Monday, 5 January 2009 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC26R0

Victoria in December 2008
Coolish and wet

Summary

December 2008 was coolish and wet across most of Victoria. Daytime temperatures were about 2 deg C below the long-term normals, whilst overnight temperatures were about 1 deg C below the long-term normals. Many places exceeded their usual December rainfall by more than 25%.An archive of previous monthly summaries for Victoria is also available, as are summaries for other states and many other climate summaries and diagnostics.

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Rainfall

The wettest overall was 265.6 mm at Haines Junction (Mount Sabine).Some sites had their highest total December rainfall on record. Some sites had their highest total December rainfall for at least 20 years. The wettest single day 110.2 mm at Haines Junction (Mount Sabine) on the 14th. There is a map of total rainfall below. There is a map of rainfall deciles below.

Maximum temperature

The hottest day was 38.1°C at Hopetoun Airport on the 26th. The warmest days on average were 28.7°C at Mildura Airport. The coolest days on average were 11.1°C at Mount Hotham. The coldest day was 2.8°C at Mount Hotham on the 14th. Some sites had their coldest December day (lowest maximum temperature) on record. Some sites had their lowest December mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years. There is a map of mean maximum temperatures below. There is a map of maximum temperature anomalies below.

Minimum temperature

The coldest night was −3.3°C at Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport) on the 20th, followed by −3.3°C at Mount Hotham on the 20th. The coolest nights on average were 3.7°C at Mount Hotham. The warmest nights on average were 14.4°C at Mildura Airport. The warmest night was 21.4°C at Hopetoun Airport on the 22nd. Some sites had their lowest December temperature on record. There is a map of mean minimum temperatures below. There is a map of minimum temperature anomalies below.

Wind

The strongest wind gust was 120 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 19th.

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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Extremes

Hottest day Highest temperature	38.1°C at Hopetoun Airport on the 26th
Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature	28.7°C at Mildura Airport
Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature	11.1°C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature	2.8°C at Mount Hotham on the 14th
Coldest night Lowest temperature	−3.3°C at Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport) on the 20th −3.3°C at Mount Hotham on the 20th
Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature	3.7°C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature	14.4°C at Mildura Airport
Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature	21.4°C at Hopetoun Airport on the 22nd
Wettest overall Highest total rainfall	265.6 mm at Haines Junction (Mount Sabine)
Wettest day Highest daily rainfall	110.2 mm at Haines Junction (Mount Sabine) on the 14th
Highest wind gust	120 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 19th

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Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Rainfall totals

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Records

Record highest total December rainfall
	Total rainfall for December 2008 (mm)	Previous highest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Caramut	129.2	98.9	in 1966	50	45.4
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	114.6	113.8	in 1985	27	49.8

Highest total December rainfall for at least 20 years
	Total rainfall for December 2008 (mm)	Most recent higher for December		Years since higher	Average for December
Wickliffe	97.6	121.0	in 1966	41	37.8
Apollo Bay	139.6	175.0	in 1985	23	63.9
Cavendish (Post Office)	107.2	119.0	in 1985	23	40.6
Glenthompson	98.3	111.4	in 1985	23	43.1
Hamilton Airport	109.0	147.8	in 1985	23	44.3
Hawkesdale (Post Office)	121.6	179.0	in 1985	23	47.1
Casterton Showgrounds	132.8	137.6	in 1986	22	41.1
Heywood Forestry	116.3	144.4	in 1986	22	50.2
Nelson	106.2	111.4	in 1986	22	40.3
Apsley (Post Office)	90.5	118.4	in 1986	21	32.3
Harrow (Post Office)	95.3	112.5	in 1986	21	33.2
Merino	118.4	149.4	in 1986	21	42.3
Avalon Airport	61.8	112.0	in 1978	20	31.6
Buchan	136.4	145.6	in 1988	20	74.5

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Record lowest December daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in December 2008 (°C)		Previous lowest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	12.4	on the 13th	12.5	on the 7th in 1982	27	20.1

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Lowest December mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for December 2008 (°C)	Most recent lower for December		Years since lower	Average for December
Walpeup Research	27.4	27.1	in 1956	41	29.8
Mount Buller	12.0	11.5	in 1985	20	14.6

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Record lowest December temperature
	Lowest temperature in December 2008 (°C)		Previous lowest for December		Years of record	Average for December
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve	1.7	on the 4th	3.6	on the 8th in 1982	21	11.8
Grovedale (Geelong Airport)	3.3	on the 4th	3.8	on the 1st in 1994	20	11.0

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Summaries

In this table, key sites have been highlighted to make them easier to find. This table is very wide and may not fit if printed.

