Friday, 1 May 2020 - Monthly Climate Summary for Greater Melbourne - Product code IDCKGC16L0

Greater Melbourne in April 2020: another wet month with below average daytime temperatures

Rainfall in April was above average at all sites in Greater Melbourne, due to moderate to heavy falls on several days, spread mostly over the beginning and the end of the month. Daytime temperatures were below average, while night-time temperatures tended to be close to average.

Wetter than average

  • April rainfall was above average at all sites in Greater Melbourne, ranging from 176% of average at Cerberus to 298% of average at Wallan (Kilmore Gap)
  • Cold front which crossed the city early in the month brought moderate to heavy rainfall to Greater Melbourne, with most sites recording daily totals to 9am on the 2nd and 4th between 20 and 40 mm
  • The highest daily rainfall total this month, 88.0 mm, was recorded at Lancefield on the 4th; it was also the highest April daily rainfall on record for this site, which has 132 years of data
  • A series of cold fronts in the last five days of the month brought further moderate to heavy falls to the Melbourne metropolitan area
  • Some sites had their highest total April rainfall on record, or their highest total April rainfall since at least 1995
  • Many have received more than double their average April rainfall, including Melbourne Airport, Moorabbin Airport, Scoresby Research Institute, Viewbank, Wallan (Kilmore Gap), Essendon Airport, Laverton RAAF and Coldstream
  • For the period January to April 2020, Melbourne (Olympic Park) recorded 400.8 mm; taking the old Regional Office site into account, it is the second-wettest start to the year for Melbourne city, behind 1924 when 408.8 mm has been recorded in the first four months; it is also more than was received in all of 2019

Cool days

  • Daytime temperatures were cooler than average, with all sites reporting mean maximum temperatures more than 1 °C below the April average
  • There were a few warmer than average days scattered during the month, and the highest temperature recorded in Greater Melbourne during April was 24.8 °C, at Coldstream on the 1st
  • The coldest days during the month were the 12th and the 30th, which saw most sites reporting daily maximum temperatures below 15 °C; the lowest recorded daytime temperature in Greater Melbourne was 9.7 °C at Ferny Creek on the 30th
  • Nights were generally close to average, with most sites reporting mean minimum temperatures within one degree of the April average

Melbourne (Olympic Park)

  • Total rainfall for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 138.4 mm, the highest for April in the combined record since 1960, and the highest for any month since October 2010
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 19.3 °C
  • The warmest day was 23.5 °C on the 15th; this is the first time since 1995 that the highest April maximum temperature recorded in Melbourne city was below 25.0 °C; the coolest day was on the 12th when the temperature reached 15.3 °C
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 11.6 °C
  • The coldest morning was 7.1 °C on the 28th, and the warmest morning was on the 15th when the minimum temperature was 15.6 °C

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Extremes in April 2020
Hottest day 24.8 °C at Coldstream on the 1st
Warmest days on average 19.3 °C at Melbourne (Olympic Park)
Coolest days on average 15.0 °C at Ferny Creek
Coldest day 9.7 °C at Ferny Creek on the 30th
Coldest night 0.5 °C at Coldstream on the 28th
Coolest nights on average 8.1 °C at Coldstream
Warmest nights on average 11.6 °C at Melbourne (Olympic Park)
Warmest night 16.1 °C at Cerberus on the 15th
Warmest on average overall 15.5 °C at Melbourne (Olympic Park)
Coolest on average overall 11.9 °C at Wallan (Kilmore Gap)
Wettest overall 232.8 mm at Ferny Creek
Wettest day 88.0 mm at Lancefield on the 4th
Strongest wind gust 104 km/h at South Channel Island on the 11th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Record highest April daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
Lancefield 88.0 on the 4th 65.8 on the 26th in 1913 132
Romsey 61.0 on the 4th 59.2 on the 10th in 1978 49


Record highest April total rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
April
Springvale Necropolis 190.2 185.7 in 1960 72 73.7
Scoresby Research Institute 201.2 177.4 in 1960 69 68.5
Bonbeach (Carrum) 138.0 132.3 in 1970 61 59.9
Melbourne Botanical Gardens 145.6 142.7 in 2017 49 54.1
Wallan 149.0 116.4 in 2017 40 50.1
Upper Plenty 168.6 154.8 in 2001 35 58.1
Springvale (Sandown) 181.8 149.8 in 1995 30 68.1
Coldstream 165.6 121.8 in 1996 25 61.9
Viewbank 169.2 131.6 in 2001 21 60.5

