Tuesday, 3 January 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC36R0

Victoria in December 2011: Warm and dry in the southwest

  • Night-time temperatures very much above average in the southwest
  • Daytime temperatures warm in the southwest and cool in the east
  • Rainfall mostly close to average.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Preliminary data indicates that Victoria recorded an area averaged rainfall total of 43.86 mm in December 2011. This is close to the 1961–90 average of 47.52 mm. Most parts of the state recorded typical rainfall totals for the month but parts of the southwest were very much below average tending to below average while parts of the northwest were above average tending to very much above average. The largest totals were recorded along the Great Dividing Range. The wettest station overall was Mount Baw Baw with 195.6 mm and the wettest single day was the 19th when Stawell Aerodrome recorded 74.4 mm. There is a map of rainfall deciles below.

Maximum temperature

The area averaged maximum temperature for Victoria in December was 25.39 °C, only 0.20 °C above the long-term average of 25.19 °C. Most of the state recorded near normal average maximum temperatures but there were areas of warmer than normal in the southwest and areas of cooler than normal in the east. The hottest day was the 24th when both Ouyen (Post Office) and Walpeup Research recorded 39.9 °C. Walpeup Research also recorded the warmest days on average with 30.6 °C. The coolest days on average were recorded at Mount Hotham with 12.1 °C and the coldest day was the 1st when Mount Baw Baw recorded 2.2 °C. There is a map of maximum temperature anomalies below.

Minimum temperature

The area averaged minimum temperature for Victoria in December was 0.69 °C warmer than the long-term average of 11.51 °C. Average minimum temperatures in the southwest were very much warmer than normal, tending to warmer than normal in the central parts of the state. The coldest night was the 5th when Mount Hotham recorded -4.5 °C and Mount Hotham also recorded the coolest nights on average with 4.0 °C. The warmest nights on average were recorded at Mildura Airport with 15.1 °C. The warmest night was the 25th when both Ouyen (Post Office) and Walpeup Research recorded 25.6 °C.

Some sites had their lowest December temperature on record while others had their highest December mean daily minimum temperature on record. There is a map of minimum temperature anomalies below.

Wind

The strongest wind gust was at Eildon Fire Tower with 115 km/h on the 25th.

Significant Weather

Hail: Showers and thunderstorms on Christmas day affected most of the state and produced large hail over parts of Melbourne.

Further information

Dr Harvey Stern
Climate Meteorologist
Victoria Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4956
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au
Extremes in December 2011
Hottest day 39.9 °C at Ouyen (Post Office) on the 24th
39.9 °C at Walpeup Research on the 24th
Warmest days on average 30.6 °C at Walpeup Research
Coolest days on average 12.1 °C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day 2.2 °C at Mount Baw Baw on the 1st
Coldest night -4.5 °C at Mount Hotham on the 5th
Coolest nights on average 4.0 °C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average 15.1 °C at Mildura Airport
Warmest night 25.6 °C at Ouyen (Post Office) on the 25th
25.6 °C at Walpeup Research on the 25th
Warmest on average overall 22.8 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest on average overall 8.0 °C at Mount Hotham
Wettest overall 195.6 mm at Mount Baw Baw
Wettest day 74.4 mm at Stawell Aerodrome on the 19th
Highest wind gust 115 km/h at Eildon Fire Tower on the 25th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Map of Rainfall deciles

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Record lowest December temperature
Lowest temperature
in December 2011 (°C) 		Previous coolest
for December		 Years of
record		 Average for
December
Kyabram DPI 3.7 on the 1st = 3.7 on the 28th in 2010 45 12.4
Melbourne Airport 3.5 on the 5th 4.1 on the 15th in 1986 42 12.0

Record highest December mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for December 2011 (°C) 		Previous warmest
for December		 Years of
record		 Average for
December
Aireys Inlet 13.5 = 13.5 in 1994 20 12.1
Port Fairy AWS 14.2 13.6 in 1992 20 12.4