Summary statistics for December 2008
	Maximum temperatures for December (°C)				Minimum temperatures for December (°C)				Rainfall for December (millimetres)
	Mean for December 2008	Diff from average	Highest for December 2008		Mean for December 2008	Diff from average	Lowest for December 2008		Total for December 2008	Average for December	Rank of December 2008	Fraction of December average
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport	28.7	−1.4	37.9	22nd	14.4	−0.4	9.6	15th	34.2	23.5	high	146%
Ouyen	28.1	−2.1	37.7	26th	13.1	−0.5	8.4	15th	78.2	24.6	very high	318%
Walpeup Research	27.4	−2.4	37.6	26th	12.6	−0.9	6.6	7th	31.2	23.3	high	134%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport	27.8		38.1	26th	11.7		5.9	2nd	36.0
Swan Hill Aerodrome	28.0	−2.3	38.0	22nd	13.1	−0.1	8.6	2nd	47.2	23.4	very high	202%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill	25.4	−2.5	35.5	26th	10.9	−0.6	3.2	8th	42.4	26.2	high	162%
Nhill Aerodrome	25.7		35.8	26th	11.4		4.2	7th	38.4
Warracknabeal Museum	26.3	−2.3	36.0	26th	11.9	−0.2	6.0	7th	56.0	25.6	high	219%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport	23.2		32.5	26th	10.9		3.2	8th	90.8
Grampians	14.7		23.7	26th	5.6		1.2	7th	143.6
Horsham Aerodrome	25.3	−3.4	34.9	26th	10.5	+0.2	3.4	8th	68.2	27.7	high	246%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd	25.4	−2.3	35.2	26th	10.9	−0.7	4.2	8th	68.0	27.7	very high	245%
Kanagulk	23.8		32.7	26th	10.2		2.8	8th	69.4
Longerenong	25.4	−2.2	35.5	26th	10.9	−0.3	2.9	7th	72.8	27.3	very high	267%
Pyrenees	18.8		27.2	26th	7.9		3.4	7th	97.4
Stawell Aerodrome	24.1	−2.4	32.9	26th	11.1	+0.1	5.3	8th	68.0	32.3	very high	211%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton	26.6		36.1	26th	12.3		6.9	8th	58.4
Echuca Aerodrome	26.8	−2.2	36.2	22nd	12.5	−1.0	7.0	20th	67.4	28.8	high	234%
Kerang	27.8	−1.9	37.7	22nd	12.9	−0.5	8.3	15th	62.0	27.5	very high	225%
Kyabram DPI	26.0	−1.9	35.1	22nd	11.8	−0.6	6.8	8th	66.2	32.4	high	204%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport	25.3	−1.8	35.0	22nd	11.0	−0.5	6.2	2nd	56.6	41.8	average	135%
Shepparton Airport	26.4	−2.5	35.6	22nd	11.9	−0.4	5.5	20th	47.4	28.8	high	165%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	25.7	−1.6	34.9	22nd	11.1	−1.1	5.4	2nd	47.0	33.6	high	140%
Yarrawonga	27.3	−2.6	35.4	22nd	13.3	+0.3	7.5	20th	48.2	35.0	average	138%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Beechworth Woolshed	26.0	−1.5	32.2	26th	10.1	−0.4	2.2	8th	52.2	59.2	average	88%
Benalla Airport	26.7		34.8	22nd	11.7		4.9	2nd	39.1
Corryong Airport	26.9		33.6	26th	10.3		3.4	9th	52.4
Dartmouth Reservoir	25.4	−1.4	31.0	28th	11.5	−0.1	5.5	2nd	64.6	74.6	average	87%
Hunters Hill	20.5	−2.2	27.8	26th	10.7	−1.1	4.3	20th	103.6	78.2	high	132%
