Wednesday, 1 February 2012 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC26R0

Victoria in January 2012: Warm and humid. Mostly near normal rainfall.

Please note that this is a preliminary summary based upon early data.

Key points:

• January 2012 was a warm and humid month, with mostly near normal rainfall.
• Exceptions were the northeast of the State, where rainfall was slightly above normal, and the southwest of the State, where rainfall was slightly below normal.
• The warmth and humidity arose because of the high frequency of easterly synoptic types, and this is typical of what usually happens in summer during La Nina events - we are presently in the latter stages of a weakening La Nina event.
• An exceptional 'cold outbreak', earlier in the month, was associated with some snowfalls on the higher peaks of the eastern ranges.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Summary: Rainfall was close to normal at most places but was generally above normal across the northern plains, and over a few parts of the exposed coast. It was drier than usual in the southwest of the State and also in inland parts of Gippsland.

Some sites had their highest total January rainfall on record.

Some sites had their highest total January rainfall for at least 10 years.

Some sites had their lowest total January rainfall on record.

Some sites had their lowest total January rainfall for at least 10 years.

There is a map of total rainfall below.

There is a map of rainfall deciles below.

Temperature

Maximum temperature

Summary: Maximum temperatures were well above normal throughout - by more than 2 degrees in the southwest, and by about 1 degree in most other districts.

Some sites had their coldest January day (lowest maximum temperature) on record.

Some sites had their highest January mean daily maximum temperature on record.

Some sites had their highest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 10 years.

Some sites had their lowest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 10 years.

There is a map of mean maximum temperatures below.

There is a map of maximum temperature anomalies below.

Minimum temperature

Summary: As with maximum temperatures, minimum temperatures were also well above normal throughout - by about 1.5 degrees in the southwest, and by between half and one degree in most other districts.

Some sites had their warmest January night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record.

Some sites had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record.

Some sites had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature for at least 10 years.

There is a map of mean minimum temperatures below.

There is a map of minimum temperature anomalies below.

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Extremes in January 2012
Hottest day	43.0 °C at Dartmoor on the 2nd
Warmest days on average	32.9 °C at Swan Hill Aerodrome
Coolest days on average	15.1 °C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day	0.6 °C at Mount Hotham on the 11th
Coldest night	-3.1 °C at Mount Hotham on the 12th
Coolest nights on average	6.8 °C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average	17.8 °C at Mildura Airport
Warmest night	26.0 °C at Ouyen (Post Office) on the 18th
Warmest on average overall	25.3 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest on average overall	11.0 °C at Mount Hotham
Wettest overall	236.4 mm at Falls Creek (Rocky Valley)
Highest wind gust	144 km/h at Mount Hotham on the 8th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Rainfall totals

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Record highest total January rainfall
	Total rainfall for January 2012 (mm)	Previous wettest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Myrhee (Handcocks)	146.8	108.8	in 2008	12	45.0
Too Rour (Moroko Park)	84.8	73.0	in 2008	12	32.4

Highest total January rainfall for at least 10 years
	Total rainfall for January 2012 (mm)	Most recent January at least this wet		Years since wetter	Average for January
Drouin Bowling Club	95.3	106.2	in 1995	17	61.7
Mount Hotham	179.8	197.8	in 1995	17	101.3
Falls Creek (Rocky Valley)	236.4	257.2	in 1996*	14	116.4
Point Hicks (Lighthouse)	88.2	91.4	in 2000	12	62.4
Wonthaggi	69.0	82.4	in 2002	10	48.5

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.

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Record lowest total January rainfall
	Total rainfall for January 2012 (mm)	Previous driest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Combienbar AWS	9.6	21.8	in 2009	18	68.8
Boonah	7.4	9.0	in 2009	12	61.1

Lowest total January rainfall for at least 10 years
	Total rainfall for January 2012 (mm)	Most recent January at least this dry		Years since drier	Average for January
Swifts Creek	7.8	4.3	in 1965*	46	53.6

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported.

