouyen 31.9 +3.5 41.5 13th 14.5 +1.7 5.0 27th 3.2 19.7 low 16%
Walpeup Research 31.7 +3.8 41.1 13th 15.0 +2.0 4.5 27th 0.4 20.9 very low 2%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport 31.6 41.9 16th 12.5 1.0 28th 1.2
Swan Hill Aerodrome 31.8 +3.5 40.6 14th 13.7 +1.5 4.1 30th 4.2 9.7 normal 43%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill 31.0 +4.6 40.4 16th 11.3 +0.4 2.6 1st 6.0 20.7 low 29%
Nhill Aerodrome 30.5 40.8 13th 12.4 2.6 28th 8.8
Warracknabeal Museum 30.5 +3.5 40.6 16th 12.9 +1.1 4.2 28th 22.4 20.0 normal 112%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport 29.1 40.8 17th 12.0 2.5 28th 32.8
Grampians 20.2 32.2 16th 11.1 1.1 27th 17.2
Horsham Aerodrome 30.1 +3.4 41.0 16th 10.5 +0.9 3.0 27th 7.6 11.3 normal 67%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd 30.1 +3.7 40.4 16th 11.1 −0.1 2.9 27th 11.2 22.8 normal 49%
Kanagulk 28.9 39.9 16th 11.6 2.4 28th 18.6
Longerenong 30.2 +4.1 40.7 16th 11.5 +0.8 0.9 28th 6.8 21.9 normal 31%
Pyrenees 23.4 35.6 16th 12.9 2.7 27th 42.4
Stawell Aerodrome 28.3 +3.1 39.1 16th 11.6 +0.6 3.7 28th 45.0 19.8 high 227%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton 30.5 40.8 16th 13.5 4.2 30th 15.6
Echuca Aerodrome 30.3 +3.2 40.1 14th 13.3 +0.5 5.4 30th 7.2 29.7 low 24%
Kerang 31.5 +3.7 41.0 14th 14.0 +1.3 6.0 30th 29.2 26.6 normal 110%
Kyabram DPI 29.2 +2.8 38.5 14th 13.1 +0.8 5.8 1st 17.8 25.8 normal 69%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport 28.9 +3.2 38.5 14th 12.1 +0.9 2.3 30th 13.8 21.2 normal 65%
Shepparton Airport 29.4 +1.9 38.6 14th 12.7 +0.9 5.0 29th 28.6 17.2 high 166%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 28.7 +2.5 37.8 14th 12.0 +0.3 3.7 29th 17.0 32.0 normal 53%
Yarrawonga 30.0 +2.4 39.3 14th 13.8 +1.6 5.7 28th 24.8 24.6 normal 101%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Beechworth Woolshed 28.4 +1.9 37.4 14th 10.6 +1.1 1.1 1st 30.1 41.3 normal 73%
Benalla Airport 29.3 38.9 15th 12.1 3.4 29th 37.4
Corryong Airport 28.6 37.0 15th 9.4 1.6 1st 52.0
Dartmouth Reservoir 26.9 +1.0 35.5 16th 10.6 −0.2 2.0 29th 46.4 57.4 normal 81%
Hunters Hill 22.6 +1.0 31.3 15th 12.9 +1.7 4.4 27th 35.0 52.0 low 67%
Rutherglen Research 29.3 +2.0 38.5 15th 11.7 +0.8 1.8 1st 35.4 37.4 normal 95%
Strathbogie 25.9 +1.9 35.4 15th 9.2 +0.2 0.8 29th 20.2 56.0 low 36%
Wangaratta Aero 29.4 +1.9 38.9 14th 10.3 −0.1 2.4 1st 39.6 31.9 normal 124%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain 20.2 29.8 16th 7.0 −3.1 1st 25.0
Falls Creek 15.0 +0.9 24.7 15th 7.4 +1.5 −2.4 28th 58.6 78.7 normal 74%
Mount Buller 15.5 +1.3 25.3 15th 8.0 +1.5 −1.7 27th 52.0 73.1 normal 71%
Mt Hotham 14.0 +0.9 21.9 15th 6.3 +0.6 −3.6 1st 75.0 80.2 normal 94%