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for December 2011
Maximum temperatures
for December
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for December
(°C)		 Rainfall
for December
(millimetres)
Mean for
December
2011		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
December
2011		 Mean for
December
2011		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
December
2011		 Total for
December
2011		 Average
for
December		 Rank of
December
2011		 Fraction of
December
average
Southwest Slopes (South) (district 72)
Albury Airport AWS 27.7 -1.4 33.1 24th 13.9 +0.2 7.2 1st 33.4 41.5 average 80%
Hume Reservoir 27.9 -0.6 32.9 24th 14.8 +0.5 7.4 1st 60.2 49.8 average 121%
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport 30.5 +0.4 38.2 24th 15.1 +0.3 8.8 1st 62.6 25.7 v high 244%
Ouyen (Post Office) 30.5 +0.4 39.9 24th 14.7 +1.0 7.3 1st 15.4 25.9 average 59%
Walpeup Research 30.6 +0.9 39.9 24th 14.1 +0.6 6.1 1st 21.8 25.2 average 87%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport 30.2 38.9 24th 13.2 5.5 1st 48.2
Swan Hill Aerodrome 30.3 +0.2 37.4 24th 14.0 +0.7 6.8 1st 31.8 23.1 average 138%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill Aerodrome 29.1 38.3 24th 11.8 4.5 5th 17.8
Warracknabeal Museum 29.1 +0.5 37.6 24th 12.4 +0.3 5.0 1st 61.1 28.8 high 212%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport 27.5 37.2 31st 11.4 3.9 14th 22.0
Grampians (Mount William) 17.8 27.8 24th 7.3 0.7 4th 103.0
Horsham Aerodrome 28.9 +0.6 37.7 24th 10.8 +0.5 3.6 14th 31.2 28.6 average 109%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd 28.6 +0.9 37.6 24th 11.0 -0.5 3.2 5th 30.0 28.6 average 105%
Kanagulk 27.7 37.8 24th 10.9 4.4 1st 25.0
Longerenong 28.7 +1.1 37.0 24th 11.5 +0.3 3.9 1st 50.0 28.2 high 177%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis) 21.8 31.6 24th 9.7 3.6 1st 76.4
Stawell Aerodrome 26.7 +0.5 35.5 25th 12.1 +1.0 6.0 1st 100.8 39.5 v high 255%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton 29.7 39.3 24th 13.1 5.8 1st 22.6
Echuca Aerodrome 28.4 -0.5 35.5 24th 12.8 -0.6 5.5 1st 67.8 29.3 high 231%
Kerang 29.9 +0.2 38.0 24th 14.2 +0.8 6.3 1st 14.4 27.5 average 52%
Kyabram DPI 28.6 +0.7 36.2 24th 13.3 +0.9 3.7 1st 46.2 32.6 average 142%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport 27.0 +0.1 35.1 24th 12.6 +1.1 3.8 1st 34.4 43.3 average 79%
Shepparton Airport 28.3 -0.3 35.1 24th 13.1 +0.7 4.0 5th 28.6 33.6 average 85%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 27.2 -0.2 34.6 24th 13.0 +0.8 2.8 5th 40.8 34.5 high 118%
Yarrawonga 28.9 -0.9 35.7 24th 13.5 +0.5 5.9 1st 45.2 40.8 average 111%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Beechworth Woolshed 26.6 -1.0 32.3 24th 11.5 +1.0 2.8 1st 83.4 62.5 high 133%
Benalla Airport 27.8 34.8 24th 13.1 6.7 1st 62.1
Corryong Airport 27.3 32.1 24th 10.7 3.5 5th 46.2
Dartmouth Reservoir 25.2 -1.5 31.0 24th 13.0 +1.4 5.2 1st 109.8 73.3 high 150%
Hunters Hill 21.9 -0.7 27.2 24th 10.5 -1.3 3.1 5th 60.2 79.0 average 76%
Rutherglen Research 28.2 -1.0 33.4 24th 11.3 -0.1 2.9 1st 56.4 44.3 high 127%
Strathbogie 23.7 -0.8 30.2 24th 9.9 +0.6 2.6 1st 64.4 56.7 high 114%
