Monday, 2 June 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in May 2008
Mostly Dry May in Victoria, with Cool Nights.

Summary

Victoria experienced a mostly dry May, the exceptions being the Western and Central Districts with near normal rainfall totals. Nights were cooler than normal at most places. There was a notable spell of severe frosts late in in the month. Temperatures during the daytime were mostly close to normal

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Rainfall

The wettest overall was 141.2 mm at Weeaproinah. The driest overall was 8.4 mm at Gelantipy. The wettest single day 35.2 mm at Stawell Aerodrome on the 17th. Some sites had their lowest total May rainfall on record. Some sites had their lowest total May rainfall for at least 20 years.

Melbourne received 44.0 mm of rain, slightly below the long-term average of 56.8 mm.

Temperature

The hottest day was 24.3°C at Ouyen (Post Office) on the 14th. The warmest days on average were 19.8°C at Mildura Airport. The coolest days on average were 4.6°C at Mount Hotham. The coldest day was −1.7°C at Mount Hotham on the 17th.

Melbourne CBD's average maximum temperature of 17.3°C, was slightly above the long-term average of 16.7°C. Temperatures in the more exposed suburban areas, away from most of the warming impact of the inner-city "heat island", were somewhat lower, Tullamarine having an average maximum temperature of 16.2°C, slightly below the long-term average of 16.6°C.

The coldest night was −7.2°C at Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport) on the 24th. The coolest nights on average were −0.2°C at Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport), followed by −0.2°C at Mount Hotham. The warmest nights on average were 11.8°C at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse. The warmest night was 14.3°C at Gabo Island Lighthouse on the 10th. Some sites had their lowest May temperature on record.

Melbourne CBD's average minimum temperature of 9.0°C, was slightly above the long-term average of 8.8°C, but 2.2°C, recorded on 24 May, was the lowest May temperature recorded in the CBD since 20 May 1981. Temperatures in the more exposed suburban areas, away from most of the warming impact of the inner-city "heat island", were somewhat lower, Tullamarine having an average minimum temperature of 7.7°C, slightly below the long-term average of 8.3°C. Several suburbs registered their lowest autumn temperature on record (Scoresby with −0.3°C, Essendon with 0.1°C, and Moorabbin with 0.0°C, all on 24 May).

Wind

The strongest wind gust was 113 km/h at Mount Hotham on the 17th.

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		 24.3°C at Ouyen (Post Office) on the 14th
Warmest days on average
Highest mean daily maximum temperature		 19.8°C at Mildura Airport
Coolest days on average
Lowest mean daily maximum temperature		 4.6°C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day
Lowest daily maximum temperature		 −1.7°C at Mount Hotham on the 17th
Coldest night
Lowest temperature		 −7.2°C at Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport) on the 24th
Coolest nights on average
Lowest mean daily minimum temperature		 −0.2°C at Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport)
−0.2°C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average
Highest mean daily minimum temperature		 11.8°C at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse
Warmest night
Highest daily minimum temperature		 14.3°C at Gabo Island Lighthouse on the 10th
Wettest overall
Highest total rainfall		 141.2 mm at Weeaproinah
Driest overall
Lowest total rainfall		 8.4 mm at Gelantipy
Wettest day
Highest daily rainfall		 35.2 mm at Stawell Aerodrome on the 17th
Highest wind gust
 113 km/h at Mount Hotham on the 17th

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Records

Record lowest total May rainfall
Total rainfall
for May 2008 (mm) 		Previous lowest
for May		 Years of
record		 Normal for
May
Gabo Island Lighthouse 13.6 13.7 in 1976 114 97.3
Mallacoota 13.2 14.8 in 1975 33 86.6

Lowest total May rainfall for at least 20 years
Total rainfall
for May 2008 (mm) 		Most recent lower
for May		 Years since
lower		 Normal for
May
Orbost (Comparison) 11.1 3.8 in 1947 61 70.9
Point Hicks (Lighthouse) 29.9 28.0 in 1975 33 97.3


