Greater Melbourne in January 2018: warmer than average with above average rainfall

Heavy rain at the end of the month resulted in average to above average January rainfall totals across Greater Melbourne. January days and nights were warmer than average in all Melbourne suburbs, and for the first time since 2016, temperatures reached 40 °C in several suburbs.

Above average rainfall

  • January rainfall totals were generally above average across Greater Melbourne
  • Rainfall totals ranged from 100% of average at Cranbourne and Scoresby, to 200% of average at Viewbank
  • A low pressure trough and cold front brought heavy rain to Melbourne on the night of the 29th into the morning of the 30th, with most suburbs recording more than 25 mm
  • Bullengarook East, to Melbourne's northwest, had Greater Melbourne's highest daily total of 65.8 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 30th, with Burnside, Newham, and Viewbank also recording more than 40 mm
  • Melbourne (Olympic Park) had six rain days during the month, slightly less than the January average of around eight rain days for the city
  • Bullengarook East had its highest total January rainfall since 1995

Much warmer than average

  • Mean maximum temperatures were above average across Greater Melbourne
  • The hottest days were on the 6th, 18th and 19th, with Laverton RAAF recording Greater Melbourne's hottest temperature for the month of 43.1 °C on the 6th
  • No site in Greater Melbourne reached 40 °C during 2017, so they were the hottest days since 13 January 2016 in most suburbs
  • Melbourne Airport had 14 consecutive days of 25 °C or above from the 16th to the 29th, exceeding the site's previous record run of such warm days in January of 11 days in 1988
  • Mean maximum temperatures ranged from 1.2 °C warmer than average at Coldstream, to 3.1 °C warmer than average at Scoresby
  • Nights were also very warm, with mean minimum temperatures above average throughout Greater Melbourne
  • Mean minimum temperatures ranged from 1.3 °C warmer than average at Cranbourne to 2.8 °C warmer than average at Essendon Airport
  • Melbourne (Olympic Park) had eight nights with minimum temperatures of 20 °C or more, just behind the city's record count of nine such warm nights in January 2009
  • Scoresby Research Institute equalled its highest January mean daily maximum temperature on record
  • Essendon Airport had both its highest January mean daily minimum temperature on record and its highest January mean temperature on record
  • Laverton RAAF and Moorabbin Airport had their highest January mean daily minimum temperature since 1981, and Moorabbin Airport also had its highest January mean temperature since 1981

High humidity at times

  • High humidity was experienced across much of Victoria, including Melbourne, early in the month, and again during the last week of the month
  • Precipitable water is a measure of the amount of water in the atmosphere and the average for the month over Melbourne Airport was the second-highest for January since 2000 (Melbourne Airport's highest average precipitable water since 2000 was in January 2011, during a strong La Niña event and was among Melbourne's wettest Januaries on record)
  • The precipitable water value at Melbourne Airport on the 29th was 54.4 mm, which was the highest January value since 64.6 mm on 13 January 2011 and is more than double the January mean of 21.3 mm

Melbourne (Olympic Park)

  • Total rainfall for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 65.4 mm
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 27.2 °C. The warmest day was 41.7 °C on the 6th, and the coolest day was on the 31st when the temperature reached 19.1 °C
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 17.3 °C. The coldest morning was 12.4 °C on the 17th, and the warmest morning was on the 29th when the minimum temperature was 27.8 °C

Further information

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Extremes in January 2018
Hottest day 43.1 °C at Laverton RAAF on the 6th
Warmest days on average 29.3 °C at Scoresby Research Institute
Coolest days on average 25.3 °C at Ferny Creek
Coldest day 15.6 °C at Wallan (Kilmore Gap) on the 31st
Coldest night 6.0 °C at Coldstream on the 17th
Coolest nights on average 13.7 °C at Coldstream
13.7 °C at Wallan (Kilmore Gap)
Warmest nights on average 17.3 °C at Melbourne (Olympic Park)
Warmest night 28.5 °C at Moorabbin Airport on the 29th
Warmest on average overall 22.5 °C at Scoresby Research Institute
22.5 °C at Viewbank
Coolest on average overall 19.7 °C at Ferny Creek
Wettest overall 116.8 mm at Kinglake West
Wettest day 65.8 mm at Bullengarook East on the 30th
Strongest wind gust 96 km/h at South Channel Island on the 6th

Highest January total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)
Most recent
higher
Average for
January
Bullengarook East 90.6 95.6 in 1995* 49.7

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




Record highest January mean daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
January
Scoresby Research Institute 29.3 = 29.3 in 2001 59 26.2



Record highest January mean daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
January
Essendon Airport 16.4 16.0 in 2008 48 13.6

Highest January mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
higher
Average for
January
Laverton RAAF 16.3 16.8 in 1981 13.8
Moorabbin Airport 16.4 16.6 in 1981 14.2