Wangaratta Aero 28.1 -0.9 34.4 24th 11.4 -0.2 3.5 5th 38.6 42.6 average 91%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport) 17.5 -2.0 24.6 24th 5.1 -1.2 -3.1 1st 94.8 67.1 high 141%
Falls Creek 13.8 -1.2 19.0 24th 4.7 -1.4 -3.2 5th 142.4 105.4 high 135%
Mount Buller 13.5 -0.9 18.9 24th 5.6 -0.5 -2.9 1st 97.4 95.0 average 103%
Mount Hotham 12.1 -1.5 17.1 24th 4.0 -1.5 -4.5 5th 150.8 106.5 high 142%
Omeo 21.5 29.1 31st 7.7 0.6 1st 35.6
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS 21.2 -1.7 28.9 24th 10.2 -1.0 5.1 5th 25.8 69.8 v low 37%
Gabo Island Lighthouse 19.8 -0.1 23.4 24th 14.6 +0.3 9.8 3rd 43.0 67.2 average 64%
Gelantipy 19.2 -2.0 26.7 24th 8.4 -1.0 1.6 6th 79.0 65.9 high 120%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) 20.5 25.7 31st 12.3 8.2 15th 68.2
Mallacoota 21.3 -0.6 28.8 24th 12.9 -0.5 6.2 3rd 28.2 71.8 low 39%
Mount Nowa Nowa 20.8 -1.4 29.7 31st 11.8 -0.1 6.0 5th 96.4 81.3 average 119%
Orbost 21.8 -2.0 28.3 31st 12.0 -0.6 6.3 6th 92.8 68.4 average 136%
Point Hicks (Lighthouse) 22.2 +0.3 29.0 31st 13.7 -0.4 7.6 3rd 51.7 72.6 average 71%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport 22.6 -0.9 30.3 31st 10.2 -0.9 4.4 15th 56.8 60.1 average 95%
East Sale Airport 22.5 -0.9 31.2 31st 11.3 0.0 5.7 2nd 26.8 54.0 low 50%
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 23.7 -0.3 33.2 31st 11.3 +0.2 4.5 14th 55.4 67.9 average 82%
Mount Baw Baw 12.7 -1.5 20.0 31st 4.8 -0.7 -2.6 5th 195.6 154.0 high 127%
Mount Moornapa 21.1 -1.6 30.2 31st 10.8 -0.3 5.1 5th 50.6 54.5 average 93%
Noojee (Slivar) 22.1 -0.4 31.0 31st 10.3 +0.6 3.1 5th 110.8 95.8 average 116%
Pound Creek 22.0 29.9 31st 11.2 2.9 5th 43.4
Willow Grove (Blue Rock Reservoir) 22.6 -1.2 31.2 31st 11.6 +0.3 5.6 5th 65.0 64.2 average 101%
Yarram Airport 21.7 28.9 31st 10.3 3.1 3rd 34.2
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora (Latrobe University) 24.4 -0.3 33.3 31st 12.9 +0.6 5.0 5th 121.8 66.0 high 185%
Cerberus 22.6 +0.4 32.5 31st 12.7 +0.9 4.9 5th 44.2 52.7 average 84%
Coldstream 24.8 -0.1 33.3 24th 10.9 +1.4 3.7 5th 98.6 56.1 high 176%
Coldstream Comparison 24.7 33.3 24th 10.8 3.6 5th 98.6
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens 23.1 -0.2 33.2 31st 11.4 -0.3 4.1 5th 66.8 66.3 average 101%
Essendon Airport 24.3 0.0 34.3 31st 12.8 +1.1 4.7 5th 76.6 51.9 high 148%
Ferny Creek 20.6 28.8 31st 11.0 4.6 5th 119.0
Frankston AWS 23.0 +0.8 32.1 31st 14.2 +0.5 8.3 5th
Melbourne Airport 24.4 0.0 34.2 31st 12.2 +0.2 3.5 5th 60.8 49.5 average 123%
Melbourne Regional Office 25.1 +0.9 35.6 31st 15.0 +2.1 8.6 5th 82.4 59.5 high 138%
Moorabbin Airport 23.8 0.0 34.0 31st 13.0 +0.5 5.6 5th 48.6 59.5 average 82%
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve 21.4 -0.3 29.0 8th 13.0 +1.2 3.7 5th 34.7 50.1 average 69%
Rhyll 22.4 +0.9 30.4 31st 14.4 +0.9 9.9 5th 44.0 44.4 average 99%
Scoresby Research Institute 24.4 +0.5 32.8 31st 11.9 +0.1 4.1 5th 74.6 76.6 average 97%
Viewbank (ARPANSA) 24.9 -0.5 33.6 31st 12.5 +0.1 5.0 5th 108.8 72.2 high 151%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 21.0 -0.6 29.9 24th 10.4 +0.5 3.0 5th 88.6 47.7 high 186%
