Friday, 1 May 2009 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC26R0

Victoria in April 2009
Month ends with an icy blast.

Summary

(please note: for a verbal briefing, you may go to the Registered User Site accessible at http://www.bom.gov.au/general/reg/vwcs/media.shtml and log in as bomg0010 with the password media)

After fairly normal weather for most of April, the last few days of the month saw Victoria, and also much of southeastern Australia, hit by an icy blast (accompanied by severe winds at many localities, and a tornado close to Robinvale on the 25th). This was followed by the State's all-time record low temperature for April (−6.9 deg C at Hotham Heights) broken during the night of 28/29 April, when −8.2 deg C was recorded at Mount Hotham. The month concluded with a thick layer of snow covering the ranges. Rainfall totals for April were mostly close to normal, although much of this precipitation occurred during the last few days. In Melbourne, the temperature failed to reach 15 deg C on the four consecutive days between 26 April and 29 April, the first time since April 1949that this has happened. the overnight minimum temperature at Melbourne on the 30th was 2.9 deg C, the lowest April reading since 1957.

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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Details

Some sites had their highest total 1 April to 30 April rainfall on record. Other sites had their coldest 1 April to 30 April day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.  Some sites had their lowest 1 April to 30 April temperature on record. Other sites had their warmest 1 April to 30 April night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Hottest day Highest temperature	33.3°C at Dartmoor on the 2nd
Warmest days on average Highest mean daily maximum temperature	23.6°C at Mildura Airport
Coolest days on average Lowest mean daily maximum temperature	7.3°C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day Lowest daily maximum temperature	−2.8°C at Mount Hotham on the 26th
Coldest night Lowest temperature	−8.2°C at Mount Hotham on the 29th
Coolest nights on average Lowest mean daily minimum temperature	1.1°C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average Highest mean daily minimum temperature	13.8°C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Warmest night Highest daily minimum temperature	21.7°C at Melbourne Airport on the 3rd
Wettest overall Highest total rainfall	189.4 mm at Mount Baw Baw
Driest overall Lowest total rainfall	n/a
Wettest day Highest daily rainfall	70.9 mm at Koroit on the 30th
Highest wind gust	159 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 15th

Synoptic Patterns

The month began with a high over the South Tasman Sea directing warm northeasterlies across the State. Following this, there was the passage of a series of weak fronts, which was then followed by a new high moving across Victoria; this second high then intensified as it advanced over the Tasman Sea region. About mid-month the synoptic patterns began to alter, with increasing strength being shown in the westerly flow to the south of the continent. This period of westerly flow then temporarily came to an abrupt halt, as a new high developed and intensified over Tasmania. This high then drifted eastwards towards New Zealand, thereby allowing a major low pressure trough to amplify over southeastern Australia. It was this trough that brought the low temperatures to much of southeastern Australia and snowfalls to the ranges down to low levels.

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Records

Record highest total 1 April to 30 April rainfall
	Total rainfall for 1 April to 30 April 2009 (mm)	Previous highest for 1 April to 30 April		Years of record	Average for 1 April to 30 April
Koroit	149.0	148.6	in 1892	111	64.8

Record lowest 1 April to 30 April daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in 1 April to 30 April 2009 (°C)		Previous lowest for 1 April to 30 April		Years of record	Average for 1 April to 30 April
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	11.3	on the 28th	11.5	on the 5th in 1983	53	17.3
Point Hicks (Lighthouse)	12.5	on the 28th	12.7	on the 27th in 1982	43	19.7
Wonthaggi	12.0	on the 26th	12.4	on the 17th in 1985	41	19.6
Dartmouth Reservoir	9.0	on the 26th	= 9.0	on the 7th in 1995	35	20.8
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	10.9	on the 27th	12.2	on the 26th in 2008	27	18.4

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Record highest 1 April to 30 April daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in 1 April to 30 April 2009 (°C)		Previous highest for 1 April to 30 April		Years of record	Average for 1 April to 30 April
Gabo Island Lighthouse	19.4	on the 3rd	19.2	on the 5th in 1981	51	13.8
Melbourne Airport	21.7	on the 3rd	21.1	on the 10th in 2005	39	10.1