Record highest January mean temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
January
Essendon Airport 22.4 22.3 in 1951 48 20.0

Highest January mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
higher
Average for
January
Moorabbin Airport 22.4 23.1 in 1981 20.0



Summary statistics for January 2018
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
January
2018
Diff
from
average
Highest for
January
2018
Mean for
January
2018
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
January
2018
Total for
January
2018
Average
for
January
Rank of
January
2018
Fraction of
January
average
Cerberus 26.3 +1.9 41.9 6th 15.3 +1.5 9.7 5th 53.6 38.4 high 140%
Coldstream 29.1 +1.2 40.3 19th 13.7 +1.8 6.0 17th 64.8 44.0 high 147%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens     41.1 19th 14.8 +1.3 9.1 10th 52.3 52.2 average 100%
Essendon Airport 28.4 +1.9 42.5 19th 16.4 +2.8 10.9 14th 68.6 42.6 high 161%
Ferny Creek 25.3   37.1 19th 14.1   8.0 14th 40.2
Frankston AWS 26.5 +1.7 38.1 19th 16.9 +1.4 11.9 14th
Laverton RAAF 27.5 +1.8 43.1 6th 16.3 +2.5 10.2 17th 67.2 39.6 v high 170%
Melbourne (Olympic Park) 27.2   41.7 6th 17.3   12.4 17th 65.4
Melbourne Airport 28.3 +1.9 42.4 19th 15.5 +1.7 10.3 14th 68.2 40.5 high 168%
Moorabbin Airport 27.9 +2.1 42.3 6th 16.4 +2.2 11.1 17th 64.0 44.4 high 144%
Scoresby Research Institute 29.3 +3.1 41.0 19th 15.7 +2.4 8.2 17th 52.4 52.4 average 100%
Viewbank 29.1 +1.3 42.0 6th 15.9 +1.4 10.0 16th 81.2 40.5 v high 200%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 27.0 +2.0 38.4 19th 13.7 +1.4 7.9 14th 83.4 47.5 high 176%

