Victoria in August 2019: cold days and nights

Rainfall in August was below average in northern and much of eastern Victoria; it was wetter than average in parts of East Central and West Gippsland districts. Daytime temperatures were cooler than average in much of western and central Victoria, while night-time temperatures were below average to very much below average in the north of the State. Overall, it was Victoria's driest August since 2015 and the coolest August since 2010.

Below average rainfall in north and east

  • Rainfall in August was below average in northern and much of eastern Victoria, as well as in the southwest
  • State-wide, August rainfall was around 29% below average, the driest August since 2015
  • It was wetter than average only in parts of East Central and West Gippsland districts, with a large area in West Gippsland receiving nearly double its mean total rainfall for August
  • Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) in Gippsland had its highest total August rainfall on record, while Jindivick and Erica had their highest total August rainfall for at least 20 years
  • Much of the August precipitation fell between the 8th and 11th, due to a complex low pressure system which moved south of Victoria, followed by very cold polar air
  • Highest daily rainfall of 52.6 mm was recorded at Falls Creek (Rocky Valley) on the 8th
  • With 298.8 mm received during the month, Mount Baw Baw was the wettest place in Victoria
  • Year-to-date rainfall was below average in most of the State, and very much below average in the far northwest and scattered pockets in the central and southeastern Victoria

Below average temperatures

  • Both daytime and night-time temperatures tended cooler than average during August
  • Daytime temperatures were below average in much of western and central Victoria, while night-time temperatures were cooler than average in the north
  • Most of the North and Northeast districts experienced nights 1 °C to 2 °C cooler than average. Rutherglen in the State's northeast equalled its coldest August on record (7.1 °C in 1994) in 104 years of observations.
  • State-wide, mean daytime and night-time temperatures were 0.36 °C and 0.53 °C below average for August respectively
  • Coldest days during the month at most sites were on the 8th, 9th and 10th, in a polar air following the vigorous cold front
  • The coldest daytime temperature recorded in Victoria in August was ?4.4 °C at Mount Hotham on the 10th
  • Several sites in north and central Victoria had either their lowest August mean temperature on record or lowest August mean temperature since at least 1997
  • Year-to-date mean temperature was very much above average across most of the State and highest on record in parts of southern Victoria.
  • State-wide, January to August mean temperature was the 3rd warmest on record

Strong winds and snow

  • Sustained winds of 90-110 km/h were experienced during the 9th over the parts of West and South Gippsland, and coastal South West, with gusts of 128 km/h recorded at Wilsons Promontory, 120 km/h at Cape Otway
  • Victorian State Emergency Services had received more than 500 calls, mostly due to fallen trees and some building damage
  • Widespread heavy snow fell in the Alpine areas and to the lower levels, including Mt Macedon and Dandenong Ranges, on 10 and 11 August; this was the most widespread snowfall since 2008
  • Strong winds, particularly in the eastern Victoria, followed the passage of a vigorous cold front on the 22nd; Wilsons Promontory reported the strongest wind gust in the State this August, 143 km/h

Further information

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Extremes in August 2019
Hottest day 24.2 °C at Ouyen (Post Office) on the 24th
Warmest days on average 17.2 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest days on average 0.7 °C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day -4.4 °C at Mount Hotham on the 10th
Coldest night -7.4 °C at Mount Hotham on the 11th, 12th and 29th
Coolest nights on average -4.4 °C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average 8.6 °C at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse
Warmest night 12.4 °C at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 16th
Warmest on average overall 11.6 °C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Coolest on average overall -1.8 °C at Mount Hotham
Wettest overall 298.8 mm at Mount Baw Baw
Wettest day 52.6 mm at Falls Creek (Rocky Valley) on the 8th
Strongest wind gust 143 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 22nd

Maps

Observed Anomaly Decile rank
Total
rainfall
Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures
Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures
Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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


Record highest August total rainfall

New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
August
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 137.2 115.2 in 1990 35 65.7

Highest August total rainfall for at least 20 years

Observed
(mm)
Most recent
higher
Average for
August
Jindivick 172.3 210.6 in 1975 103.0
Erica (Parkers Corner) 148.0 150.5 in 1991* 105.0

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


Record lowest August daily maximum temperature

New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
August
Aireys Inlet 8.3 on the 9th = 8.3 on the 2nd in 1995 28 14.4



Record lowest August mean daily minimum temperature

New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
August
Eildon Fire Tower 2.9 = 2.9 in 2018 23 4.2
Mount Nowa Nowa 5.3 5.4 in 2008 23 6.3