Rutherglen Research	26.9	−2.3	33.7	22nd	11.9	+0.4	4.6	20th	59.8	43.7	high	137%
Strathbogie	21.9	−2.8	29.9	26th	8.9	−0.4	2.0	2nd	86.0	56.0	high	154%
Wangaratta Aero	27.1	−2.0	34.1	27th	11.4	−0.1	4.7	4th	48.8	40.2	average	121%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain	17.5		23.1	26th	5.9		−3.3	20th	61.8
Falls Creek	12.6	−2.6	19.0	23rd	4.8	−1.3	−2.0	20th	148.2	105.7	high	140%
Mount Buller	12.0	−2.6	18.4	22nd	4.6	−1.5	−1.9	19th	140.0	95.7	high	146%
Mount Hotham	11.1	−2.7	16.6	23rd	3.7	−1.8	−3.3	20th	147.8	96.9	high	153%
Omeo	21.8		29.9	26th	9.1		1.7	20th	29.4
Omeo Comparison	20.8	−3.4	28.9	28th	9.1	+0.8	2.1	20th	30.0	60.4	low	50%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS	20.5	−2.5	30.4	27th	10.3	−0.9	6.3	20th	80.0	78.3	average	102%
Gabo Island Lighthouse	20.3	+0.4	25.9	13th	14.3	0.0	11.1	2nd	55.0	67.2	average	82%
Gelantipy	19.0	−2.3	27.2	26th	9.0	−0.4	3.3	20th	87.0	60.9	high	143%
Lakes Entrance	21.6		32.3	22nd	12.4		8.0	9th	89.4
Mallacoota	21.3	−0.5	32.1	13th	13.0	−0.3	8.2	4th	80.8	73.2	average	110%
Mount Nowa Nowa	20.6	−1.6	31.3	22nd	11.3	−0.5	6.9	20th	149.8	83.4	high	180%
Orbost	21.9		32.4	27th	12.3		8.1	2nd	117.0
Orbost	22.3	−1.2	32.7	22nd	12.1	+0.3	6.9	2nd	116.0	77.9	high	149%
Point Hicks	22.2	+0.3	34.0	27th			10.4	19th	51.1	73.1	average	70%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport	22.2	−1.3	30.9	5th	11.4	+0.4	6.4	4th	60.8	59.4	average	102%
East Sale Airport	22.3	−1.0	31.6	22nd	10.8	−0.4	5.0	20th	41.6	54.1	average	77%
Morwell	23.4	−0.6	33.1	22nd	10.6	−0.6	3.8	11th	80.4	68.6	average	117%
Mount Baw Baw	11.4		18.8	22nd	4.1		−1.1	20th	65.2
Mount Moornapa	21.1	−1.6	30.1	27th	10.3	−0.8	5.7	20th	45.4	50.6	low	90%
Noojee	21.4	−1.1	30.2	22nd	9.3	−0.4	2.9	20th	118.2	95.2	average	124%
Pound Creek	20.7		31.8	22nd	9.9		1.3	11th	90.4
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	17.9	−0.8	29.5	22nd	12.7	+0.1	9.8	19th	95.6	63.4	high	151%
Yarram Airport	21.4		30.7	22nd	10.3		4.1	11th	100.2
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora	22.7	−2.0	33.2	22nd	12.0	−0.3	5.7	20th	89.4	64.7	high	138%
Cerberus	20.9	−1.3	33.1	22nd	11.0	−0.8	3.3	4th	97.6	52.3	high	187%
Coldstream	23.1	−1.9	33.0	22nd	9.3	0.0	2.3	11th	60.0	47.5	average	126%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens	21.8	−1.5	32.8	22nd	10.9	−0.8	6.4	21st	115.9	63.0	very high	184%
Essendon Airport	23.1	−1.2	34.9	22nd	11.7	+0.1	7.6	20th	75.4	51.6	high	146%
Ferny Creek	17.9	−2.1	27.7	22nd	9.3	−0.9	5.7	19th	122.0	84.8	high	144%
Frankston AWS	20.2	−2.1	29.1	22nd	13.1	−0.6	9.3	20th
Melbourne Airport	23.0	−1.4	34.5	22nd	11.1	−0.8	6.8	8th	90.0	48.6	very high	185%
Melbourne Regional Office	23.3	−0.9	35.2	22nd	13.4	+0.5	9.9	20th	76.6	59.2	high	129%