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Record lowest January daily maximum temperature
	Lowest daily maximum temperature in January 2012 (°C)		Previous coolest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Mount Buller	0.9	on the 11th	3.0	on the 8th in 1994	25	17.1
Wangaratta Aero	19.0	on the 11th	19.3	on the 8th in 1990	25	31.8
Beechworth Woolshed	18.7	on the 11th	= 18.7	on the 25th in 1996	22	30.7
Mount Hotham	0.6	on the 11th	1.9	on the 9th in 1994	21	16.2
Albury Airport AWS	19.5	on the 11th	20.1	on the 25th in 1996	19	32.0
Mount Moornapa	13.4	on the 11th	13.5	on the 3rd in 1996	19	25.3
Eildon Fire Tower	11.5	on the 11th	13.7	on the 2nd in 2002	16	27.2
Mount Baw Baw	1.0	on the 11th	2.7	on the 18th in 2010	14	17.6
Viewbank (ARPANSA)	17.9	on the 11th	18.0	on the 27th in 2007	13	27.6
Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport)	8.7	on the 11th	10.2	on the 18th in 2010	12	22.9

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Record highest January mean daily maximum temperature
	Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Aireys Inlet	24.6	24.5	in 2001	20	22.5
Port Fairy AWS	24.9	24.6	in 2001	20	22.4
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	23.0	= 23.0	in 2001	16	21.0

Highest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 10 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Most recent January at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for January
Mortlake Racecourse	28.1	28.4	in 2001	11	25.5
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	24.0	24.2	in 2001	11	21.7
Warrnambool Airport NDB	26.5	27.0	in 2001	11	24.2
Cape Otway Lighthouse	22.7	23.4	in 2001*	10	21.4

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported.

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Lowest January mean daily maximum temperature for at least 10 years
	Mean daily maximum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Most recent January at least this cool		Years since cooler	Average for January
Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport)	21.1	20.1	in 2002	10	22.9

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Record highest January daily minimum temperature
	Highest daily minimum temperature in January 2012 (°C)		Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Point Hicks (Lighthouse)	23.8	on the 3rd	23.6	on the 12th in 1982	42	15.8

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Record highest January mean daily minimum temperature
	Mean daily minimum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Previous warmest for January		Years of record	Average for January
Port Fairy AWS	15.4	15.3	in 2001	20	13.9

Highest January mean daily minimum temperature for at least 10 years
	Mean daily minimum temperature for January 2012 (°C)	Most recent January at least this warm		Years since warmer	Average for January
Ararat Prison	13.7	14.3	in 2001	11	11.1
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	15.4	15.6	in 2001	11	14.5
Cerberus	15.2	15.6	in 2001	11	13.7
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	13.7	13.9	in 2001	11	12.1
Stawell Aerodrome	14.9	15.3	in 2001	11	13.4
Cape Otway Lighthouse	15.0	15.3	in 2001*	10	13.3
Wonthaggi	14.7	15.2	in 2001*	10	12.9