Lowest August mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years

Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
August
Yarrawonga 1.8 0.9 in 1994 3.7
Gelantipy 1.7 =1.7 in 1997 2.8



Record lowest August mean temperature

New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
August
Rutherglen Research 7.1 = 7.1 in 1994 104 8.4
Deniliquin Airport AWS 8.9 = 8.9 in 2008 22 10.1
Swan Hill Aerodrome 9.1 9.3 in 2008 22 10.4

Lowest August mean temperature for at least 20 years

Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
August
Albury Airport AWS 8.1 8.0 in 1994 9.2
Mangalore Airport 7.9 7.8 in 1994 9.0
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 8.3 7.8 in 1997 9.3
Wangaratta Aero 7.6 =7.6 in 1997 8.7



Summary statistics for August 2019

Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
August
2019
Diff
from
average
Highest for
August
2019
Mean for
August
2019
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
August
2019
Total for
August
2019
Average
for
August
Rank of
August
2019
Fraction of
August
average
Southwest Slopes (South) (district 72)
Albury Airport AWS 14.1 -0.8 18.0 18th 2.2 -1.3 -1.5 12th 33.6 65.2 low 52%
Riverina (East) (district 74)
Deniliquin Airport AWS 15.4 -0.8 21.1 18th 2.4 -1.7 -1.7 23rd 9.6 32.6 low 29%
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport 17.2 -0.1 24.1 24th 4.1 -1.2 -0.4 30th 5.4 25.2 low 21%
Ouyen (Post Office) 16.6 -0.5 24.2 24th 4.4 -0.7 0.7 30th 8.8 32.0 low 28%
Walpeup Research 16.1 -0.3 23.6 24th 4.2 -1.2 -0.8 29th 17.4 34.2 low 51%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport 15.3 -1.5 22.8 24th 2.6 -0.9 -2.7 26th 18.0 25.0 average 72%
Swan Hill Aerodrome 15.4 -1.3 21.9 24th 2.9 -1.1 -1.8 23rd 15.2 26.6 average 57%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Kellalac (Warracknabeal Airport) 14.6   20.8 24th 3.2   -1.4 25th 33.0