Moorabbin Airport	22.2	−1.6	33.2	22nd	12.4	−0.2	7.2	20th	69.2	59.2	average	117%
Rhyll	20.3	−1.3	29.9	22nd	13.0	−0.5	9.9	4th	79.2	42.0	very high	189%
Scoresby Research Institute	22.5	−1.3	32.8	22nd	11.2	−0.6	4.8	20th	84.2	73.8	average	114%
Viewbank	23.3		33.8	22nd	11.8		6.4	20th	89.4	67.5	high	132%
Wallan	20.3	−1.3	29.9	22nd	9.2	−0.7	5.5	20th	85.2	44.1	high	193%
Wonthaggi	20.6	−1.3	31.3	22nd	11.0	−0.6	5.0	4th	96.5	60.5	high	160%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	23.0	−0.9	35.7	22nd	11.4	−0.1	6.6	4th	61.8	31.6	very high	196%
Grovedale	22.2	−0.4	35.0	22nd	10.9	0.0	3.3	4th	75.2	40.9	high	184%
Laverton RAAF	22.8	−1.0	34.6	22nd	11.6	−0.3	5.6	8th	93.4	45.9	very high	203%
Sheoaks	22.3	−0.8	33.8	22nd	9.7	−0.5	3.6	4th	88.6	33.1	very high	268%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison	23.3	−2.0	33.7	22nd	10.1	−0.6	3.1	8th	53.4	41.3	high	129%
Eildon Fire Tower	21.5	−2.2	28.8	26th	10.1	−1.0	5.5	8th	65.8	38.1	high	173%
Lake Eildon	24.5	−1.7	32.1	22nd	10.7	−0.2	4.3	20th	75.2	55.9	high	135%
Mangalore Airport	25.6	−1.3	34.5	22nd	11.8	0.0	4.6	2nd	39.6	40.8	average	97%
Maryborough	24.6	−2.0	33.9	22nd	10.7	−0.6	5.1	8th	69.1	37.6	high	184%
Redesdale	24.5	−1.7	34.7	22nd	9.7	−0.2	3.5	4th	55.6	37.9	high	147%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison	22.8	−1.7	31.2	22nd	9.2	0.0	3.2	4th	67.4	36.6	high	184%
Ballarat Aerodrome	21.4	−1.2	32.2	22nd	8.8	−0.6	2.9	8th	83.4	51.5	high	162%
Westmere	22.3		32.3	22nd	8.8		1.2	8th	90.2
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet	20.0	−0.9	33.9	22nd	11.3	−0.8	6.4	4th	120.2	39.7	very high	303%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	17.9	−1.7	24.5	21st	12.1	−0.8	8.3	9th	90.0	40.6	very high	222%
Cape Otway Lighthouse	17.4	−2.5	29.2	22nd	11.6	−0.4	6.4	4th	85.0	52.9	high	161%
Casterton	21.4		30.1	21st	9.9		3.6	8th	116.2
Casterton Showgrounds	22.2	−2.2	30.0	21st	10.4	0.0	5.2	10th	132.8	41.1	very high	323%
Colac	20.5		33.2	22nd	9.7		6.4	7th	88.4
Hamilton Airport	21.6	−2.3	29.6	21st	9.4	0.0	3.6	8th	109.0	44.3	very high	246%
Mortlake Racecourse	20.7	−2.4	29.9	21st	9.4	+0.3	2.7	11th	109.0	41.5	very high	263%
Port Fairy AWS	19.6	−1.5	26.0	22nd	12.0	−0.4	5.8	4th	125.4	42.0	very high	299%
Portland	18.0	−2.1	28.4	21st	10.4	−0.4	3.8	4th	114.6	49.8	highest	230%
Warrnambool Airport NDB	20.1	−2.6	29.8	21st	10.0	+0.1	3.7	4th	120.4	46.3	very high	260%
Weeaproinah	15.8	−2.1	25.0	22nd	8.4	−0.9	3.4	4th	213.4	113.2	very high	189%

Jump to:  Extremes  Maps  Records  Summaries  Notes  the top

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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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