Record lowest May temperature
Lowest temperature
in May 2008 (°C) 		Previous lowest
for May		 Years of
record		 Normal for
May
Scoresby Research Institute −0.3 on the 24th −0.1 on the 10th in 1997 42 8.3
Essendon Airport 0.1 on the 24th 0.4 on the 24th in 2003 40 7.7
Moorabbin Airport 0.0 on the 24th 0.2 on the 19th in 1981 37 8.7
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) −2.6 on the 24th −2.2 on the 31st in 2003 25 6.6
Willow Grove (Blue Rock Reservoir) 1.5 on the 26th 1.7 on the 18th in 2000 20 7.7


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Summaries

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

Summary statistics for May 2008
Maximum temperatures
for May
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for May
(°C)		 Rainfall
for May
(millimetres)
Mean for
May
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Highest for
May
2008		 Mean for
May
2008		 Diff
from
normal		 Lowest for
May
2008		 Total for
May
2008		 Normal
for
May		 Rank of
May
2008		 Fraction of
May
normal
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport 19.8 +0.8 24.0 25th 6.5 −0.9 −0.4 29th 14.6 25.4 normal 57%
Ouyen 19.2 +0.4 24.3 14th 6.8 −0.4 0.9 29th 19.9 32.0 normal 62%
Walpeup Research 19.0 +0.7 24.1 14th 7.6 −0.1 2.9 29th 18.8 31.1 normal 60%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport 18.6 23.4 14th 4.4 −2.2 29th 29.4
Swan Hill Aerodrome 18.7 0 22.9 5th 5.3 −0.7 −0.6 29th 20.6 24.6 normal 84%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill 17.3 −0.1 23.2 14th 5.2 −0.7 −0.3 28th 35.8 39.8 normal 90%
Nhill Aerodrome 17.6 23.3 14th 6.1 0.5 28th 30.8
Warracknabeal Museum 17.6 −0.3 22.6 14th 5.9 −0.6 1.2 29th 37.8 39.8 normal 95%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport 16.5 22.8 14th 7.4 0.6 28th 49.0
Grampians 8.6 14.7 9th 4.0 0.0 17th 117.6
Horsham Aerodrome 17.3 −0.4 22.0 14th 4.7 −0.3 −1.0 28th 37.8 30.0 normal 126%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd 17.4 +0.2 22.5 14th 5.5 −0.6 −0.4 30th 34.7 45.6 normal 76%
Kanagulk 16.6 21.1 14th 6.7 0.1 28th 32.6
Longerenong 17.2 +0.1 21.8 14th 5.0 −1.0 −1.1 28th 37.2 41.5 normal 90%
Pyrenees 10.6 14.3 15th 5.4 1.8 17th 65.4
Stawell Aerodrome 16.1 −0.4 19.8 15th 5.4 −0.5 1.2 28th 64.0 36.0 high 178%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton 17.2 21.1 5th 5.3 0.9 29th 34.8
Echuca Aerodrome 17.8 +0.2 22.4 15th 4.7 −2.0 1.0 4th 19.4 39.6 normal 49%
Kerang 18.5 +0.5 22.8 5th 5.8 −0.9 1.9 30th 19.8 35.5 normal 56%
Kyabram DPI 17.2 0 20.9 15th 5.3 −0.8 1.7 29th 28.2 43.1 normal 65%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport 16.3 −0.2 19.7 10th 4.5 −0.7 0.2 29th 33.0 48.6 normal 68%
Shepparton Airport 17.0 −0.8 20.8 15th 4.8 −0.6 0.5 24th 42.8 34.3 normal 125%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 17.0 −0.2 20.6 15th 4.2 −1.6 0.2 4th 32.0 46.4 normal 69%
