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

Melbourne Metropolitan Area, October 2010: Wettest since 1975

Rainfall totals for October in the Melbourne metropolitan area were generally very much above average. Overall, daytime and night-time temperatures were close to average.

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Rainfall

Overall, rainfall across the Melbourne area was very much above average this month. In fact, October 2010 was the wettest October since 1975 for most stations. The month was characterised by the frequent passage of rain bearing frontal systems.

Early in the month, most of the Melbourne region recorded widespread rainfall associated with a series of frontal systems. Most stations received about 2 mm on the 5th, whilst on the 7th, rainfall totals ranged from 6 mm at Bundoora up to 31 mm at Moorabbin Airport. Isolated showers were reported at some stations over the following days but it wasn't until the 13th that most stations recorded rainfall again. Most stations in the Melbourne area recorded five days of consecutive rainfall from the 13th to the 17th; 5-day totals ranged from 19.4 mm at Cranbourne Botanic Gardens up to 65.4 mm at Viewbank. On the 23rd, extensive rainfall delivered between 2 mm and 20 mm to stations in the Melbourne area. Notably, the largest falls for October were associated with a front/trough combination on the last weekend of the month bringing 41 mm to 76 mm to stations around Melbourne on the 31st.

The wettest station overall was Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill) with a total of 180.4 mm for the month. Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill) also recorded the single wettest day with 75.6 mm on the 31st. The driest station overall was Avalon Airport with 101.0 mm, even though it still received very much above average rainfall. Some sites had their highest total October rainfall for at least 20 years and some sites had their highest October daily rainfall on record.

Temperature

Maximum temperature

Average maximum temperatures across the Melbourne area were close to normal for October. Only one station recorded an anomaly of more than 1 °C (+1.2 °C at Melbourne Regional Office), whilst just one station recorded a negative anomaly (-0.1 °C at Avalon Airport). All stations recorded their hottest daily maximum temperatures for the month on either the 22nd or 29th, both of which had several rain free days leading up to them which were associated with high pressure systems. All stations, except for Ferny Creek, recorded their coolest maximum temperatures for the month on the 15th after the passage of a cold front.

The hottest single day was the 29th at Avalon Airport with 29.3 °C, whereas the warmest days on average, 20.7 °C, were recorded at Melbourne Regional Office. Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill) recorded the coolest days on average, 15.5 °C, as well as the coldest single day, 9.1 °C on the 16th.

Minimum temperature

Average minimum temperatures across the Melbourne area were close to normal for October. Only one station recorded an anomaly of more than 1 °C (+1.4 °C at Melbourne Regional Office). Almost all stations in the Melbourne area recorded their coldest daily minimum temperatures on the 2nd after an almost cloud free night. Avalon Airport recorded the coldest night on the 2nd with just 0.3 °C. Coldstream recorded the coolest nights on average at 6.9 °C.

Almost every station in the Melbourne area recorded their warmest daily minimum temperature on the 30th after a night of almost complete cloud cover. Melbourne Regional Office recorded both the warmest nights on average, 10.9 °C, and the single warmest night, 18.8 °C on the 30th.

Wind

The strongest wind gust was 83 km/h at Essendon Airport on the 6th.

Details Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Details Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top

Details Extremes Records Summaries Important notes the top