Tuesday, 9 January 2018 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in December 2017: A wet start to the month and warm nights

Victoria in December was wetter than average, largely due to record rainfall at the start of the month. Many locations across the State set daily rainfall records for December during this event. Warmer than average temperatures, especially around the middle of the month led to a warmer than average month for maximum and minimum temperatures, with overnight temperatures the eighth warmest on record for December.

Record December rainfall

• Much of the northern and western parts of the State recorded more than their December average during the first three days of the month, with some locations in the northeast more than three times their monthly average.
• Many sites had their highest December daily rainfall including over ten sites with more than 100 years of record.
• Some sites also had their highest Annual daily rainfall on record including Echuca Aerodrome, Euroa, Lake Eildon and Strathbogie, these sites all have more than 100 years of observations.
• Some sites including Euroa, Murchison and Strathbogie more than doubled their previous record December daily rainfall.
• Many sites had their highest total December rainfall on record, including Murchison which broke this record in the first three days of December.
• Many sites had their highest total December rainfall in at least 20 years, including Echuca Aerodrome which recorded its highest December total since 1930.

Cool start to the month then warm

• After a cooler than average start to the month associated with the record rainfall event, temperatures then warmed, with the 13th the warmest day of the month.
• Large areas across southeastern Victoria had the warmest December on record for minimum temperatures.
• Many sites saw or equalled their highest December mean daily minimum temperature on record. This included Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse which had the warmest December on record for overnight temperatures in its 139 year history.
• Swan Hill Aerodrome had its coldest December day (lowest maximum temperature) in its 22 year history on the 2nd of December.
• Bairnsdale Airport had its warmest December night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record on the 14th.
• Much of the State saw warmer than average daytime temperatures for the month, especially in eastern districts.
• Minimum temperatures were also generally warmer than average across much of the State with the warmest nights on average state-wide on the 19th and 28th.

Severe weather affected the State on the 19th

• As well as the record rainfall at the start of the month severe thunderstorms extended eastwards across most of central and eastern Victoria during the afternoon and evening of the 19th.
• Damaging winds, including gusts of above 100 km/h, were reported at sites such as Wallan, Bendigo Airport and Wangaratta. It was reported that a truck rolled in the high-wind conditions on the Hume Highway between Benalla and Glenrowan.
• A large number of reports of hail of 2-5 cm in diameter were received from northern and eastern suburbs in Melbourne.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

* note: there are missing data from the end of the month at this site so the final December total may be even higher

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
	Observed	Anomaly	Decile rank
Total rainfall
Mean daily maximum temperatures
Mean daily minimum temperatures

Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window

* note: there are missing data from the end of the month at this site so the final December total may be even higher

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

** note: there are missing data from the end of the month at this site so the final December total may be even higher

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top