Thursday, 2 January 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in December 2013: Warm daytimes, mixed rainfall

Victoria in December 2013 was characterised by:

• drier than normal conditions in the west
• warm daytimes across most of the State
• warm nights in Gippsland.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Wet in the north, dry in the west

Preliminary data indicates that rainfall totals were above average over parts of the north but below average over the west. The wettest station overall was Toolangi (Mt St Leonard MW) to the northeast of Melbourne with 155.8 mm. Kaniva , in the Wimmera, was the driest station overall with 3.0 mm. The wettest single day was the 5th when thunderstorms occurred over most of the State and Mount Hotham reported 76.8 mm. Some stations, with relatively short records, had their highest December daily rainfall on record and/or their highest total December rainfall. Meanwhile, others reported their lowest total December rainfall on record. The area averaged rainfall for the State was 38.33 mm which is 9.19 mm drier than the 1961-90 average of 47.52 mm. There is a map of rainfall deciles below.

Overall temperatures mostly normal

Mean temperatures (the average of maximum and minimum temperatures) were warmer than normal in the Mallee but close to normal in most other parts. The warmest station on average was Mildura Airport in the far northwest with 23.8 °C. Mount Hotham, in the Alpine region, had the coolest on average with 10.0 °C. The average temperature for Victoria was 19.45 °C which is 1.10 °C warmer than the 1961-90 average of 18.35 °C.

Warmer than usual daytimes across the State

Daytime temperatures have been warmer than usual in the Mallee and parts of all other districts. The exception is the Central district where they have been mostly typical for December. The hottest day was the 20th when Ouyen (Post Office) recorded 44.8 °C. Mildura Airport, in the far northwest, recorded the warmest days on average with 32.0 °C. Mount Hotham, in the Alpine region, recorded the coolest days on average with 14.4 °C. The coldest day was the 5th when Mount Hotham recorded 0.0 °C. Some stations reported their coldest December day (lowest maximum temperature) on record while a couple had their highest December temperature on record. There is a map of maximum temperature anomalies below. The area averaged maximum temperature for Victoria was 26.79 °C which is 1.60 °C warmer than the 1961-90 average of 25.19 °C.

Warm nights in Gippsland

Overnight temperatures have been warmer than usual in northern parts of the Mallee and most of Gippsland. Average minimum temperatures were mostly close to normal in other districts. The coldest night was the 6th when Falls Creek and Mount Hotham recorded -4.1 °C. Mount Hotham also recorded the coolest nights on average with 5.7 °C, whilst Mildura Airport had the warmest with 15.6°C. The warmest night was the 20th when Ouyen (Post Office) and Walpeup Research recorded 28.8 °C. Some stations had their lowest December temperature on record but Ouyen (Post Office) observed their warmest December night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record. There is a map of minimum temperature anomalies below. The area averaged minimum temperature for Victoria was 12.10 °C which is 0.59 °C warmer than the 1961-90 average of 11.51 °C.

Wind

The strongest wind gust was 109 km/h recorded at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 5th.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top