Monday, 1 September 2008 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC26R0

Victoria in August 2008
An unusually cool August

After a series of relatively warm Augusts, August 2008 saw temperatures well below the long-term (all years of record) normal. Overnight temperatures were mostly about one degree  below normal whilst daytime temperatures were mostly about one and a half degrees below the long-term normal. Rainfall was close to the long-term normal in most Districts and there was some minor flooding in the Northeast on the 31st. The below normal temperatures that have occurred in August 2008 are not inconsistent with the long-term warming trend which has been observed in recent decades. Even with this warming trend, relatively cool periods are still occurring, but less frequently than hitherto.

In the Melbourne CBD, the average minimum temperature was 7.3 deg C (0.6 deg C above the long-term average over all years of record), whilst the average maximum temperature was 14.7 deg C (only 0.2 deg C below the long-term average). Total August rainfall was 43.8 mm (87% of the long-term average total).

The reason for the relatively mild conditions in the CBD is on account of what is known as the "heat island effect", a feature of the inner areas of most major cities.  This effect occurs on account of the ability of the buildings and roads to absorb heat (and then to re-radiate it back into the atmosphere) more effectively than grassland and forest. This point is effectively illustrated by the fact that away from the city centre at Melbourne Airport, average temperatures were well below the long-term normals, the average August 2008  minimum temperature being 5.2 deg C (0.6 deg C below the long-term average), whilst the average August 2008 maximum temperature was 13.4 deg C (1.0 deg C below the long-term average).