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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Summary statistics for January 2012
	Maximum temperatures for January (°C)				Minimum temperatures for January (°C)				Rainfall for January (millimetres)
	Mean for January 2012	Diff from average	Highest for January 2012		Mean for January 2012	Diff from average	Lowest for January 2012		Total for January 2012	Average for January	Rank of January 2012	Fraction of January average
Southwest Slopes (South) (district 72)
Albury Airport AWS	31.6	-0.4	38.9	3rd	16.1	-0.3	6.2	12th	47.6	34.4	average	138%
Hume Reservoir	31.3	+0.6	37.7	3rd	17.1	+0.7	7.0	12th	55.0	45.5	average	121%
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport	32.7	+0.5	40.4	2nd	17.8	+1.2	9.6	12th	12.6	22.1	average	57%
Ouyen (Post Office)	32.7	+0.4	41.3	2nd	17.5	+2.1	8.5	12th	7.6	21.3	average	36%
Walpeup Research	32.8	+1.0	41.1	2nd	16.8	+1.6	6.8	12th	11.2	22.4	average	50%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport	32.5		41.8	2nd	15.9		7.5	12th	21.8
Swan Hill Aerodrome	32.9	0.0	41.2	3rd	17.0	+1.1	8.8	12th	25.6	30.6	average	84%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill Aerodrome	31.6		42.6	2nd	15.1		7.0	12th	11.0
Warracknabeal Museum	31.3	+0.6	40.9	2nd	15.7	+1.7	7.0	12th	4.4	27.0	low	16%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport	30.3		42.6	2nd	14.4		6.1	5th	6.4
Grampians (Mount William)	20.3		32.1	2nd	9.7		2.5	12th	55.8
Horsham Aerodrome	31.2	+0.3	42.0	2nd	13.6	+1.2	5.4	15th	8.6	30.6	low	28%
Horsham Polkemmet Rd	31.3	+1.5	42.9	2nd	14.1	+1.0	5.5	12th	10.4	23.8	average	44%
Kanagulk	30.3		42.5	2nd	14.0		7.2	6th	14.0
Longerenong	30.9	+1.0	41.6	2nd	14.4	+1.5	4.9	12th	6.6	24.9	low	27%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis)	24.1		35.4	2nd	12.5		3.9	12th	35.8
Stawell Aerodrome	28.9	-0.2	40.5	2nd	14.9	+1.5	8.9	12th	18.6	39.2	low	47%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton	32.1		41.1	2nd	16.2		6.8	12th	17.0
Kerang	32.3	+0.8	40.7	3rd	16.8	+1.7	9.1	12th	30.2	23.9	high	126%
Kyabram DPI	31.5	+1.5	41.9	3rd	15.6	+1.3	7.0	12th	49.6	33.9	high	146%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport	30.1	+0.5	39.0	2nd	15.0	+1.0	7.0	12th	14.0	35.9	low	39%
Shepparton Airport	31.3	-0.5	40.7	3rd	15.6	+0.5	8.4	12th	56.4	27.5	high	205%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	30.2	+0.7	40.2	3rd	15.6	+1.5	8.7	12th	59.8	33.8	high	177%
Yarrawonga	32.2	-0.3	40.3	3rd	16.0	+0.3	7.1	12th	45.8	31.4	high	146%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Beechworth Woolshed	29.7	-1.0	37.0	3rd	13.8	+0.4	5.4	12th	69.4	49.3	high	141%
Benalla Airport	31.2		40.0	3rd	15.2		7.1	12th	62.8
Corryong Airport	30.9		36.0	20th	12.7		4.3	12th	69.0
Dartmouth Reservoir	29.5	+0.3	35.7	3rd	14.7	+1.0	4.0	12th	66.6	61.7	average	108%
