Monday, 1 November 2010 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in October 2010: Wet conditions statewide

• Above average rainfall in central and northern Victoria
• Typical October days
• Normal night-time temperatures

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

In what is shaping up to be Victoria’s wettest year since 1992, Gippsland has been experiencing particularly dry conditions. However, this month many Gippsland stations recorded rainfall in excess of 100 mm, with Mount Nowa Nowa and Gelantipy both almost double their long-term averages.

Consistent rain across the northern and central regions of the State resulted in above, or very much above average rainfall this month. A north-west cloudband combined with a frontal system on the 6th and 7th to bring several millimetres of welcome rain to the farmers attending the Elmore Field days in the State’s north.

Several troughs across mainland Australia, and a particularly deep and strongly ridging low pressure system, passed across the Victorian region in mid-October, resulting in substantial rainfalls for much of the State. The centre of the low pressure system penetrated well inland, moving slowly over central and eastern Victoria on the 15th. Regular rainfall between the 13th and 17th brought up to 25 mm to most locations, with up to 100 mm falling in the north east district in the 24hours till 9am on the 16th. In fact, Nariel Creek (Simpson) received 88mm in just one day associated with this system, and was also the wettest location this month with 286.2mm.

Some regions in the Wimmera, close to the State border, received less rain than usual, with a major rainfall event on the 30th and 31st bringing the monthly totals closer to what is typically expected in October. In fact, some stations recorded their highest daily October rainfall on record in this event, with Moorabbin Airport (72.0mm) and Kyneton (70.6mm) receiving the equivalent of a typical October’s rainfall in just one day.

Temperature

Maximum temperature

After particularly cool start to spring, daytime temperatures this month were very close to the climatological average. Temperatures in excess of 25 °C were recorded across the state on numerous occasions, with the northwest consistently observing temperatures in the high twenties.

The warmest days across the State were the 22nd and 29th. On both occasions, temperatures soared above 25 °C as a result of strong dry northerly winds associated with a slow moving high pressure system. Mildura Airport and Ouyen Post Office both registered a summery daily maximum of 31.6 °C on the 22nd, whilst the hottest day was 32.8 °C at Mildura Airport on the 29th.

Minimum temperature

Cool overnight temperatures and a large low pressure system over Victoria on the 15th and 16th, brought post-ski season snow to the Alpine region, with snow observed at both Noojee and Strathbogie on the 16th. Mount Hotham was the coolest location of the month, averaging nightly temperatures of just 1.3 °C and a frosty -7.6 °C on the 16th.

Several particularly cool nights this month kept minimum temperatures close to the long-term average. The warmest nights were the 12th, 30th and 31st, due to warm northerly flow and pre-frontal cloud keeping temperatures well above normal. Melbourne Regional Office experienced night-time temperatures over 18 °C on the 12th and 30th, whilst Point Hicks Lighthouse observed 19.0 °C overnight on the 31st. Although Gabo Island Lighthouse achieved October nights right on their long term average of 11.5 °C; these night-time temperatures were the warmest on average across the State.

Wind

Windy conditions on the last weekend of the month, associated with the passage of a strongly ridging system, resulted in wind gust of up to 139 km/h recorded at Mount Hotham on both the 30th and 31st.

Further information

Belinda Campbell and Jonathan Pollock
Climatologists
Victoria Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4956
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au

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Extremes in October 2010
Hottest day	32.8 °C at Mildura Airport on the 29th
Warmest days on average	23.5 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest days on average	7.6 °C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day	-1.8 °C at Mount Buller on the 16th
Coldest night	-7.6 °C at Mount Hotham on the 16th
Coolest nights on average	1.3 °C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average	11.5 °C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Warmest night	19.0 °C at Point Hicks (Lighthouse) on the 31st
Wettest overall	286.2 mm at Nariel Creek (Simpson)
Wettest day	130.2 mm at Mount Hotham on the 31st
Highest wind gust	139 km/h at Mount Hotham on the 30th 139 km/h at Mount Hotham on the 31st