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Record lowest 1 April to 30 April temperature
	Lowest temperature in 1 April to 30 April 2009 (°C)		Previous lowest for 1 April to 30 April		Years of record	Average for 1 April to 30 April
Laverton RAAF	0.3	on the 30th	0.4	on the 25th in 1999	65	9.9
Echuca Aerodrome	0.4	on the 30th	0.6	on the 26th in 1981	52	9.2
Kerang	0.8	on the 30th	2.1	on the 16th in 2006	45	9.8
Essendon Airport	0.6	on the 30th	2.6	on the 15th in 1963	40	9.7
Scoresby Research Institute	0.3	on the 30th	1.1	on the 24th in 1966	40	10.1
Melbourne Airport	1.2	on the 30th	1.3	on the 23rd in 1999	39	10.1
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	−0.1	on the 30th	0.4	on the 25th in 1999	30	9.7
Noojee (Slivar)	−0.6	on the 30th	−0.4	on the 25th in 1999	28	7.4
Mount Buller Mount Hotham	−6.9 −8.2	on the 29th	−5.6 −6.9	on the 7th in 1995 n/a	22 n/a	3.3 --

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Summaries

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

Summary statistics for 1 April to 30 April 2009
	Maximum temperatures for 1 April to 30 April (°C)				Minimum temperatures for 1 April to 30 April (°C)				Rainfall for 1 April to 30 April (millimetres)
	Mean for 1 April to 30 April 2009	Diff from average	Highest for 1 April to 30 April 2009		Mean for 1 April to 30 April 2009	Diff from average	Lowest for 1 April to 30 April 2009		Total for 1 April to 30 April 2009	Average for 1 April to 30 April	Rank of 1 April to 30 April 2009	Fraction of 1 April to 30 April average
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport	23.6	+0.1	33.2	2nd	9.6	−0.5	3.2	30th	20.4	18.3	high	111%
Ouyen	23.4	−0.3	33.2	2nd	9.5	−0.2	2.8	30th	24.5	21.6	average	113%
Walpeup Research	23.1	−0.2	33.1	2nd	9.8	−0.5	4.6	6th	31.2	22.7	high	137%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport	23.0		32.9	2nd	7.9		0.5	30th	36.4
Swan Hill Aerodrome	23.0	−0.9	32.2	2nd	8.9	+0.3	1.2	30th	25.0	12.9	high	194%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill Aerodrome	22.1		33.1	2nd	8.3		2.0	30th	23.6
Warracknabeal Museum	22.2	−0.3	32.0	2nd	8.5	−0.4	0.4	30th	24.0	26.7	average	90%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport	20.6		32.6	2nd	8.3		2.1	30th	27.8
Grampians	11.6		22.9	1st	5.6		−0.4	26th	75.8
Horsham Aerodrome	21.6	−0.7	31.7	2nd	6.3	−0.4	−1.1	30th	22.0	27.5	average	80%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd	21.8	0.0	32.5	2nd	7.1	−1.2	0.0	30th	27.2	31.4	average	87%
Kanagulk	20.5		31.6	2nd	7.4		−0.1	30th	26.2
Longerenong	21.6	−0.1	31.7	2nd	6.9	−1.4	−1.2	30th	20.2	28.6	average	71%
Pyrenees	15.0		25.8	2nd	7.9		1.4	28th	48.8
Stawell Aerodrome	20.2	−0.5	30.5	2nd	7.9	−0.2	−0.1	30th	29.6
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton	22.2		31.7	2nd	8.4		0.5	30th	20.0
Echuca Aerodrome	22.8	+0.2	32.0	2nd	8.6	−0.5	0.4	30th	20.6	32.7	average	63%
Kerang	23.1	0.0	32.0	2nd	9.0	−0.8	0.8	30th	27.2	25.2	average	108%
Kyabram DPI	22.2	+0.5	31.5	2nd	8.7	0.0	0.9	30th	36.6	36.3	average	101%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport	21.4	+0.2	30.6	2nd	7.6	+0.1	−1.3	30th	22.6	25.8	average	88%