Highest April total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)		 Most recent
higher		 Average for
April
Lancefield 179.7 184.1 in 1935* 52.8
Oakleigh (Metropolitan Golf Club) 170.4 171.7 in 1960* 64.5
Eltham 156.2 214.7 in 1960* 62.6
Melbourne Airport 132.6 141.6 in 1977 44.8
Essendon Airport 127.0 147.4 in 1974* 54.6
Kinglake West 204.4 260.2 in 1995* 89.2

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



Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Summary statistics for April 2020
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
April
2020		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
April
2020		 Mean for
April
2020		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
April
2020		 Total for
April
2020		 Average
for
April		 Rank of
April
2020		 Fraction of
April
average
Cerberus 18.6 -1.3 24.6 3rd 10.5 +0.5 2.7 28th 107.8 61.2 v high 176%
Coldstream 19.1 -1.6 24.8 1st 8.1 +1.2 0.5 28th 165.6 61.9 highest 268%
Essendon Airport 18.9 -1.3 24.4 1st 10.7 +0.7 7.1 28th 127.0 54.6 v high 233%
Ferny Creek 15.0   20.2 1st 8.9   3.6 5th 232.8 112.9 v high 206%
Laverton RAAF 19.0 -1.3 23.7 14th 10.2 +0.3 6.3 21st 97.4 45.3 v high 215%
Melbourne (Olympic Park) 19.3   23.5 15th 11.6   7.1 28th 138.4
Melbourne Airport 18.8 -1.6 24.7 1st 9.9 -0.3 5.8 28th 132.6 44.8 v high 296%
Moorabbin Airport 19.0 -1.3 24.5 15th 11.4 +0.9 6.1 28th 150.8 62.5 v high 241%
Scoresby Research Institute 18.9 -1.2 24.4 1st 10.3 +0.2 6.2 9th 201.2 68.5 highest 294%
Viewbank 19.1 -2.4 24.1 1st 10.2 +0.1 4.8 28th 169.2 60.5 highest 280%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 15.2 -2.0 20.8 1st 8.6 -0.3 4.9 5th 170.0 57.0 v high 298%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