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest total October rainfall
	Total rainfall for October 2010 (mm)	Previous highest for October		Years of record	Average for October
Chiltern (Post Office)	184.1	181.0	in 1975	126	65.8
Nariel Creek (Simpson)	286.2	261.8	in 1917	125	101.0
Rutherglen Research	179.4	156.3	in 1975	98	59.0
Mitta Mitta Forestry	238.0	221.6	in 1986	58	101.3
Bonbeach (Carrum)	136.6	136.2	in 1964	51	70.0
Beechworth Woolshed	171.8	149.2	in 1993	24	68.4
Avoca (Homebush)	122.0	99.6	in 1992	23	44.3
Bendigo Airport	137.6	111.2	in 1992	20	44.0

Highest total October rainfall for at least 20 years
	Total rainfall for October 2010 (mm)	Most recent October this high or higher		Years since higher	Average for October
Hume Reservoir	202.6	214.7	in 1949	61	69.9
Dartmouth Reservoir	235.4	258.8	in 1934	41	101.6
Burrowye Station	203.8	210.9	in 1974	35	78.6
Canary Island	119.8	128.6	in 1975	35	36.2
Castlemaine Prison	146.2	200.7	in 1975	35	60.3
Dunolly	112.6	204.8	in 1975	35	47.0
Laverton RAAF	115.8	165.4	in 1975	35	57.4
Melbourne Airport	128.8	143.8	in 1975	35	54.9
Melbourne Regional Office	135.2	150.2	in 1975	35	66.3
Natte Yallock	118.7	159.2	in 1975	35	45.0
Raywood	129.4	165.2	in 1975	35	40.0
Toorourrong Reservoir (Toorourrong)	149.6	189.0	in 1975	35	80.1
Annuello	84.0	96.0	in 1976	34	31.6
Cheltenham Kingston Centre	157.0	172.1	in 1975	34	75.5
Cobram (Goulburn Murray)	97.2	185.1	in 1975	34	40.7
Kyneton	152.2	239.8	in 1975	34	72.2
Mildura Airport	92.2	105.2	in 1976	34	30.5
Mitcham	133.2	159.4	in 1975	34	83.9
Preston Reservoir	140.4	185.0	in 1975	34	66.7
Redesdale	151.4	177.2	in 1975	34	53.0
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	110.2	170.9	in 1975	34	48.2
Moorabbin Airport	163.6	165.4	in 1975	33	71.0
Yan Yean	126.4	154.0	in 1975	33	67.3
Lancefield	133.6	223.4	in 1975	32	67.7
Tungamah	135.0	148.2	in 1975	31	49.1
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	122.4	123.9	in 1983	27	65.2
Avalon Airport	101.0	144.0	in 1975	25	49.8
Boort	129.0	146.0	in 1975	25	39.9
Ararat Prison	88.2	147.0	in 1986	24	58.1
Strath Creek	131.2	141.2	in 1986	24	61.3
Skipton Post Office	111.2	119.2	in 1986	21	60.8
Lilydale	149.2	157.8	in 1989	20	90.9

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Highest October mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for October 2010 (°C)	Most recent October this high or higher		Years since higher	Average for October
Rutherglen Research	7.4	8.7	in 1973	37	6.2