Shepparton Airport	22.2	−0.4	31.5	2nd	8.0	0.0	0.4	30th	29.4	35.0	average	84%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	21.8	+0.2	31.2	2nd	7.5	−0.7	−0.5	30th	30.6	34.0	average	90%
Yarrawonga	22.5	0.0	32.0	2nd	9.0	+0.5	1.3	30th	22.4	28.7	average	78%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Beechworth Woolshed	21.2	−0.7	31.1	2nd	6.2	−0.3	−1.3	30th	61.0	45.3	high	135%
Benalla Airport	22.1		31.7	2nd	7.7		0.5	16th	47.6
Corryong Airport	21.4		30.3	2nd	6.4		1.3	30th	80.4
Dartmouth Reservoir	20.5	−0.2	30.5	2nd	7.5	+0.3	0.6	16th	109.8	57.5	high	191%
Hunters Hill	16.1	−0.5	26.2	2nd	8.0	−0.4	1.4	27th	123.0	70.1	high	175%
Rutherglen Research	21.7	−0.2	31.5	2nd	7.9	+0.9	0.0	30th	49.2	40.5	high	121%
Strathbogie	18.8	−0.2	28.5	2nd	5.0	−0.6	−1.4	16th	56.8	61.5	average	92%
Wangaratta Aero	22.0	−0.5	31.4	2nd	6.4	−0.3	−0.4	16th	40.2	43.9	average	92%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain	13.6		23.7	2nd	2.2		−5.2	29th	40.2
Edi Upper	20.4	−0.6	30.6	3rd	6.9	−1.3	1.0	30th	97.0	61.8	high	157%
Falls Creek	8.9	−0.6	19.1	1st	2.2	−0.6	−6.9	29th	148.2
Mount Buller	8.8	−1.0	18.1	2nd	2.4	−0.9	−6.9	29th	139.8	126.8	average	110%
Mount Hotham	7.3	−1.0	17.0	2nd	1.1	−1.4	−8.2	29th	146.8
Omeo	18.4		28.4	2nd	4.7		−3.0	30th	38.8
Omeo Comparison	18.3	0.0	28.6	2nd	4.6	−0.1	−2.7	30th	40.2	45.2	average	89%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS	17.7	+0.1	28.3	2nd	9.2	−0.6	2.7	29th	50.6	88.2	low	57%
Gabo Island Lighthouse	19.3	+0.1	25.5	15th	13.8	0.0	7.4	29th	86.2	84.2	average	102%
Gelantipy	16.2	0.0	26.0	2nd	7.0	+0.2	−0.5	29th	47.8	64.1	average	75%
Lakes Entrance	20.1		29.7	2nd	10.7		5.4	30th	75.2
Mallacoota	19.6	−0.6	26.5	3rd	11.8	+0.2	5.7	28th	86.4	98.0	average	88%
Mount Nowa Nowa	19.5	+0.4	29.3	2nd	10.6	+0.1	3.8	29th	40.6	83.9	low	48%
Orbost	21.0		31.1	2nd	10.3		2.9	30th	46.0
Orbost	21.5	+0.2	31.9	2nd	9.5	−0.1	2.2	30th	22.4	73.9	low	30%
Point Hicks	19.7	0.0	28.0	2nd	12.1	−1.0	6.5	29th	108.4	85.3	high	127%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport	21.0	+0.4	31.1	3rd	8.2	−0.4	0.9	30th	29.8	56.7	low	53%
East Sale Airport	20.4	+0.2	30.0	2nd	7.6	−1.0	0.8	30th	39.6	49.2	average	80%
Morwell	20.6	+0.1	32.7	2nd	8.5	0.0	−0.2	30th	65.6	57.3	average	114%
Mount Baw Baw	9.0		19.0	2nd	3.1		−5.7	29th	189.4
Mount Moornapa	18.8	+0.7	29.2	2nd	9.7	−0.3	3.2	29th	14.6
Noojee	18.8	0.0	31.0	2nd	7.0	−0.4	−0.6	30th	95.0	86.2	average	110%
Pound Creek	19.8		31.5	2nd	8.8		−0.3	30th	90.2
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	16.9	−0.4	26.6	2nd	12.9	−0.2	6.0	28th	125.0	85.3	high	147%
Yarram Airport	20.0		29.2	2nd	8.6		2.4	30th	59.0
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora	20.4	0.0	33.0	2nd	9.5	−0.2	−0.1	30th	49.6	54.1	average	92%
Cerberus	19.4	−0.5	31.4	2nd	9.6	−0.2	−0.3	30th	91.2	62.1	high	147%
Coldstream	20.2	−0.7	31.7	2nd	6.8	+0.2	−2.7	30th	62.2	54.2	average	115%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens	20.0	+0.4	32.0	2nd	9.6	−0.6	2.1	30th	84.4	63.2	high	134%
Essendon Airport	20.5	+0.5	32.4	2nd	9.8	+0.1	0.6	30th	33.8	58.7	average	58%
Ferny Creek	15.6	−0.5	28.2	2nd	9.2	−0.1	3.0	28th	90.0	96.4	average	93%
Frankston AWS	19.0	−0.2	31.1	2nd	12.2	+0.1	4.0	30th
Melbourne Airport	20.3	+0.1	31.8	2nd	9.9	−0.2	1.2	30th	33.2	44.5	average	75%