Daily maximum temperatures for April 2020
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
Cerberus21.719.124.615.915.015.616.018.821.521.215.514.818.121.222.819.317.716.417.919.719.118.020.019.721.217.116.619.518.614.6
Coldstream24.820.523.715.415.914.716.919.923.422.015.514.119.222.423.920.618.215.918.519.819.618.719.022.121.216.817.520.018.714.3
Essendon Airport24.421.915.916.315.915.817.821.521.315.514.818.922.322.921.218.415.818.420.019.118.619.222.121.517.617.418.019.615.0
Ferny Creek20.217.419.311.310.911.213.015.819.417.411.610.115.618.219.317.613.711.514.316.215.014.715.318.516.712.413.915.614.99.7
Laverton RAAF22.619.322.916.116.815.916.117.720.221.815.514.717.723.723.321.117.916.818.720.619.318.620.122.121.817.617.918.720.214.9
Melbourne (Olympic Park)23.120.723.216.616.916.516.418.621.222.015.715.318.323.423.521.518.416.419.420.819.618.219.722.321.717.718.118.919.815.5
Melbourne Airport24.720.021.715.717.216.015.517.721.621.015.514.519.122.622.220.918.315.618.020.019.018.518.821.821.017.117.217.919.415.0
Moorabbin Airport23.419.224.215.915.716.116.018.520.922.115.714.617.323.724.520.717.517.018.019.119.517.620.119.621.417.517.219.920.015.6
Scoresby Research Institute24.421.123.315.614.215.216.519.122.821.015.314.319.122.423.821.417.617.018.119.518.717.919.322.221.116.817.419.818.714.4
Viewbank24.123.315.914.916.716.618.823.021.315.115.218.822.223.821.019.016.018.920.519.318.219.123.221.217.018.119.519.115.0
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)20.815.916.413.212.712.612.514.719.417.011.111.216.117.018.217.515.512.314.916.215.615.815.418.016.713.814.413.914.412.4
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 April 2020
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
Cerberus6.612.512.312.39.59.310.311.211.19.211.111.311.18.916.113.411.511.810.210.87.213.68.413.46.514.97.72.711.08.7
Coldstream4.710.19.911.66.55.88.99.44.08.411.89.010.97.67.314.53.411.77.89.74.77.94.911.36.014.43.20.58.18.2
Essendon Airport8.513.013.712.28.59.210.811.37.712.111.910.210.512.114.214.28.511.39.111.57.811.48.113.89.614.67.97.112.88.4
Ferny Creek11.612.411.38.93.66.87.28.28.912.58.47.27.98.811.913.15.78.07.88.37.49.98.111.310.512.25.27.711.65.5
Laverton RAAF8.212.412.812.78.18.211.811.87.510.912.210.59.211.414.313.98.710.38.711.56.310.28.112.28.514.46.36.912.06.4
Melbourne (Olympic Park)11.012.413.712.89.510.711.911.78.912.713.011.012.212.115.615.411.412.911.212.08.512.89.615.110.515.48.17.111.28.9
Melbourne Airport8.612.812.812.17.18.510.310.57.611.711.09.89.310.613.313.38.310.66.911.47.19.87.912.18.714.16.35.812.56.8
Moorabbin Airport8.612.413.212.59.411.011.911.27.911.313.111.712.311.113.914.311.612.911.811.79.413.39.114.510.515.18.46.113.99.0
Scoresby Research Institute7.311.213.411.87.87.49.710.46.210.412.310.89.911.614.414.17.311.49.910.97.812.89.013.78.314.67.06.812.88.6
Viewbank8.210.512.612.18.59.010.910.86.610.912.310.411.410.513.115.010.212.39.310.86.610.48.513.48.014.65.24.89.88.3
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)12.112.311.19.04.96.87.68.28.211.88.27.47.29.111.313.35.58.37.48.38.18.47.89.69.29.86.65.48.45.4
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 April 2020
123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
Bonbeach (Carrum) - 26.0 2.0 32.0 → 9.5 - - - - → 14.2 - - - 1.8 - - - 7.0 - - - - - → 16.0 - 5.5 24.0
Bullengarook East - 29.2 2.2 25.4 4.4 6.2 3.2 - - - 2.2 1.2 - - 0.2 - - - - 3.0 0.2 - - - - 11.4 1.6 0.2 2.6 21.2
Burnside - 22.0 7.0 29.0 5.0 2.5 - 2.0 - - 0.4 2.0 - - - - - 0.8 - - 4.5 - - - - 18.0 - - - 21.0
Cape Schanck - 16.0 0.4 31.0 - - 22.6 1.8 - - → 6.2 - - - 2.2 - 1.8 1.6 3.6 - 3.2 3.6 1.0 - 10.8 - - - 19.2
Cerberus - 17.0 1.2 22.2 6.4 12.4 - 1.0 - - 9.6 1.8 - 0.2 - 1.6 - 0.6 3.0 4.4 - - - 1.2 - 8.8 0.6 - 0.6 15.2
Cheltenham Kingston Centre - → 29.0 30.0 3.2 10.0 - 0.6 - - 2.8 6.2 - - - 0.4 0.2 - 1.6 2.8 - - - - - 9.6 1.0 - 3.4 30.0
Coldstream - 26.6 5.8 39.0 6.4 12.4 0.2 - - 0.2 4.8 8.6 - - 0.2 0.2 - - - 3.4 0.6 - - 0.4 - 24.6 2.0 0.2 1.8 28.2
Essendon Airport - 23.6 12.2 30.0 4.8 1.6 0.6 1.8 - - 1.4 3.0 - - - - - - - 4.0 - - - 0.2 - 15.6 1.8 - 1.0 25.4
Ferny Creek - 22.8 25.4 56.0 4.8 19.6 0.6 1.2 - - 8.8 10.2 0.2 0.8 - 0.2 0.2 1.4 4.4 4.6 - 0.2 - 0.8 - 27.2 3.8 - 9.4 30.2
Greenvale Reservoir - 24.0


3.2 0.4

-



- -

- 3.2 -


-


0.6 26.4
Kinglake West - 30.0 7.0 58.4 12.8 5.6 - 0.4 - - 9.8 12.2 - 0.8 - - - - - 6.6 0.4 - - 0.4 - 23.4 2.2 - 6.0 28.4
Kinglake West (Wallaby Creek) - 27.8


7.0 -

0.4



- -

0.4 4.8 -
0.2
0.2


4.8 35.8
Lancefield - 25.1 3.0 88.0 5.4 7.0 - 0.4 - 0.8 0.6 0.4 - - - - - - - 2.0 0.8 - - - - 20.0 1.0 - 6.6 18.6
Laverton RAAF - 19.0 3.4 23.6 3.4 2.8 - 3.0 0.8 - 0.2 2.4 - 0.2 - 0.6 - - - 3.2 - - - - - 15.0 0.2 - 1.4 18.2
Main Ridge - 17.4 1.0 28.0 14.2 - - - - - 2.0 - - - - - 4.8 → → 9.6 - - - - - 15.2 - - - 26.8
Melbourne (Olympic Park) - 23.0 15.8 35.2 4.4 6.2 1.4 1.2 - 0.2 2.4 2.4 - 0.6 - 0.2 - - - 3.4 - - - 0.4 - 14.0 0.6 - 3.4 23.6
Melbourne Airport - 25.2 21.0 32.2 2.4 2.2 0.4 1.2 0.2 0.2 2.0 2.4 - 0.4 - - 0.2 - - 1.6 0.4 - - - - 13.8 1.0 - - 25.8
Melbourne Botanical Gardens - 24.6 16.4 36.0 - 6.4 1.4 1.2 - 0.4 3.0 3.0 - 0.8 - 0.4 - - - 3.8 - - - 0.8 - 18.0 0.6 - 4.4 24.4
Mitcham - 28.2