Nhill Aerodrome 14.3 -1.2 20.9 31st 4.2 -0.5 -1.0 29th 50.0 43.7 average 114%
Warracknabeal Museum 14.6 -1.0 21.0 24th 3.1 -1.3 -1.0 17th 34.7 43.2 average 80%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport 13.7 -1.0 20.2 31st 4.5 -0.9 -0.7 17th 43.6 68.4 low 64%
Grampians (Mount William) 5.0 -0.9 10.0 31st 0.2 -0.9 -2.6 19th 124.8 155.3 average 80%
Horsham Aerodrome 14.2 -0.9 20.0 31st 3.0 -0.2 -2.5 17th 35.8 39.1 average 92%
Kanagulk 13.3 -0.9 19.3 31st 3.6 -1.0 -2.7 30th 58.6 67.1 average 87%
Longerenong 13.9 -0.9 19.6 24th 3.1 -0.9 -2.1 30th 39.6 43.4 average 91%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis) 7.9 -0.5 13.7 31st 1.8 -0.9 -1.6 11th 68.6 88.1 low 78%
Stawell Aerodrome 12.8 -1.1 17.5 31st 3.5 -1.1 -1.8 30th 43.4 54.8 average 79%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton 14.4 -1.2 21.4 24th 2.8 -1.2 -1.5 17th 30.6 35.0 average 87%
Echuca Aerodrome 14.5 -0.8 19.9 24th 3.0 -1.7 -2.0 31st 26.5 42.1 average 63%
Kerang 15.4 -0.7 21.5 24th 3.8 -1.1 -0.8 23rd 17.6 36.8 low 48%
Kyabram 14.1 -0.8 18.6 24th 3.0 -0.9 -1.1 30th 28.6 42.5 average 67%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport 13.6 -0.6 18.6 24th 2.4 -0.4 -1.9 23rd 33.4 51.2 low 65%
Shepparton Airport 14.0 -0.9 18.6 18th 3.1 -0.6 -1.7 23rd 25.4 45.1 low 56%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 13.7 -1.0 17.9 18th 3.0 -0.8 -1.8 23rd 28.8 46.6 low 62%
Yarrawonga 14.3 -1.0 18.6 18th 1.8 -1.9 -1.8 23rd 17.6 39.3 low 45%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport 13.8 -0.7 18.3 18th 1.4 -2.0 -3.0 3rd 30.8 60.1 low 51%
Corryong Airport 13.0 -0.9 17.1 24th 0.5 -1.1 -4.0 23rd 53.2 80.2 low 66%
Dartmouth Reservoir 13.3 -0.1 17.7 30th 1.9 -0.9 -2.0 24th 68.4 123.0 low 56%
Hunters Hill 8.5 -0.4 13.3 31st 1.3 -1.2 -1.8 10th 98.6 137.1 low 72%
Rutherglen Research 13.5 -0.5 18.1 18th 0.8 -1.9 -3.4 23rd 20.6 60.2 low 34%
Strathbogie 10.8 -0.7 14.2 30th 1.4 -0.9 -3.1 23rd 67.8 115.5 low 59%
Wangaratta Aero 13.6 -0.9 18.0 18th 1.5 -1.5 -2.3 23rd 25.6 58.0 low 44%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Falls Creek 2.2 +0.3 7.4 23rd -3.7 -1.0 -7.2 11th 139.2 97.6 high 143%
Mount Buller 2.0 0.0 8.2 23rd -3.5 -1.1 -7.1 29th 111.0 161.6 low 69%
Mount Hotham 0.7 +0.2 4.5 30th -4.4 -0.9 -7.4 11th 0 122.2 lowest 0%
Omeo 11.8 -0.4 16.6 18th 0.4 -0.9 -3.5 23rd 35.0 48.4 low 72%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS 12.2 -0.5 19.7 18th 4.0 -1.2 0.4 23rd 38.8 63.3 low 61%
Gabo Island Lighthouse 14.6 -0.1 17.5 18th 8.5 0.0 6.5 22nd 33.0 71.2 low 46%
Gelantipy 10.6 -0.5 17.5 18th 1.7 -1.1 -3.0 23rd 35.4 51.7 average 68%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) 15.4 -0.7 23.6 18th 6.3 0.0 -2.0 24th 25.4 53.2 v low 48%
Mallacoota 15.0 -0.8 19.4 18th 6.5 +0.1 1.3 27th 42.8 67.0 low 64%
Mount Nowa Nowa 13.7 -0.6 21.1 18th 5.3 -1.0 2.5 23rd 19.6 59.9 v low 33%
Orbost 15.2 -0.8 23.6 18th 5.9 -0.1 1.4 24th 22.4 56.7 v low 40%
Point Hicks (Lighthouse) 14.4 -0.6 19.8 31st 8.0 -0.5 5.7 24th 52.7 79.2 low 67%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport 15.5 -0.2 23.4 18th 4.2 -0.3 -1.8 24th 13.8 35.6 v low 39%
Corner Inlet (Yanakie) 13.6   20.9 18th 6.5   0.5 30th 102.2


East Sale 14.8 -0.3 23.2 18th 4.2 +0.1 -1.4 31st 34.4 45.7 low 75%
East Sale Airport 15.0   22.8 18th 4.3   -1.6 24th 36.0


Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 13.9 -0.9 22.4 18th 4.3 0.0 -1.0 24th 137.2 65.7 highest 209%
Mount Baw Baw 2.5 -0.4 9.0 23rd -2.5 -1.0 -5.3 23rd 298.8 168.9 v high 177%
Mount Moornapa 13.1 -0.6 21.0 24th 4.7 -0.9 1.6 23rd 23.8 50.6 low 47%
Nilma North (Warragul) 13.1   20.6 18th 4.8   -0.3 31st 172.6


Pound Creek 13.8 -0.7 20.9 18th 6.8 +0.4 -0.3 30th 136.4 100.4 high 136%
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 13.0 +0.2 20.8 18th 8.6 +0.2 5.7 20th 97.4 122.7 average 79%
Yarram Airport 14.3 -0.7 22.6 18th 4.3 -0.7 -2.2 30th 78.2 52.7 high 148%
East Central (district 86)
Cerberus 13.9 -0.7 19.4 18th 7.1 +0.5 1.1 30th 111.4 76.4 high 146%
Coldstream 13.6 -1.1 19.1 18th 4.1 -0.2 -1.1 23rd 92.8 70.5 high 132%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens 13.9 -0.7 19.5 18th 6.5 +0.1 2.7 11th 121.0 81.7 v high 148%
Essendon Airport 14.3 -0.1 18.0 24th 6.2 +0.5 1.6 30th 58.0 48.0 average 121%
Ferny Creek 9.9   15.6 18th 4.1   0.2 10th 138.6