Further information

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

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Summaries

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

Summary statistics for August 2008
	Maximum temperatures for August (°C)				Minimum temperatures for August (°C)				Rainfall for August (millimetres)
	Mean for August 2008	Diff from normal	Highest for August 2008		Mean for August 2008	Diff from normal	Lowest for August 2008		Total for August 2008	Normal for August	Rank of August 2008	Fraction of August normal
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport	15.6	−1.6	20.9	29th	4.4	−0.8	0.7	23rd	33.2	26.8	average	124%
Ouyen	15.2	−1.9	20.3	29th	4.0	−1.1	1.2	23rd	39.2	32.8	average	120%
Walpeup Research	14.8	−1.5	20.7	29th	3.9	−1.4	−0.6	23rd	32.8	35.0	average	94%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport	14.5		20.1	29th	2.3		−3.9	23rd	28.6
Swan Hill Aerodrome	15.0	−1.9	19.7	29th	3.5	−0.4	−0.7	26th	24.4	28.0	average	87%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill	13.4	−1.8	18.7	29th	2.7	−1.3	−3.2	27th	45.8	47.3	average	97%
Nhill Aerodrome	13.8		19.2	29th	3.6		−0.9	27th	38.0
Warracknabeal Museum	13.7	−1.9	18.6	29th	3.3	−1.1	0.0	27th	33.7	43.1	average	78%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport	12.8		17.5	29th	4.1		−0.1	27th	59.2
Grampians	3.6		8.7	29th	0.1		−2.6	22nd	123.4
Horsham Aerodrome	13.0	−2.5	18.3	29th	2.0	−1.0	−2.0	13th	36.4	36.6	average	99%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd	13.4	−1.6	18.6	29th	2.7	−1.6	−2.5	27th	41.8	48.5	average	86%
Kanagulk	12.5		17.1	29th	3.3		−1.1	27th	60.8
Longerenong	13.1	−1.7	18.1	29th	2.2	−1.8	−1.7	27th	32.2	43.5	average	74%
Pyrenees	6.3		12.5	29th	1.9		−1.1	10th	85.2
Stawell Aerodrome	12.4	−1.9	16.9	29th	3.6	−0.9	−0.8	23rd	46.8	51.0	average	92%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton	13.6		18.4	29th	2.7		−1.6	9th	40.8
Echuca Aerodrome	14.4	−0.9	19.2	29th	2.8	−1.9	−1.5	25th	31.6	42.0	average	75%
Kerang	14.8	−1.2	19.9	29th	3.8	−1.1	−0.5	25th	34.4	37.0	average	93%
Kyabram DPI	13.7	−1.2	18.0	29th	2.9	−0.9	−1.6	25th	38.2	42.5	average	90%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport	12.4	−1.9	16.7	29th	1.5	−1.0	−3.0	23rd	59.2	45.8	average	129%
Shepparton Airport	13.6	−1.6	17.7	29th	2.8	−0.7	−2.6	25th	32.8	46.3	low	71%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	13.5	−1.2	17.5	29th	3.2	−0.6	−2.6	25th	32.4	46.9	average	69%
Yarrawonga	14.2	−1.3	17.9	29th	2.7	−1.0	−1.8	19th	22.4	37.3	average	60%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport	13.8		18.7	27th	3.1		−1.8	26th	47.9
Corryong Airport	13.1		18.1	29th	1.2		−3.3	17th	60.7
Dartmouth Reservoir	12.3	−1.2	17.8	29th	1.9	−0.7	−2.5	24th	76.8	125.3	low	61%
Hunters Hill	7.2	−2.0	13.6	30th	1.3	−1.4	−1.7	17th	123.8	146.7	average	84%
Rutherglen Research	13.3	−0.7	17.7	29th	1.4	−1.4	−3.5	24th	41.0	60.7	low	68%
Strathbogie	10.2	−1.4	14.0	29th	1.7	−0.6	−3.8	25th	71.4	116.0	low	62%
Wangaratta Aero	13.7	−0.8	17.9	29th	2.1	−0.9	−2.0	17th	44.8	57.6	average	78%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain	6.3		11.4	29th	−2.2		−5.8	23rd	41.0
Edi Upper	12.4	−1.0	16.6	30th	2.7	−1.2	−0.8	17th	100.2	120.3	average	83%
Falls Creek	−0.5	−2.8	4.5	29th	−4.5	−2.0	−9.0	17th	103.6	81.3	average	127%
Mount Buller	0.2	−2.1	4.7	29th	−3.7	−1.5	−8.7	23rd	171.2	159.9	average	107%
Mount Hotham	−2.0	−2.8	2.8	30th	−5.2	−2.0	−8.8	24th	114.4	143.7	average	80%
Omeo	10.8		15.7	30th	0.7		−2.6	23rd	36.8
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS	10.6	−2.2	19.0	31st	4.0	−1.2	1.5	11th	94.0	60.0	high	157%
Gabo Island Lighthouse	14.1	−0.5	18.4	1st	8.4	−0.1	5.8	10th	174.2	72.7	very high	240%
Gelantipy	9.3	−2.0	15.4	31st	2.1	−0.7	−1.2	23rd	62.2	49.1	average	127%
Lakes Entrance	14.5		19.8	31st	6.1		1.0	10th	83.6
Mallacoota	14.3	−1.5	21.1	31st	6.3	−0.2	1.5	12th	193.2	66.5	highest	291%
Mount Nowa Nowa	12.7	−1.8	19.3	30th	5.4	−0.9	1.8	23rd	64.2	53.2	high	121%
Orbost	14.6		20.7	31st	5.7		1.9	29th	63.2
Orbost	15.2	−0.8	21.5	30th	5.2	+0.4	0.1	25th	61.6	58.6	average	105%