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for October 2010
	Maximum temperatures for October (°C)				Minimum temperatures for October (°C)				Rainfall for October (millimetres)
	Mean for October 2010	Diff from average	Highest for October 2010		Mean for October 2010	Diff from average	Lowest for October 2010		Total for October 2010	Average for October	Rank of October 2010	Fraction of October average
Southwest Slopes (South) (district 72)
Albury Airport AWS	20.8	-0.7	25.9	5th	9.2	+1.4	4.1	1st	154.8	54.4	v high	285%
Hume Reservoir	21.3	+0.4	26.3	5th	10.5	+1.4	3.7	1st	202.6	69.9	v high	290%
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport	23.5	-0.3	32.8	29th	10.2	+0.4	3.9	7th	92.2	30.5	v high	302%
Ouyen (Post Office)	23.4	-0.3	32.0	29th	9.3	+0.5	3.6	16th	71.2	35.2	high	202%
Walpeup Research	23.3	+0.2	32.3	29th	9.0	+0.2	1.1	7th	60.4	34.0	high	178%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport	22.8		32.6	29th	7.7		1.4	8th	54.4
Swan Hill Aerodrome	23.0	-0.8	31.3	29th	8.2	+0.4	2.5	2nd	91.8	24.2	v high	379%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill Aerodrome	21.4		31.1	29th	7.0		1.5	7th	38.6
Warracknabeal Museum	21.4	-0.4	31.2	29th	7.4	-0.2	1.8	1st	44.2	39.4	average	112%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport	19.9		30.2	29th	7.8		1.5	24th	31.0
Grampians (Mount William)	11.4		19.7	22nd	3.3		-3.3	16th	109.2
Horsham Aerodrome	20.5	-0.9	30.3	29th	6.0	+0.7	0.8	1st	67.6	35.1	high	193%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd	21.0	0.0	30.8	29th	6.2	-0.9	1.1	1st	54.0	43.7	average	124%
Kanagulk	19.6		30.6	29th	6.5		2.0	7th	46.0
Longerenong	20.8	0.0	31.1	29th	6.5	-0.2	0.9	7th	48.8	42.1	average	116%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis)	13.6		22.3	22nd	4.7		-2.6	16th	109.6
Stawell Aerodrome	19.3	-0.3	28.1	29th	7.7	+0.5	2.5	25th	81.0	38.2	high	212%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton	21.3		29.9	22nd	7.5		1.6	1st	84.2
Echuca Aerodrome	21.4	-0.6	29.2	22nd	8.1	-0.6	1.6	1st	112.0	42.9	v high	261%
Kerang	22.5	-0.2	30.6	22nd	9.3	+0.5	3.7	16th	88.6	37.9	v high	234%
Kyabram DPI	21.1	-0.1	28.2	22nd	7.5	0.0	0.9	1st	70.0	41.3	high	169%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport	20.1	-0.2	27.5	22nd	7.7	+1.4	1.8	9th	137.6	44.0	highest	313%
Shepparton Airport	20.6	-1.1	27.4	22nd	8.1	+1.0	1.1	1st	104.4	36.8	v high	284%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	20.5	-0.4	27.1	22nd	7.9	+0.4	1.1	1st	110.2	48.2	v high	229%
Yarrawonga	21.3	-0.9	27.5	22nd	8.0	+0.8	0.9	1st	114.6	37.7	v high	304%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport	20.5		26.2	22nd	7.6		1.0	1st	108.1
Corryong Airport	21.2		25.9	29th	7.0		0.1	1st	216.4
Dartmouth Reservoir	20.2	-0.1	25.4	22nd	7.8	+1.0	1.8	1st	235.4	101.6	v high	232%
Hunters Hill	15.9	+0.3	21.7	5th	7.4	+0.5	-1.1	16th	247.4	93.1	v high	266%