9.8 -

-



- -

0.6 4.4 0.2


-


6.2 36.0
Moorabbin Airport - 24.8 3.8 30.6 2.6 14.0 - 0.6 - - 3.4 12.0 - 0.2 - 0.8 - - 0.8 4.6 0.8 - - 0.8 0.2 17.0 0.8 - 6.4 26.6
Mount Waverley (Riversdale Golf Club) - 27.4 25.2 33.4 10.0 1.0 - - - - 6.0 17.6 0.2 1.0 - 0.4 - - - 4.0 - - - 1.2 - 18.6 1.0 - 7.2 38.0
Newham (Cobaw) - 27.0 6.0 45.6 6.0 8.6 - - - 0.8 1.6 - - - - - - - - 2.2 - - - - - 23.0 - - 9.6 25.6
Oakleigh (Metropolitan Golf Club) - 26.8 10.6 34.0 3.4 10.4 - - - - 6.2 11.8 - - - - - - - 5.2 - - - - - 20.4 - - 8.4 33.2
Preston Reservoir - 24.6


5.6 0.2

-



- -

- 4.2 1.0


-


1.8 30.2
Rosebud (Country Club) - 15.6 - 21.0 → 21.2 - 2.2 - - - 8.6 0.6 - - 2.8 - - 3.0 3.8 - - - 1.2 - 11.2 0.2 - - 20.4
Scoresby Research Institute - 26.4 23.4 44.2 2.8 11.0 0.2 - - - 6.4 12.0 - - - - - 0.2 1.0 4.2 - - - 0.6 - 21.2 2.4 0.2 7.0 38.0
Springvale (Sandown) - 37.8 5.2 34.4 10.6 3.0 - - - 0.6 9.8 7.4 - - - 0.6 - 2.0 - 4.4 - - - 0.4 - 19.4 1.8 - 6.8 37.6
Springvale Necropolis - 27.0 15.2 → → 52.0 - - - - - → → 20.0 - - - → → 7.0 - - - - → → 22.0 - - 47.0
Toorourrong Reservoir (Toorourrong) - 55.8


2.0 -

-



- -

0.4 3.2 0.2


-


1.0 31.4
Upper Plenty - 31.2 4.2 64.8 3.8 10.6 - 0.4 - 0.6 2.6 2.0 - 0.6 - - - 0.2 - 1.4 - - - - - 19.0 2.2 - 2.8 22.2
Viewbank - 29.0 16.4 44.8 6.6 7.4 - - 0.2 - 3.8 5.8 - - - 0.2 - - - 4.4 - - - - - 19.4 1.2 - 2.4 27.6
Wallan - 26.4 3.8 58.4 - 7.0 - 0.6 - - 2.4 2.4 - - - - - - → → 1.0 - - - - 22.2 2.4 - - 22.4
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) - 26.4 6.0 67.6 4.6 11.4 - 0.2 0.2 0.6 0.4 2.4 - - 0.2 - - - - 1.2 - 0.2 - - - 21.2 0.8 - 4.4 22.2
Warburton (O'Shannassy Reservoir (Quarte - 20.0


22.2 0.4

-



- 0.4

- 9.4 0.2


-


10.0 32.6
Willowmavin (Avalon Station) 0.2 27.6 9.6 82.0 5.4 7.0 - 0.2 - 1.2 1.4 0.4 - - - - - - - 2.0 0.2 - - - - 20.2 1.0 0.2 10.2 21.2
Woodend - 27.2 3.0 34.2 5.6 15.4 0.4 2.0 0.2 0.6 1.6 0.6 - - - 0.4 - - - 2.8 - - - 0.6 - 18.0 0.8 - 6.0 20.4
Yan Yean - 29.4


16.4 0.2

-



- -

- 4.2 0.2


-


0.6 30.4
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

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Daily observations Important notes the top

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.

This summary includes 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 Friday 1 May 2020. 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

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