Point Hicks	13.7	−1.3	19.2	30th	7.8	−0.6	5.0	3rd	159.3	79.2	very high	201%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport	15.1	−0.5	20.3	30th	4.2	−0.2	−1.0	29th	24.0	36.0	low	67%
East Sale Airport	14.1	−0.9	18.0	30th	4.5	+0.4	0.1	19th	44.6	46.2	average	97%
Morwell	13.7	−1.1	18.0	30th	5.0	+0.7	−1.4	23rd	62.6	62.3	average	100%
Mount Baw Baw	1.0	−2.5	6.4	29th	−2.4	−1.3	−6.6	23rd	277.2
Mount Moornapa	12.1	−1.6	18.5	30th	4.9	−0.8	1.4	23rd	39.2	47.9	low	82%
Noojee	11.8	−1.7	17.0	29th	3.7	+0.1	0.6	23rd	108.4	107.5	average	101%
Pound Creek	13.4		18.7	30th	6.2		1.5	25th	99.0
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	11.8	−0.9	15.0	30th	8.4	+0.1	4.7	22nd	111.2	119.7	average	93%
Yarram Airport	14.0		17.7	30th	5.2		−0.2	6th	46.6
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora	13.6	−1.3	18.5	29th	5.8	−0.2	0.5	25th	53.0	57.4	average	92%
Cerberus	13.4	−1.4	17.7	30th	6.3	−0.3	0.5	25th	101.8	76.7	high	133%
Coldstream	13.1	−1.8	17.7	30th	3.4	−0.8	−1.9	23rd	61.6	65.9	average	93%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens	13.4	−1.2	18.9	30th	5.8	−0.5	2.5	23rd	108.5	77.1	high	141%
Essendon Airport	13.7	−0.5	17.7	31st	5.6	+0.2	0.6	25th	44.8	49.4	average	91%
Ferny Creek	8.7	−1.7	14.6	29th	3.9	−1.4	−0.6	11th	120.0	85.7	high	140%
Frankston AWS	12.5	−1.1	18.6	30th	7.6	−0.6	3.9	23rd
Melbourne Airport	13.4	−1.0	17.4	29th	5.2	−0.7	1.2	5th	45.6	46.1	average	99%
Melbourne Regional Office	14.7	−0.3	19.3	29th	7.3	+0.7	3.2	25th	43.8	50.2	average	87%
Moorabbin Airport	13.7	−1.1	19.0	30th	6.6	−0.1	2.4	25th	61.8	66.9	average	92%
Rhyll	13.3	−1.1	17.6	30th	7.7	−0.6	5.1	23rd	108.0	76.1	high	142%
Scoresby Research Institute	13.4	−0.8	18.1	30th	5.2	−1.1	−0.1	22nd	63.6	81.7	average	78%
Viewbank	13.6		17.9	29th	5.7		−0.3	25th	63.0
Wallan	9.3	−1.3	12.9	26th	3.4	−0.8	0.3	11th	68.2	57.6	average	118%
Wonthaggi	13.7	−0.7	19.3	30th	6.3	−0.5	2.0	23rd	139.7	101.9	high	137%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	14.1	−1.4	17.1	31st	4.9	−0.5	−0.3	25th	37.6	44.1	average	85%
Grovedale	13.8	−1.2	17.2	29th	5.1	−0.6	0.1	8th	38.6	48.1	average	80%
Laverton RAAF	14.1	−0.8	18.6	29th	5.2	−0.2	0.3	5th	40.4	45.2	average	89%
Point Wilson	12.1	−2.0	14.8	20th	6.6	−1.5	4.8	5th
Sheoaks	12.0	−1.4	17.3	29th	4.6	−0.7	0.0	5th	49.2	43.9	average	112%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison	11.3	−2.0	15.0	29th	2.4	−1.1	−3.4	23rd	47.7	66.4	low	72%
Eildon Fire Tower	9.1	−1.6	13.8	29th	3.2	−1.2	0.1	10th	57.0	72.2	low	79%
Lake Eildon	12.7	−0.9	17.4	29th	2.8	−1.3	−1.9	23rd	77.6	99.2	average	78%
Mangalore Airport	13.2	−0.9	16.6	29th	2.9	−1.0	−1.6	23rd	44.2	63.8	low	69%
Maryborough	12.8	−1.2	16.6	29th	3.0	−0.9	−1.8	8th	47.2	56.1	average	84%
Redesdale	11.8	−1.9	15.5	29th	2.4	−0.6	−1.5	8th	61.4	60.1	average	102%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison	11.5	−1.5	15.8	29th	3.1	−0.7	−1.8	8th	51.4	67.5	low	76%
Ballarat Aerodrome	10.4	−1.1	14.7	29th	2.5	−1.2	−2.6	8th	71.4	74.6	average	96%
Westmere	11.6		16.2	29th	3.6		−1.0	29th	46.8
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet	13.5	−1.0	18.0	29th	6.4	−1.1	3.4	8th	66.6	64.7	average	103%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	13.1	−1.4	18.0	29th	8.0	−0.6	3.9	5th	130.2	97.4	high	134%
Cape Otway Lighthouse	12.5	−1.4	16.2	30th	7.5	−0.3	4.4	8th	127.0	102.3	high	124%
Casterton	12.7		16.3	29th	3.9		−0.2	27th	73.8
Casterton Showgrounds	13.4	−1.3	17.0	29th	4.5	−1.0	0.2	27th	72.3	84.7	average	85%
Colac	11.6		15.6	29th	4.3		1.2	8th	57.2
Hamilton Airport	11.6	−1.8	16.1	29th	3.6	−1.2	0.3	29th	60.0	77.0	average	78%
Mortlake Racecourse	12.4	−1.5	17.0	29th	4.1	−0.6	−1.2	5th	77.6	60.5	high	128%
Port Fairy AWS	13.8	−1.4	19.5	29th	6.7	−0.6	2.3	5th	101.0	79.8	high	127%
Portland	12.4	−1.6	17.1	29th	6.4	−0.2	2.3	29th	129.4	101.7	high	127%
Warrnambool Airport NDB	12.8	−1.8	17.4	29th	5.1	−0.5	0.1	5th	115.0
Weeaproinah	8.8	−1.1	13.0	29th	4.1	−0.7	0.6	10th	262.4	231.0	average	114%

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Notes

Further information

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

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