Rutherglen Research	20.4	-0.5	26.0	22nd	7.4	+1.2	0.5	1st	179.4	59.0	highest	304%
Strathbogie	17.1	-0.6	23.1	22nd	6.2	+1.0	-1.7	2nd	161.0	86.5	v high	186%
Wangaratta Aero	20.7	-0.4	26.4	29th	7.3	+0.9	1.4	1st	134.6	53.7	v high	251%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport)	14.8	+0.8	19.6	21st	3.3	+0.8	-3.9	16th	117.8	77.1	high	153%
Falls Creek	9.3	+0.4	13.9	29th	2.2	+0.9	-6.6	16th	236.4	120.4	high	196%
Mount Buller	7.9	-0.5	13.9	29th	1.4	+0.1	-6.9	16th	193.0	147.5	high	131%
Mount Hotham	7.6	+0.5	12.3	29th	1.3	+0.8	-7.6	16th	269.6	125.4	high	215%
Omeo	18.3		23.4	22nd	5.3		-2.3	2nd	107.0
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS	19.2	+1.1	26.8	6th	8.2	+0.4	1.0	16th	91.6	94.3	average	97%
Gabo Island Lighthouse	17.1	0.0	20.4	31st	11.5	+0.4	6.0	20th	74.2	75.2	average	99%
Gelantipy	17.0	+0.8	23.0	6th	6.8	+1.1	-0.3	16th	136.8	71.3	v high	192%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road)	18.8		27.5	6th	9.4		4.2	20th	135.2
Mallacoota	18.7	-0.1	26.5	31st	10.3	+0.7	3.5	20th	84.4	80.5	average	105%
Mount Nowa Nowa	19.3	+0.5	27.9	22nd	9.5	+0.6	2.5	16th	131.4	69.3	v high	190%
Orbost	20.0		28.2	6th	9.3		4.2	20th	97.2	59.6	high	163%
Orbost (Comparison)	20.5	+0.7	28.4	6th	8.0	-0.3	1.9	20th	101.4	77.0	high	132%
Point Hicks (Lighthouse)	19.3	+0.8	29.5	31st	11.1	+0.2	5.4	18th	77.6	76.8	average	101%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport	20.0	+0.3	28.9	6th	8.0	+0.6	3.2	9th	93.6	60.2	high	155%
East Sale Airport	20.1	+0.9	28.5	6th	7.6	+0.1	1.7	9th	61.6	58.2	average	106%
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport)	19.6	+0.3	27.8	22nd	6.9	-0.5	0.9	1st	92.6	73.6	high	126%
Mount Baw Baw	8.5	+0.2	15.5	29th	1.6	+0.2	-6.4	16th	184.2
Mount Moornapa	19.1	+0.7	27.9	22nd	8.6	+0.6	1.2	16th	134.8	79.8	high	169%
Noojee (Slivar)	18.0	0.0	26.0	29th	7.1	+0.3	1.4	16th	166.6	111.0	high	150%
Pound Creek	18.2		26.8	29th	7.5		0.8	2nd	102.6
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	16.2	+0.4	23.7	22nd	10.7	+0.8	6.7	17th	72.2	92.3	average	78%
Yarram Airport	19.0		28.4	22nd	6.4		-0.2	20th	51.4
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	19.9	+0.4	27.2	22nd	9.0	+0.4	2.5	2nd	122.4	65.2	v high	188%
Cerberus	18.5	+0.3	27.9	29th	8.4	-0.2	1.7	2nd	111.2	69.1	high	161%
Coldstream	19.8	+0.5	26.4	29th	6.9	+0.6	0.7	2nd	135.6	66.1	v high	205%
Coldstream Comparison	19.8		26.4	29th	6.8		0.7	2nd	135.4
Essendon Airport	19.6	+0.5	27.4	22nd	8.8	+0.7	2.3	2nd	128.2	61.2	v high	209%
Ferny Creek (Dunns Hill)	15.5	+0.3	23.6	22nd	7.3	+0.1	0.5	16th	180.4	94.7	high	190%
Frankston AWS	18.0	+0.5	26.1	29th	10.4	0.0	6.4	16th
Melbourne Airport	19.4	+0.2	27.2	22nd	8.4	0.0	2.6	2nd	128.8	54.9	v high	235%
Melbourne Regional Office	20.7	+1.1	28.9	22nd	10.9	+1.4	4.7	16th	135.2	66.3	v high	204%
Moorabbin Airport	19.3	+0.2	28.7	29th	9.2	0.0	3.2	2nd	163.6	71.0	v high	230%