Yarrawonga 17.8 −0.4 22.0 15th 5.4 −0.7 1.2 31st 18.6 34.3 normal 54%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport 17.1 21.0 10th 4.1 0.4 15th 38.9
Corryong Airport 15.9 20.3 11th 3.2 −1.0 24th 25.9
Dartmouth Reservoir 15.9 −0.1 21.0 9th 4.0 −0.8 0.3 24th 30.4 88.1 low 35%
Hunters Hill 11.4 −0.5 16.2 9th 5.5 −0.1 1.3 18th 46.8 88.5 low 53%
Rutherglen Research 17.2 +0.2 20.8 26th 4.2 −0.2 −0.5 31st 23.2 52.0 low 45%
Strathbogie 13.8 −0.8 18.2 9th −1.6 15th 64.8 97.8 normal 66%
Wangaratta Aero 17.1 −0.4 20.8 10th 3.9 −0.5 0.0 24th 36.0 64.2 normal 56%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain 11.3 17.2 9th −0.2 −7.2 24th 20.6
Falls Creek 6.4 +0.2 13.1 9th 0.7 0 −3.5 18th 26.0 96.6 low 27%
Mount Buller 6.1 −0.3 12.0 9th 1.0 −0.2 −2.8 18th 108.8 140.6 normal 77%
Mount Hotham 4.6 −0.1 10.3 9th −0.2 −0.2 −4.7 18th 55.4 128.4 low 43%
Omeo 14.5 18.2 9th 2.1 −4.9 24th 13.8
Omeo Comparison 14.6 +0.4 18.2 9th 1.9 −0.5 −3.9 24th 18.5 50.0 low 37%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS 14.7 +0.5 19.7 16th 7.3 −0.5 2.8 22nd 9.4 72.1 very low 13%
Gabo Island Lighthouse 17.1 +0.5 21.1 16th 10.7 −0.6 7.8 23rd 13.6 97.3 lowest 14%
Gelantipy 13.3 +0.4 17.2 30th 4.7 −0.2 −1.2 24th 8.4 50.5 very low 17%
Lakes Entrance 17.3 22.5 16th 8.7 1.4 25th 22.4
Mallacoota 17.3 −0.1 22.0 16th 8.8 −0.6 4.3 18th 13.2 86.6 lowest 15%
Mount Nowa Nowa 16.1 +0.2 19.8 16th 8.6 −0.1 4.0 24th 16.6 60.7 very low 27%
Orbost 18.0 23.1 16th 8.2 2.2 24th 12.8
Orbost 18.4 +0.7 21.2 20th 7.1 0 0.9 22nd 11.1 70.9 very low 16%
Point Hicks 16.8 −0.2 23.0 16th 11.0 −0.1 6.1 25th 29.9 97.3 very low 31%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport 18.1 +0.6 23.5 16th 6.7 −0.1 −1.2 24th 22.8 46.9 low 49%
East Sale Airport 17.4 +0.6 22.8 16th 6.5 +0.2 −2.3 24th 46.4 52.6 normal 88%
Morwell 17.0 +0.1 22.3 16th 6.7 +0.1 −2.6 24th 31.4 52.9 low 59%
Mount Baw Baw 6.7 −0.2 11.7 30th 1.6 −0.3 −1.9 22nd 116.2
Mount Moornapa 14.7 0 18.9 16th 8.0 +0.1 2.7 24th 43.6 48.8 normal 89%
Noojee 15.0 −0.3 19.1 15th 5.4 −0.3 −0.6 24th 66.0 80.8 normal 82%
Pound Creek 16.3 20.3 16th 7.4 −0.8 22nd 61.4
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 15.0 +0.1 19.0 16th 11.8 +0.7 8.4 18th 69.8 111.4 low 63%
Yarram Airport 17.5 22.7 16th 6.8 0.6 25th 17.8
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora 16.3 −0.4 20.6 15th 7.3 −0.6 −0.5 24th 39.8 52.2 low 76%
Cerberus 16.2 −0.3 19.4 26th 7.9 −0.5 −0.8 24th 48.0 64.5 normal 74%
Coldstream 15.8 −0.7 20.2 15th 5.5 +0.1 −2.0 24th 80.2 64.6 normal 124%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens 16.3 0 20.5 15th 7.8 −0.7 0.5 24th 49.7 64.0 normal 78%
Essendon Airport 16.8 +0.7 21.2 15th 7.7 +0.1 0.1 24th 32.0 50.1 low 64%
Ferny Creek 11.8 −0.6 16.6 26th 7.3 −0.3 2.3 18th 74.4 88.9 normal 84%
Frankston AWS 15.7 −0.3 20.6 15th 10.3 −0.3 3.2 24th