Omeo 25.0 35.1 15th 8.2 0.7 2nd 25.2
Omeo Comparison 24.9 +2.2 34.8 16th 8.0 +0.3 1.1 31st 26.2 53.7 low 49%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS 24.1 +2.9 36.1 16th 12.9 +1.4 5.1 28th 16.6 59.8 very low 28%
Gabo Island Lighthouse 21.6 +0.9 25.2 16th 15.4 0 10.0 29th 12.0 72.0 very low 17%
Gelantipy 22.1 +2.3 32.4 16th 10.7 +1.6 3.7 29th 30.2 50.2 low 60%
Lakes Entrance 24.3 39.0 14th 12.7 8.1 29th 14.2
Mallacoota 23.3 +1.3 33.6 16th 14.5 +0.7 7.9 29th 12.4 70.5 very low 18%
Mt Nowa Nowa 24.8 +2.5 38.0 14th 13.6 +1.0 7.2 28th 24.8 41.4 low 60%
Orbost 25.6 39.0 14th 13.1 5.8 29th 28.4
Orbost 26.1 +2.3 39.1 14th 12.3 +0.4 4.6 29th 28.4 68.0 low 42%
Point Hicks 24.0 +2.0 37.8 16th 15.3 +0.3 9.5 29th 36.2 64.6 low 56%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport 25.9 +2.3 38.9 14th 10.6 −0.4 3.0 29th 10.8 41.2 very low 26%
East Sale Airport 25.7 +2.3 39.0 16th 10.3 −1.2 4.1 29th 8.4 49.3 very low 17%
Morwell 27.3 +3.1 40.4 16th 10.0 −1.2 2.1 29th 11.4 44.5 very low 26%
Mt Baw Baw 15.4 +1.4 26.1 17th 8.2 +2.3 −2.2 28th 60.0 84.6 low 71%
Mt Moornapa 23.6 +1.8 36.3 16th 12.9 +1.4 5.8 28th 1.2 46.1 very low 3%
Noojee 26.1 +3.6 37.4 16th 8.7 −0.8 1.6 1st 23.0 68.7 lowest 33%
Pound Creek 26.0 40.0 16th 10.0 1.7 1st 32.2
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 22.0 +2.8 36.9 14th 15.0 +0.9 9.9 27th 62.4 69.8 normal 89%
Yarram Airport 25.8 40.5 14th 9.9 2.9 22nd 18.2
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora 27.4 +3.3 39.8 16th 13.1 +0.8 5.7 1st 52.3 43.0 high 122%
Cerberus 25.4 +2.7 39.7 16th 11.6 −0.6 3.0 1st 23.2 43.7 low 53%
Coldstream 27.7 +2.8 39.2 15th 8.9 −0.2 1.5 1st 42.4 43.2 normal 98%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens 26.7 +3.6 39.2 16th 11.6 −0.6 5.5 1st 22.3 39.2 low 57%
Essendon Airport 27.2 +3.4 39.8 16th 13.1 +0.8 5.5 1st 25.8 39.3 normal 66%
Ferny Creek 23.3 +3.6 35.7 16th 12.0 +0.9 5.6 30th 41.6 71.6 low 58%
Frankston AWS 24.7 +2.5 37.1 13th 14.5 +0.2 9.0 1st
Melbourne Airport 27.1 +3.2 39.1 16th 12.9 +0.4 5.4 1st 21.4 36.0 low 59%
Melbourne Regional Office 27.1 +3.3 39.2 14th 14.6 +1.3 8.3 30th 68.0 49.5 high 137%
Moorabbin Airport 26.5 +2.9 39.9 16th 12.6 −0.2 4.7 1st 25.4 45.2 low 56%
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve 24.2 +2.0 37.2 17th 12.6 −0.2 4.2 1st 22.4 52.3 low 43%
Rhyll 24.7 +2.6 36.8 16th 14.8 +0.5 9.9 27th 25.2 33.2 normal 76%
Scoresby Research Institute 27.5 +3.5 39.1 16th 12.1 −0.3 3.8 1st 32.6 53.0 low 62%
Viewbank 27.8 39.6 16th 12.5 5.0 30th 55.0
Wallan 24.4 +3.4 35.2 15th 11.7 +1.1 4.4 1st 34.4 37.8 normal 91%
Wonthaggi 25.5 +3.0 39.3 16th 11.6 −0.5 4.6 1st 36.6 60.8 low 60%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport 26.8 +2.9 42.0 16th 12.2 0 6.2 30th 24.4 27.6 normal 88%