Rhyll	18.0	+0.4	25.4	29th	10.7	+0.3	4.5	16th	103.8	62.0	v high	167%
Scoresby Research Institute	19.7	+0.8	27.1	22nd	8.4	-0.4	2.4	2nd	147.6	85.9	high	172%
Viewbank (ARPANSA)	20.2	+0.2	27.3	29th	8.8	+0.1	2.7	2nd	148.6	66.9	v high	222%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)	15.5	-0.3	22.4	22nd	7.0	+0.4	0.1	16th	130.4	51.7	v high	252%
Wonthaggi	19.0	+1.0	28.4	29th	8.8	+0.1	4.0	16th	115.0	87.4	high	132%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	19.5	-0.3	29.3	29th	7.6	-0.2	0.3	2nd	101.0	49.8	v high	203%
Grovedale (Geelong Airport)	18.6	0.0	28.0	29th	7.4	-0.2	2.5	2nd	87.8	51.3	high	171%
Laverton RAAF	19.4	+0.2	29.1	22nd	8.4	+0.2	1.4	2nd	115.8	57.4	v high	202%
Sheoaks	18.0	+0.1	25.9	22nd	6.7	-0.5	0.5	2nd	116.8	55.8	v high	209%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison	18.7	-0.5	25.8	22nd	7.5	+0.9	1.0	19th	146.2	60.3	v high	242%
Eildon Fire Tower	16.4	-0.1	22.0	22nd	7.8	+0.7	-0.9	16th	149.2	54.4	v high	274%
Lake Eildon	20.4	+0.6	27.2	29th	8.0	+0.8	2.3	16th	132.4	79.4	high	167%
Mangalore Airport	20.3	-0.1	26.7	22nd	7.7	+0.5	2.1	16th	106.4	48.3	v high	220%
Maryborough	19.5	-0.5	27.5	22nd	6.9	-0.3	2.4	16th	108.5	49.6	v high	219%
Redesdale	19.2	0.0	26.1	22nd	6.5	+1.1	0.8	19th	151.4	53.0	v high	286%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison	18.5	+0.5	27.0	22nd	6.2	+0.2	-0.3	2nd	88.2	58.1	high	152%
Ballarat Aerodrome	16.9	+0.3	24.7	22nd	6.3	+0.1	0.0	19th	92.8	67.4	high	138%
Westmere	17.9		25.2	29th	5.9		0.5	2nd	94.4
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet	17.8	-0.1	28.5	29th	9.1	-0.1	3.3	16th	117.2	62.4	high	188%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	17.6	+0.6	29.3	22nd	9.6	-0.7	4.4	1st	45.8	47.3	average	97%
Cape Otway Lighthouse	16.7	-0.2	27.4	29th	9.6	+0.1	5.0	16th	85.4	80.9	average	106%
Casterton	19.1		29.0	29th	6.8		1.1	24th	55.4
Casterton Showgrounds	19.4	+0.4	28.5	29th	6.8	-0.5	0.9	25th	53.8	57.8	average	93%
Colac (Mount Gellibrand)	16.5	-0.1	25.1	29th	7.5	+0.3	1.4	16th	99.2	52.2	v high	190%
Dartmoor	18.8		29.8	29th	7.0		0.3	25th	62.4
Hamilton Airport	18.1	+0.5	26.7	29th	6.5	0.0	0.9	25th	73.6	56.9	average	129%
Mortlake Racecourse	18.2	+0.5	26.5	29th	6.5	+0.4	1.4	25th	70.2	52.4	average	134%
Port Fairy AWS	18.4	+0.3	27.6	22nd	9.1	-0.1	3.2	25th	66.6	50.8	high	131%
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	17.1	+0.4	26.6	22nd	7.4	-0.8	2.0	19th	57.6	60.7	average	95%
Warrnambool Airport NDB	17.9	+0.2	25.9	29th	7.2	+0.2	1.1	25th	80.8	63.5	high	127%
Weeaproinah	14.2	+0.6	23.0	29th	6.8	+0.3	0.8	16th	176.8	173.7	average	102%

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Further information

Belinda Campbell and Jonathan Pollock
Climatologists
Victoria Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4956
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au

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