Wonthaggi 22.7 +0.8 30.8 8th 12.4 +0.9 5.4 5th 53.4 61.1 average 87%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport 23.7 -0.3 35.3 31st 12.5 +0.9 6.9 1st 28.8 29.6 average 97%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse) 22.7 35.2 31st 12.9 6.8 5th 21.8
Laverton RAAF 23.6 -0.1 34.3 31st 13.1 +1.2 5.8 6th 77.4 46.2 high 168%
Sheoaks 23.6 +0.3 34.8 31st 10.6 +0.3 3.2 5th 18.4 32.2 low 57%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison 25.1 -0.2 33.6 31st 11.0 +0.2 1.2 28th 52.0 42.0 average 124%
Eildon Fire Tower 23.1 -0.4 29.8 24th 11.1 +0.1 4.6 1st 46.2 42.2 average 109%
Lake Eildon 26.3 +0.1 32.5 31st 11.5 +0.6 4.6 14th 52.6 56.2 average 94%
Mangalore Airport 26.6 -0.3 34.3 24th 12.6 +0.8 4.2 1st 44.6 41.2 average 108%
Maryborough 26.9 +0.3 35.7 24th 11.9 +0.6 4.9 5th 57.6 37.9 high 152%
Redesdale 26.8 +0.6 34.5 24th 10.8 +0.9 1.6 1st 50.8 38.2 high 133%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison 26.0 +1.6 35.3 24th 10.8 +1.6 2.3 1st 49.8 38.5 average 129%
Ballarat Aerodrome 23.2 +0.7 32.3 25th 10.0 +0.6 1.6 1st 25.4 51.1 low 50%
Westmere 26.0 36.1 31st 9.9 2.9 5th 24.2
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet 21.1 +0.2 29.8 10th 13.5 +1.4 8.0 1st 26.2 39.5 low 66%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse 19.7 +0.2 24.8 31st 14.3 +1.4 10.7 1st 18.6 42.7 low 44%
Cape Otway Lighthouse 19.7 -0.2 26.7 10th 14.0 +2.0 9.9 1st 21.0 53.2 low 39%
Casterton 25.1 35.3 31st 10.9 4.3 14th 30.0
Colac (Mount Gellibrand) 22.8 -0.1 33.6 31st 11.2 +0.7 5.7 1st 21.0 38.2 low 55%
Dartmoor 24.6 34.1 17th 11.2 5.6 2nd 34.8
Hamilton Airport 25.8 +2.0 35.7 31st 9.5 +0.1 3.2 5th 28.0 46.4 average 60%
Mortlake Racecourse 25.0 +2.0 35.0 31st 9.2 0.0 1.6 5th 15.4 45.2 v low 34%
Port Fairy AWS 21.2 +0.1 32.5 17th 14.2 +1.8 10.3 1st 16.8 43.0 v low 39%
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 20.9 +0.8 29.6 17th 12.2 +1.4 6.5 28th 21.8 51.1 low 43%
Portland NTC AWS 19.2 25.8 8th 14.5 11.1 1st
Warrnambool Airport NDB 23.3 +0.8 33.5 8th 10.7 +0.7 4.7 2nd 37.2 50.4 average 74%
Weeaproinah 18.5 +0.7 28.9 31st 10.3 +1.0 5.3 1st 40.8 113.3 v low 36%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list the main features of the weather in Victoria using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 11 am on Tuesday 3 January 2012. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages are long-term means based on observations from all available years of record, which vary widely from site to site. They are not shown for sites with less than 10 years of record, as they cannot then be calculated reliably.
The median is sometimes more representative than the mean of long-term average rain.

The Rank indicates how rainfall this time compares with the climate record for the site, based on the decile ranking (very low rainfall is in decile 1, low in decile 2 or 3, average in decile 4 to 7, high in decile 8 or 9 and very high is in decile 10).
The Fraction of average shows how much rain has fallen this time as a percentage of the long-term mean.

Further information

Dr Harvey Stern
Climate Meteorologist
Victoria Climate Services Centre
Bureau of Meteorology
Phone (03) 9669 4956
Email climate.vic@bom.gov.au