Geelong Airport 26.0 +3.1 41.5 16th 11.8 −0.2 6.3 30th 19.4 29.8 normal 65%
Laverton RAAF 26.8 +3.3 40.9 16th 12.6 +0.1 5.6 1st 20.6 35.0 normal 59%
Point Wilson 22.2 +0.6 36.2 17th 14.2 −0.6 9.3 27th
Sheoaks 26.1 +3.5 39.0 16th 11.5 +0.6 4.6 22nd 17.8 19.8 normal 90%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison 27.6 +3.0 37.1 16th 11.3 +0.6 1.3 28th 30.3 32.4 normal 94%
Eildon Fire Tower 25.2 +2.0 35.9 15th 12.8 +1.6 4.1 28th 31.6 25.9 normal 122%
Lake Eildon 28.3 +2.8 39.1 15th 11.0 +0.5 2.3 28th 35.4 51.8 normal 68%
Mangalore Airport 28.1 +2.0 36.6 13th 12.0 −0.2 4.2 29th 16.2 32.7 normal 50%
Maryborough 29.0 +3.7 39.0 14th 11.6 +0.4 3.0 30th 13.6 28.9 normal 47%
Redesdale 28.4 +3.5 38.1 14th 11.3 +1.0 1.4 30th 21.2 31.8 normal 67%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison 27.3 +3.6 38.4 16th 9.7 +0.3 1.5 28th 23.2 30.9 normal 75%
Ballarat Aerodrome 25.9 +3.8 37.0 14th 10.4 +0.4 1.4 30th 22.4 42.3 normal 53%
Westmere 27.7 39.9 16th 9.6 1.0 28th 13.0
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet 24.1 +3.0 40.7 17th 13.6 +0.3 7.8 30th 35.0 30.1 normal 116%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse 22.7 +2.9 40.6 17th 14.2 +0.3 9.4 28th 43.4 33.8 high 128%
Cape Otway Lighthouse 22.6 +2.8 39.7 17th 14.0 +0.8 9.6 27th 93.4 56.3 high 166%
Casterton 28.3 40.9 17th 11.4 2.2 28th 25.8
Casterton Showgrounds 28.2 +3.8 40.4 17th 10.8 0 2.0 28th 22.2 36.1 low 61%
Colac 26.0 39.8 17th 11.6 5.1 30th 18.2
Hamilton Airport 27.5 +3.5 39.6 16th 11.0 +0.9 4.2 28th 32.0 33.4 normal 96%
Mortlake Racecourse 27.4 +3.9 40.3 17th 10.3 +0.6 3.3 22nd 31.8 27.5 normal 116%
Port Fairy AWS 24.2 +2.9 41.3 17th 12.9 −0.1 8.2 3rd 50.4 33.6 high 150%
Portland 23.5 +2.6 40.5 17th 12.0 +0.4 5.7 20th 50.2 45.4 normal 111%
Warrnambool Airport Ndb 25.9 +3.2 40.7 17th 10.9 +0.4 4.0 2nd 37.2 42.5 normal 88%
Weeaproinah 21.5 +3.3 35.9 17th 11.1 +0.6 5.4 27th 113.4 111.3 normal 102%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 9 am on Tuesday 1 April 2008. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Normals are long-term means based on observations from the years 1895 to date. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record in that time, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of "normal" rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3, normal in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of normal shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Further information

Dr Harvey Stern
Climate Meteorologist
Victoria Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4956
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au