Wednesday, 1 September 2010 - Monthly Climate Summary for Melbourne Metropolitan Area and Environs - Product code IDCKGC1xx0

Melbourne Metropolitan Area and Environs in August 2010: A damp August

• Above average rainfall
• Cooler daytime temperatures
• Normal nights

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Following a slightly drier than normal July, above average rainfall was recorded across the central district in August. The highest total rainfall in the Melbourne region was 143.2 mm at Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill) compared to the long term August average of 92.3 mm. Cerberus and Coldstream also received over 120 mm of rain this month, almost three times the amount received in July 2010.

In line with the rest of the State, the wettest day in August across the central district was the 12th, due to the passing of a cold front stemming from a significant low pressure system centred in Bass Strait. The passing of this frontal system brought the highest daily rainfall for the month at several locations across the district including 33.4 mm at Ferny Creek and 13.8 mm at the Melbourne Regional Office.

Temperature

Maximum temperature

Maximum temperatures were significantly lower than average this month, affected by the prevailing cloud cover associated with frequent frontal systems restricting daytime temperatures. In fact, Moorabbin Airport observed their lowest August daytime temperatures on average for at least 20 years. Cool days were frequent across the Melbourne region, the coldest of which was the 25th with a chilly 4.9°C at Ferny Creek, which also averaged the coolest days this month, just 8.3°C.

The passing of frontal systems was interspersed with clear skies and warm days, such as those which occurred on the 9th and 30th, in particular. The warmest day was the 30th, with 18.6°C recorded at the Melbourne Regional Office and 18.2°C at Avalon Airport. As anticipated, the Melbourne Regional Office was the warmest location in the district with average daytime temperatures of 14.7°C, which was below its long-term mean of 15.0°C. This highlights the unusual conditions experienced in August 2010.

Minimum temperature

The dominance of high pressure systems observed in past months did not continue into August, with recurrent low pressure systems and their associated cloud bands frequenting the Victorian region throughout the month. As a result, overnight temperatures were very close to normal. The warmest nights on average were recorded at the Melbourne Regional Office (7.6°C), but surprisingly Cerberus registered the warmest night of the month on the 15th, a very mild 11.1°C.

Most of the central region observed overnight temperatures close to 2°C on the coldest nights (7th, 8th and 25th). The coldest of these was the 8th, with an icy -0.6°C recorded at Coldstream. A damp Ferny Creek experienced, on average, the coolest days (8.3°C) and nights (4.0°C) for the month, not to mention the highest rainfall in the Melbourne Metropolitan Area and Environs.

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Extremes in August 2010
Hottest day	18.6 °C at Melbourne Regional Office on the 30th
Warmest days on average	14.7 °C at Melbourne Regional Office
Coolest days on average	8.3 °C at Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill)
Coldest day	4.9 °C at Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill) on the 25th
Coldest night	-0.6 °C at Coldstream on the 8th
Coolest nights on average	4.0 °C at Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill)
Warmest nights on average	7.6 °C at Melbourne Regional Office
Warmest night	11.1 °C at Cerberus on the 15th
Wettest overall	143.2 mm at Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill)
Driest overall	62.8 mm at Melbourne Airport
Wettest day	33.4 mm at Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill) on the 12th
Highest wind gust	94 km/h at Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill) on the 14th

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Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

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Lowest August mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for August 2010 (°C)	Most recent August this low or lower		Years since lower	Average for August
Moorabbin Airport	13.6	13.4	in 1989	20	14.9

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Summary statistics for August 2010
	Maximum temperatures for August (°C)				Minimum temperatures for August (°C)				Rainfall for August (millimetres)
	Mean for August 2010	Diff from average	Highest for August 2010		Mean for August 2010	Diff from average	Lowest for August 2010		Total for August 2010	Average for August	Rank of August 2010	Fraction of August average
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	13.4	-1.5	17.0	30th	6.0	-0.1	2.0	7th	76.6	57.7	high	133%
Cerberus	13.4	-1.3	16.2	30th	6.6	0.0	2.1	18th	119.6	78.5	high	152%
Coldstream	13.1	-1.7	16.4	9th	4.6	+0.3	-0.6	8th	121.8	68.9	v high	177%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens	13.4	-1.1	16.9	30th			2.5	7th	66.9	78.5	average	85%
Essendon Airport	13.5	-0.8	16.8	30th	5.9	+0.4	2.2	7th	65.0	49.3	high	132%
Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill)	8.3	-2.1	12.5	9th	4.0	-1.2	0.3	25th	143.2	89.1	high	161%
Melbourne Airport	13.4	-1.0	16.8	30th	5.5	-0.4	1.8	25th	62.8	46.9	high	134%
Melbourne Regional Office	14.7	-0.3	18.6	30th	7.6	+0.9	4.2	25th	63.0	50.2	high	125%
Moorabbin Airport	13.6	-1.3	17.2	30th	6.7	-0.1	3.7	8th	83.2	66.9	high	124%
Scoresby Research Institute	13.2	-1.0	16.5	9th	6.2	-0.1	2.2	7th	89.4	81.0	average	110%
Viewbank (ARPANSA)	13.6	-1.7	16.9	30th	6.1	-0.1	2.4	7th	84.0	59.5	high	141%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	14.1	-1.4	18.2	30th	5.4	-0.1	1.5	7th	65.0	44.9	high	145%
Laverton RAAF	13.9	-1.0	17.6	30th	5.9	+0.4	2.3	10th	63.6	45.3	high	140%

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