Melbourne Airport 16.2 −0.4 20.5 15th 7.7 −0.6 2.1 24th 36.4 41.0 normal 89%
Melbourne Regional Office 17.3 +0.6 21.9 15th 9.0 +0.2 2.2 24th 44.0 56.8 normal 77%
Moorabbin Airport 16.7 −0.3 21.2 15th 8.0 −0.6 0.0 24th 44.4 71.5 low 62%
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve 16.2 −0.6 19.9 15th 9.6 +0.7 1.6 13th 75.9 69.3 normal 110%
Rhyll 16.2 0 19.4 15th 10.7 +0.1 7.0 24th 67.0 67.9 normal 99%
Scoresby Research Institute 16.1 −0.1 19.7 15th 7.2 −1.1 −0.3 24th 67.6 90.2 low 75%
Viewbank 16.4 20.6 15th 7.1 0.4 24th 51.8
Wallan 12.4 −0.4 16.4 15th 6.4 −0.5 2.4 18th 37.4 60.7 normal 62%
Wonthaggi 16.5 −0.2 20.6 15th 8.6 0 3.0 22nd 83.6 97.3 normal 86%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport 17.2 +0.1 22.7 15th 6.9 −0.6 0.8 24th 34.0 36.1 normal 94%
Geelong Airport 17.2 +0.1 21.5 15th 7.1 −0.7 1.6 24th 30.6 48.5 normal 63%
Laverton RAAF 16.9 +0.1 21.2 15th 7.5 −0.3 0.6 24th 50.4 47.4 normal 106%
Point Wilson 15.5 −0.5 18.7 30th 10.0 −0.6 6.2 24th
Sheoaks 15.5 0 22.5 15th 6.7 −0.7 0.2 22nd 39.8 31.3 normal 127%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison 15.6 −0.1 19.7 10th 4.7 −0.5 0.4 29th 35.7 58.8 normal 61%
Eildon Fire Tower 12.8 −0.6 16.5 9th 6.0 −0.7 2.7 24th 58.6 59.2 normal 99%
Lake Eildon 15.8 −0.3 19.8 26th 5.3 −0.7 0.1 24th 55.8 77.4 normal 72%
Mangalore Airport 16.5 −0.1 20.2 15th 5.5 −0.6 1.2 19th 33.6 56.6 normal 59%
Maryborough 16.6 +0.4 20.1 9th 5.5 −0.5 1.1 29th 29.5 48.6 normal 61%
Redesdale 15.8 −0.1 19.1 10th 4.5 −0.8 0.8 19th 36.6 57.0 normal 64%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison 15.4 +0.1 19.1 14th 4.8 −0.6 −0.4 12th 41.0 54.6 normal 75%
Ballarat Aerodrome 14.0 +0.4 18.3 26th 4.6 −1.2 0.3 13th 51.6 65.6 normal 79%
Westmere 16.1 21.0 15th 5.8 −1.0 12th 37.2
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet 16.4 +0.2 20.6 14th 9.4 −0.5 6.4 25th 33.0 48.4 low 68%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse 16.6 +0.6 21.1 15th 10.8 0 4.8 28th 51.6 67.2 normal 77%
Cape Otway Lighthouse 15.1 −0.3 18.5 15th 10.4 +0.3 6.4 22nd 56.4 90.7 low 62%
Casterton 16.6 21.6 14th 7.5 −0.5 28th 42.0
Casterton Showgrounds 17.1 +0.4 22.2 14th 7.6 +0.6 0.0 28th 60.4 61.7 normal 98%
Colac 15.0 20.3 15th 7.7 5.3 24th 42.8
Hamilton Airport 20.7 14th 6.3 −0.2 −0.5 28th 43.2 49.1 normal 88%
Mortlake Racecourse 16.3 +0.1 21.3 15th 6.7 +0.1 1.8 28th 34.0 47.8 low 71%
Port Fairy AWS 17.1 +0.3 22.6 15th 8.9 −0.1 3.0 28th 57.2 59.8 normal 96%
Portland 15.9 +0.1 20.6 14th 8.3 +0.1 0.4 28th 54.0 77.1 normal 70%
Warrnambool Airport Ndb 16.3 −0.4 21.8 15th 7.3 +0.1 1.0 28th 54.0 64.6 normal 84%
Weeaproinah 11.9 −0.2 15.6 15th 7.1 −0.2 4.5 24th 141.2 197.4 low 72%

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Notes

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 2 pm on Monday 2 June 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