Hunters Hill	25.6	-0.2	31.2	26th	13.3	-0.9	3.4	12th	96.2	62.1	high	155%
Rutherglen Research	31.5	+0.2	39.7	3rd	14.1	+0.4	5.3	12th	54.6	36.5	high	150%
Strathbogie	27.2	0.0	36.0	3rd	12.1	+0.5	5.8	12th	106.6	48.0	v high	222%
Wangaratta Aero	31.6	-0.2	39.6	3rd	13.9	-0.2	7.6	12th	56.4	41.5	average	136%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport)	21.1	-1.8	27.2	29th	8.3	-0.4	-0.5	13th	29.6	48.4	low	61%
Edi Upper	30.1	+0.2	37.8	4th	13.4	-0.6	4.8	12th	94.4	62.4	high	151%
Falls Creek	17.3	-0.3	22.3	28th	7.8	-0.8	-2.0	12th	137.8	108.7	average	127%
Mount Buller	16.4	-0.7	23.3	3rd	8.1	-0.6	-1.4	12th	150.2	75.2	high	200%
Mount Hotham	15.1	-1.1	21.5	3rd	6.8	-1.1	-3.1	12th	179.8	101.3	high	177%
Omeo	26.1		33.5	3rd	10.4		3.0	13th	26.6
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS	25.4	0.0	35.1	3rd	13.9	+0.4	6.3	12th	9.6	68.8	lowest	14%
Gabo Island Lighthouse	21.9	+0.7	25.6	18th	16.8	+1.1	10.5	12th	43.6	70.1	average	62%
Gelantipy	23.7	-0.2	31.9	29th	11.9	+0.3	4.5	12th	38.0	60.9	low	62%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road)	24.1		34.1	3rd	15.3		8.5	12th	42.4
Mallacoota	24.4	+0.3	31.6	3rd	15.9	+0.4	9.9	12th	40.8	62.4	average	65%
Mount Nowa Nowa	25.0	+0.3	38.0	3rd	15.1	+0.9	7.7	12th	44.2	57.4	average	77%
Orbost	25.8	-0.7	37.4	3rd	15.1	+0.4	9.3	15th	36.4	39.2	average	93%
Point Hicks (Lighthouse)	24.9	+1.1	32.7	17th	16.1	+0.3	10.5	14th	88.2	62.4	high	141%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport	26.8	+1.0	39.1	3rd	13.1	+0.3	7.8	15th	35.2	48.9	average	72%
East Sale Airport	26.1	+0.7	37.5	3rd	14.0	+1.2	8.7	5th	38.6	45.3	average	85%
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport)	26.7	+0.3	37.9	2nd	13.6	+1.0	6.6	5th	46.2	49.0	average	94%
Mount Baw Baw	15.4	-2.2	24.7	3rd	7.7	-1.0	-1.0	12th	117.0	94.7	high	124%
Mount Moornapa	25.3	0.0	37.3	3rd	13.9	+0.7	7.1	12th	34.2	60.7	low	56%
Noojee (Slivar)	25.3	+0.2	34.6	3rd	12.5	+1.2	7.8	6th	50.4	66.7	low	76%
Pound Creek	24.9		37.5	2nd	13.4		8.8	7th	79.6
Willow Grove (Blue Rock Reservoir)	25.2	-1.1	33.6	3rd	13.0	-0.1	7.9	12th	50.2	52.3	average	96%
Yarram Airport	25.1		33.6	17th	13.3		6.3	15th	59.4
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora (Latrobe University)	27.0	+0.5	38.9	2nd	15.3	+1.2	9.9	6th	32.4	47.8	low	68%
Cerberus	24.9	+0.7	39.5	2nd	15.2	+1.5	9.2	5th	39.4	39.1	average	101%
Coldstream	27.2	-0.5	36.5	2nd	12.6	+0.9	5.3	12th	34.6	45.7	low	76%
Coldstream Comparison	27.2		36.4	2nd	12.4		5.1	12th	34.6
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens	25.7	+0.5	38.4	2nd	14.4	+0.9	8.4	5th	47.8	54.9	average	87%
Essendon Airport	27.1	+0.8	39.0	2nd	15.5	+2.2	10.4	6th	19.8	43.3	low	46%
Ferny Creek	23.2		33.6	2nd	13.5		6.0	12th	75.6
Frankston AWS	25.2	+0.6	36.1	2nd	16.3	+0.9	9.7	12th
Melbourne Airport	27.4	+1.1	39.2	2nd	14.8	+1.1	9.5	12th	10.0	41.8	low	24%