Melbourne Regional Office	21.0	+0.7	32.8	2nd	11.6	+0.9	2.9	30th	39.2	57.3	average	68%
Moorabbin Airport	20.0	−0.2	32.6	2nd	10.2	−0.2	2.1	30th	70.6	60.4	average	117%
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve			30.0	2nd	10.6		2.1	13th	22.0	57.9	very low	38%
Rhyll	19.2	+0.2	30.8	2nd	12.4	+0.3	6.8	30th	70.0	62.8	high	111%
Scoresby Research Institute	20.0	0.0	31.8	2nd	9.3	−0.8	0.3	30th	76.0	67.9	average	112%
Viewbank	20.5	−0.9	32.6	2nd	9.4	−0.3	−0.1	30th	63.6
Wallan	17.1	+0.5	27.9	2nd	8.6	0.0	2.8	27th	39.0	56.3	average	69%
Wonthaggi	19.7	+0.1	31.4	2nd	9.8	−0.4	2.0	30th	78.4	79.0	average	99%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	20.2	−0.2	32.9	2nd	9.3	−0.1	2.2	30th	26.0	30.1	average	86%
Grovedale	20.0	0.0	32.3	2nd	9.0	−0.3	2.6	30th	39.2	43.4	average	90%
Laverton RAAF	20.2	0.0	32.8	2nd	9.3	−0.5	0.3	30th	26.6	46.0	low	58%
Sheoaks	19.1	+0.1	30.8	2nd	8.7	+0.3	0.1	30th	30.0
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison	19.9	−0.2	30.0	1st	7.4	−0.1	−2.0	30th	28.2	41.4	average	68%
Eildon Fire Tower	17.9	−0.6	28.4	2nd	8.9	−0.3	2.2	29th	64.8	38.3	high	169%
Lake Eildon	21.1	+0.3	31.4	2nd	7.7	−0.1	0.3	30th	75.4	60.0	high	126%
Mangalore Airport	21.5	−0.3	31.7	2nd	8.2	−0.7	1.3	16th	38.0	38.4	average	99%
Maryborough	20.7	0.0	30.1	2nd	7.3	−1.1	0.2	30th	31.1	39.1	average	80%
Redesdale	20.5	−0.3	30.3	1st	7.2	+0.1	−0.3	30th	22.0	39.8	average	55%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison	19.4	+0.1	29.7	2nd	6.2	−0.9	−1.4	30th	29.2	42.9	average	68%
Ballarat Aerodrome	18.0	−0.1	28.6	2nd	6.3	−1.0	−2.4	30th	33.0	51.7	average	64%
Westmere	19.5		30.0	1st	6.8		−0.9	30th	35.2
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet	18.5	−0.5	30.4	2nd	10.5	−0.9	5.6	29th	57.0	35.7	high	160%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	18.0	0.0	28.4	1st	11.7	−0.5	5.8	30th	65.6	46.6	average	141%
Cape Otway Lighthouse	17.0	−0.7	28.8	2nd	11.3	−0.4	5.4	30th	92.2	71.6	high	129%
Casterton	20.0		32.5	2nd	7.8		0.9	30th	47.8
Casterton Showgrounds	20.4	−0.1	32.2	2nd	7.6	−1.1	−1.0	30th	55.0	43.3	average	127%
Colac	18.6		30.2	2nd	9.0		3.7	29th	43.8
Dartmoor	19.7		33.3	2nd	7.2		−1.1	30th	63.4
Hamilton Airport	19.2	−0.9	30.1	2nd	7.7	−0.5	0.8	30th	36.4	38.0	average	96%
Mortlake Racecourse	19.7	−0.7	31.1	1st	7.2	−0.6	−0.2	30th	47.2	42.2	average	112%
Port Fairy AWS	19.0	−0.3	28.1	2nd	10.4	−0.3	2.8	30th	99.8	44.3	very high	225%
Portland	18.3	−0.1	31.1	2nd	9.0	−0.8	1.8	30th	87.6	56.9	high	154%
Warrnambool Airport NDB	19.9	−0.2	31.9	2nd	8.2	−0.2	0.5	30th	65.6	48.8	high	134%
Weeaproinah	14.5	−0.5	25.1	1st	8.6	−0.2	2.8	29th	176.0	154.2	average	114%

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Notes

Seasonal Climate Outlook

The outlook for May-July rainfall may be found at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/rain.seaus.shtml

The outlook for May-July temperatures may be found at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/temp.seaus.shtml

Long-Term Climate Averages

Long term climate averages may be found at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/

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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