Daily maximum temperatures for January 2018
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Bundoora (Latrobe University)23.222.525.923.522.726.535.321.326.532.239.427.325.025.037.934.533.519.3
Cerberus23.120.820.221.928.141.921.221.122.027.431.125.920.619.620.625.028.639.240.026.128.023.422.823.126.625.728.839.134.120.619.4
Coldstream26.623.222.827.031.539.924.524.923.327.333.128.620.820.922.826.632.136.840.331.631.532.228.528.736.233.934.336.935.620.320.1
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens25.322.620.923.232.727.120.919.420.929.638.541.128.031.826.624.024.129.228.532.438.820.2
Essendon Airport26.623.022.524.930.541.921.524.123.826.635.330.623.620.121.827.031.940.142.526.130.026.724.725.329.431.334.039.135.321.319.4
Ferny Creek22.419.818.622.927.936.719.521.419.424.930.024.616.517.018.022.228.433.437.129.128.926.824.123.931.929.431.034.130.816.216.3
Frankston AWS23.419.521.423.427.732.322.022.520.827.032.527.318.618.821.425.430.138.138.125.825.626.524.925.530.427.332.436.730.618.6
Laverton RAAF24.824.221.923.631.443.121.422.622.225.432.829.321.619.620.825.229.040.742.725.928.925.724.224.428.127.531.939.834.920.519.2
Melbourne (Olympic Park)25.321.821.023.630.741.721.821.922.525.634.530.020.919.520.926.930.340.040.324.628.223.923.623.326.628.433.238.133.521.019.1
Melbourne Airport26.223.622.325.530.541.522.023.622.825.535.130.422.119.821.726.332.139.842.427.129.827.825.325.630.131.333.738.734.519.919.0
Moorabbin Airport24.521.621.423.030.942.323.023.221.728.235.327.821.220.121.726.229.239.841.926.529.325.425.225.931.629.132.838.834.721.520.7
Scoresby Research Institute26.023.022.626.432.040.822.824.922.927.733.728.820.820.321.725.933.337.441.029.631.429.026.927.434.032.934.637.835.3
Viewbank27.423.823.426.832.642.023.924.523.727.634.629.921.820.522.227.332.738.641.828.130.428.726.826.632.732.735.338.234.821.120.2
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)25.321.620.025.930.537.920.925.022.325.432.228.519.417.019.324.730.035.438.431.531.330.525.026.233.231.031.234.331.417.015.6
Values are the maximum temperature, usually in the 24 hours from 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred in the afternoon of that day.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily minimum temperatures for January 2018
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Bundoora (Latrobe University)14.010.712.616.212.112.523.110.810.313.218.817.212.715.719.714.914.8
Cerberus14.313.213.310.09.715.216.615.211.010.817.421.414.113.013.59.813.517.716.520.117.613.611.916.219.720.219.525.315.314.8
Coldstream10.915.212.88.49.912.417.015.616.47.49.118.913.77.213.27.06.09.612.816.419.518.215.39.212.318.121.020.022.814.212.8
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens12.914.912.511.211.514.314.515.313.19.115.020.913.410.912.211.411.621.116.219.418.613.312.316.319.019.520.414.0
Essendon Airport15.215.912.612.412.817.117.717.014.712.313.121.714.410.913.511.911.214.323.619.120.019.817.814.316.618.620.622.127.514.813.4
Ferny Creek11.712.010.49.710.816.013.813.312.39.913.920.811.18.09.910.511.017.324.515.518.716.413.112.112.717.718.220.424.410.79.2
Frankston AWS16.016.014.313.313.817.817.016.715.612.816.919.315.811.914.614.013.716.624.718.520.118.716.415.317.618.620.221.025.914.3
Laverton RAAF16.416.113.311.812.316.617.117.614.515.512.121.014.111.314.612.110.213.821.619.420.219.117.313.618.319.720.520.627.615.213.2
Melbourne (Olympic Park)16.616.414.614.114.718.818.717.315.713.615.520.416.012.714.612.912.416.622.520.321.020.518.014.817.119.421.222.727.815.614.6
Melbourne Airport14.015.511.211.512.216.615.715.913.912.113.321.813.510.312.410.910.414.521.317.319.318.516.912.915.918.320.221.326.514.311.7
Moorabbin Airport14.212.613.316.017.315.914.911.813.020.716.112.514.811.611.114.720.318.220.719.913.416.019.220.921.628.515.414.8
Scoresby Research Institute14.015.213.69.911.715.417.515.915.911.722.114.19.213.39.18.214.217.317.320.219.616.211.315.018.520.823.227.9
Viewbank14.716.113.510.713.116.417.216.116.011.812.720.514.310.913.910.010.714.017.919.120.319.816.212.915.918.620.721.628.014.114.0
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)11.111.99.59.511.115.713.713.012.09.112.921.011.37.99.89.810.218.223.115.916.816.213.412.113.216.917.518.722.611.39.1
Values are the minimum temperature, usually in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred that morning.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily rainfall for January 2018
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Bonbeach (Carrum) - - 2.1 - - - - - - - - - → → 28.4 - - - - - - - - - - 22.4 - - - 27.0
Bullengarook East - 1.0 - - - - - - 0.6 - - - 2.6 7.4 0.6 0.2 - - - - - - - - - 2.0 10.4 - - 65.8
Bundoora (Latrobe University) → 9.6 0.6 0.4 - → → 0.2 - - - - → → 35.8 - - - - - - - - - - → → → 3.4 32.0 0.4
Burnside - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.9 7.9 0.3 - - - - - - - - - - 19.0 - - - 48.2 -
Cape Schanck - - 0.4 - - - - 0.4 - - - 3.8 11.0 8.4 2.4 0.4 - - - 0.2 0.6 - - - - 0.6 4.4 - - 27.6 0.4
Cerberus - - 1.2 0.2 - - - - - - - - 12.4 10.2 1.6 0.2 - - - - - - - - - 1.2 2.2 0.2 - 24.2 -
Coldstream - - 0.4 - - - - 0.4 1.8 - - 0.2 8.2 15.2 0.2 0.6 - - - - - - - - - 3.0 8.6 - - 26.2 -
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens - - - - - - - - - - - 0.2 15.8 7.0 0.4 - - - - - - - - - - 1.0 0.7 - → 27.2 -
Essendon Airport - - - - - - - - - - - - 2.8 19.0 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - 2.0 4.0 0.2 - 40.4 -
Ferny Creek 0.4 1.8 0.2 - - - - - - - - - 0.4 - 0.8 0.8 - - - - - - - - - 2.2 3.4 - - 30.0 0.2
Greenvale Reservoir
-

- -


- -
5.4 21.2 0.4 -

- -
0.2 - -
1.6
- - 38.4 0.4
Kinglake West - - - - - - 2.6 0.2 0.4 - - 0.4 7.4 30.0 0.8 0.8 - - - - - - - - - 5.2 42.8 - - 26.2
Kinglake West (Wallaby Creek)
- 0.8 0.2 - -