Melbourne (Olympic Park) 14.5   19.4 18th 7.4   2.3 30th 51.4


Melbourne Airport 14.1 -0.3 18.0 18th 5.5 -0.4 0.2 30th 46.8 43.8 average 107%
Moorabbin Airport 14.2 -0.7 20.6 18th 7.1 +0.2 1.0 30th 69.8 65.0 average 107%
Rhyll 13.6 -0.7 18.3 18th 8.4 0.0 5.4 30th 137.4 80.3 high 171%
Scoresby Research Institute 13.9 -0.4 19.5 18th 6.0 -0.3 0.3 30th 86.8 79.9 average 109%
Viewbank 14.0 -1.1 19.4 18th 5.9 -0.4 -0.1 30th 79.6 56.1 high 142%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport 14.4 -1.0 20.2 24th 5.4 -0.1 -0.2 31st 48.0 42.5 average 113%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse) 14.4   19.6 31st 6.3   0.8 30th 56.4


Laverton RAAF 14.3 -0.6 19.6 24th 6.1 +0.5 0.3 30th 51.2 43.9 high 117%
Sheoaks 12.3 -1.0 16.8 24th 5.1 -0.2 -0.7 30th 45.6 43.8 average 104%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison 12.2 -1.1 16.6 31st 2.8 -0.8 -1.5 23rd 57.6 65.9 average 87%
Eildon Fire Tower 9.7 -0.8 15.1 18th 2.9 -1.3 -0.6 11th 59.4 76.1 low 78%
Lake Eildon 13.0 -0.7 17.9 18th 3.4 -0.8 -0.7 23rd 82.6 99.1 average 83%
Mangalore Airport 13.2 -0.9 16.5 24th 2.5 -1.4 -2.7 31st 24.2 60.5 low 40%
Maryborough 13.3 -0.6 18.8 24th 3.2 -0.7 -1.2 23rd 42.8 56.0 average 76%
Puckapunyal Lyon Hill (Defence) 13.2   17.2 24th 4.3   -0.5 10th 27.8


Puckapunyal West (Defence) 12.5   16.4 24th 3.8   0.4 23rd 36.6


Redesdale 13.6 0.0 17.4 24th 2.1 -1.0 -2.7 23rd 41.8 59.8 average 70%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 10.0 -0.6 14.0 30th 3.5 -0.7 0.2 11th 68.2 61.7 average 111%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison 12.6 -0.4 16.8 31st 3.9 0.0 -2.8 30th 72.4 68.6 average 106%
Ballarat Aerodrome 10.6 -0.8 15.2 31st 3.0 -0.7 -1.5 23rd 75.6 74.0 average 102%
Westmere 12.2 -1.1 16.7 31st 4.1 -0.3 -2.7 30th 55.4 57.9 average 96%
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet 13.9 -0.5 18.9 31st 6.8 -0.6 3.7 11th 67.0 66.9 average 100%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse 13.7 -0.8 19.8 31st 8.3 -0.3 4.5 10th 79.4 101.2 average 78%
Cape Otway Lighthouse 13.1 -0.7 18.9 31st 8.0 +0.2 4.8 10th 94.0 104.3 average 90%
Casterton 13.3 -0.9 19.3 31st 4.7 -0.7 -2.1 17th 58.8 82.6 low 71%
Colac (Mount Gellibrand) 11.7 -0.9 16.1 31st 5.0 -0.5 0.9 10th 64.0 60.8 average 105%
Dartmoor 13.8 -0.7 19.1 31st 5.6 -0.2 0.2 30th 73.8 106.0 low 70%
Hamilton Airport 12.3 -1.0 17.8 31st 4.4 -0.4 -0.4 17th 63.8 77.9 average 82%
Mortlake Racecourse 13.8 -0.1 18.3 31st 4.7 -0.1 -1.5 30th 82.0 66.2 high 124%
Port Fairy AWS 14.3 -0.7 19.4 31st 7.0 -0.3 1.9 30th 67.6 87.7 average 77%
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 13.5 -0.5 19.0 31st 6.3 -0.4 2.0 30th 108.2 107.9 average 100%
Warrnambool Airport NDB 13.4 -1.0 17.8 31st 5.5 -0.3 -0.3 30th 100.0 95.0 average 105%

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists 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. 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.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 7 pm on Monday 2 September 2019. 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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