Melbourne Regional Office	27.4	+1.5	40.0	2nd	17.3	+3.0	12.5	12th	29.0	47.6	average	61%
Moorabbin Airport	26.4	+0.8	39.7	2nd	15.3	+1.2	8.7	12th	32.2	45.2	average	71%
Phillip Island Penguin Reserve	24.2	+0.5	38.6	2nd	15.4	+1.7	10.5	24th	46.6	33.1	high	141%
Rhyll	24.2	+0.6	34.9	2nd	16.4	+1.2	10.4	11th	51.0	38.7	high	132%
Scoresby Research Institute	26.9	+0.8	38.1	2nd	14.5	+1.3	8.1	6th	56.2	53.5	average	105%
Viewbank (ARPANSA)	27.7	+0.1	38.8	2nd	15.0	+0.7	8.9	12th	44.0	43.5	average	101%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)	24.2	-0.4	34.2	2nd	12.9	+0.7	6.7	12th	26.2	50.5	low	52%
Wonthaggi	24.8	+1.0	37.9	2nd	14.7	+1.8	10.2	11th	69.0	48.5	high	142%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	26.8	+0.7	41.1	2nd	14.7	+0.7	9.5	6th	19.6	31.5	average	62%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse)	26.0		41.8	2nd	15.1		9.5	5th	32.6
Laverton RAAF	26.4	+0.8	39.5	2nd	15.1	+1.4	10.4	9th	22.6	39.8	average	57%
Sheoaks	26.7	+1.2	39.7	2nd	13.0	+0.8	5.5	6th	14.0	36.3	v low	39%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison	28.1	0.0	38.2	2nd	14.2	+1.2	6.4	6th	53.8	41.6	high	129%
Eildon Fire Tower	26.5	-0.7	35.5	3rd	13.6	+0.2	5.2	12th	35.6	38.7	average	92%
Lake Eildon	29.5	+0.8	38.0	3rd	13.6	+1.0	6.0	12th	39.0	46.9	average	83%
Mangalore Airport	30.2	+0.6	40.4	3rd	14.9	+0.7	7.9	9th	35.8	40.0	average	90%
Maryborough	29.2	+0.5	39.7	2nd	14.4	+1.5	6.3	12th	16.8	31.3	average	54%
Redesdale	30.0	+1.0	39.2	2nd	13.8	+0.8	4.7	12th	38.2	33.9	average	113%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison	28.3	+1.6	39.8	2nd	13.7	+2.6	5.8	6th	18.8	40.7	low	46%
Ballarat Aerodrome	26.6	+1.5	37.4	2nd	12.5	+1.7	5.6	6th	22.2	39.6	average	56%
Westmere	28.5		41.4	2nd	12.4		4.7	6th	17.2
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet	24.6	+2.1	41.9	2nd	15.0	+1.1	9.9	11th	21.0	40.1	low	52%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	23.0	+2.0	40.2	2nd	15.4	+0.9	11.3	11th	24.8	36.9	average	67%
Cape Otway Lighthouse	22.7	+1.3	37.8	2nd	15.0	+1.7	10.4	11th	39.4	44.3	average	89%
Casterton	28.4		40.8	2nd	13.6		3.9	6th	14.2
Colac (Mount Gellibrand)	25.9	+0.5	40.8	2nd	13.1	+0.7	8.1	5th	21.6	37.9	average	57%
Dartmoor	27.8		43.0	2nd	13.5		4.7	6th	22.6
Hamilton Airport	28.6	+2.4	42.0	2nd	12.7	+1.8	4.2	5th	18.2	35.0	average	52%
Mortlake Racecourse	28.1	+2.6	42.7	2nd	12.0	+1.3	2.3	5th	17.0	35.5	low	48%
Port Fairy AWS	24.9	+2.5	42.6	2nd	15.4	+1.5	10.6	6th	22.2	33.4	average	66%
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	24.0	+2.3	40.4	2nd	13.7	+1.6	5.0	6th	37.2	37.6	average	99%
Portland NTC AWS	22.0		39.5	2nd	15.7		10.5	11th
Warrnambool Airport NDB	26.5	+2.3	42.7	2nd	13.0	+1.5	4.5	6th	15.0	36.4	low	41%
Weeaproinah	21.2	+1.4	36.6	2nd	12.1	+1.3	5.9	5th	135.8	87.8	high	155%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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