0.2 - 0.2 6.0 37.8 0.4 2.8

- -
- - -
3.8
- - 26.8 -
Lancefield - - - - - - - - 1.8 - - - - 3.8 - - - - - - - - - - 12.2 23.4 - - - 35.0 -
Laverton RAAF - - - - - - - - - - - - 2.2 19.4 - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - 2.2 2.2 - - 41.0 -
Main Ridge - - - - - - - - 0.8 - - 8.2 12.0 2.0 - 3.0 - - - - - - - - - - 11.2 - - 22.0
Melbourne (Olympic Park) - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - 1.0 7.0 15.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.4 - - 38.8 -
Melbourne Airport 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - 3.6 14.8 - - - - - - 0.2 0.2 - - - 3.2 3.6 - - 42.4 -
Mitcham
- 1.0 0.2 - -


- -
5.0 14.4 0.4 1.0


-
- - -


0.2 - 33.6 -
Moorabbin Airport - - 1.0 0.2 - - - - - - - 0.2 11.8 7.6 - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - 11.6 0.4 - - 31.0 -
Mount Waverley (Riversdale Golf Club) - - - 1.0


























Newham (Cobaw) - - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 1.4 3.4 - - - - - - - - - → → → → → 26.0 48.0
Oakleigh (Metropolitan Golf Club) - - 0.8 - - - - - - - - - 10.4

















Preston Reservoir
-
0.4 - -


- -
3.2 36.4 0.2 -

- -
- - -


- - 40.0 -
Romsey - - - - - - - - 1.2 - - - 4.2 5.2 0.4 0.2 - - - - 0.2 - - - - 32.4 14.0 - - 40.8
Rosebud (Country Club) - - - - - - - - - 2.2 - → 11.0 → 11.0 - - - - - - - - - - - 3.0 - - 19.6
Scoresby Research Institute 0.2 - 1.6 0.2 - - - - - - - 0.4 4.8 10.4 1.6 1.0 - - - - - - - - - 2.4 2.4 0.2 - 27.2 -
Springvale (Sandown) - - 4.0 - - - - - - - - - 12.0 8.4 1.2 0.8 - - - - - - - - - 1.2 1.8 - - 32.7
Springvale Necropolis -
- - - - - - - - - - → → 26.0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 34.0
Toorourrong Reservoir (Toorourrong)
- 0.2
- -


- -
5.2 27.2 0.4 1.0

- -
- - -
4.4
- - 30.8 0.2
Viewbank - - 0.6 0.2 - - - - - - - - 3.8 29.8 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - 3.6 - - 43.0 -
Wallan - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.0 19.4 - - - - - - - - - - - 26.8 14.2 - - 24.6
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) - - - - - - - 0.2 - - - - 3.2 17.4 - - - - - - - - - - - 10.4 22.6 - - 29.6 -
Warburton (O'Shannassy Reservoir (Quarte
-

- -


0.6 - 1.8
36.6 0.8 -

- -
- - -
12.0
- - 17.0 0.6
Willowmavin (Avalon Station) - - - - - - - - 0.4 0.2 - 0.2 3.8 6.2 - - - - - - - - - - - 3.8 16.8 0.2 - 27.0 -
Woodend - - - - - - - 0.6 1.6 - - - 2.6 5.6 0.8 - - - - - - - - - - 28.2 11.0 - - 29.6
Yan Yean
- 0.6
- -


- -
4.4 26.8 0.2 0.4

- -
- - -
10.8
- - 22.8 -
Yarra River @ Warrandyte - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - 5.4 22.8 1.4 0.6 - - - - - - - - - 10.2 3.6 - - 24.0 -
Most values are the precipitation in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated. Days marked with → are part of a longer accumulation, which is shown on the final day.
Values over 100 mm have been rounded to the nearest whole millimetre.
Days marked with - have a rainfall report of zero; days left blank have no rainfall report (which often indicates no rain fell).
Rainfalls coloured
according to the amount
0 1.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 25.0 50.0 100 150 200 300 400 600 millimetres

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists the main features of the weather in Greater Melbourne using the most timely and accurate information available on the date of publication; it will generally not be updated. More extensive discussion of significant weather events, along with later information and data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review.

In September 2017 this summary was broadened to include data from observing sites in or near the Greater Melbourne “Greater Capital City Statistical Area” (GCCSA). The Australian Bureau of Statistics designed the GCCSAs to “include the population within the urban area of the city, as well as people who regularly socialise, shop or work within the city, and live in small towns and rural areas surrounding the city. It is important to note that GCCSAs do not define the built up edge of the city. They provide a stable definition for these cities and are designed for the output of a range of social and economic survey data.”

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Thursday 1 February 2018. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

In some situations, some or all of the rainfall is in the form of hail or snow. In these cases the totals given are for the water equivalent: the depth of liquid water that results from melting any frozen precipitation. There can be significant 'undercatch' of snow in strong winds, meaning the true precipitation can be higher than that reported.

Averages for individual sites 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.

Where temperature area averages are mentioned, they are derived from the ACORN-SAT dataset.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries

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