Monday, 2 November 2020 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in October 2020: wetter than average, warm nights

October was wetter than average in much of the state, with parts of eastern and some pockets of western Victoria much wetter than average. Daytime temperatures were generally close to average across the state, while night-time temperatures were mostly above average, and much above average in central and eastern Victoria.

Wetter than average

• It was a wetter than average month in much of the state, with parts of eastern and some pockets of western Victoria very much wetter than average.
• Averaged across the state, October rainfall total was 34% above the long-term mean of 64.6 mm.
• A cold front moved across Victoria on the 4th, bringing moderate falls mostly to the southern parts of the state.
• An inland low pressure system directed moderate to heavy rainfall and showers across Victoria on the 8th and 9th; some sites in the south-west and north-east recorded to 9 am on the 9th two day rainfall totals of more than 80 mm.
• Some sites had their highest October daily rainfall on record on the 8th and 9th.
• Mid-month, a low pressure system developed northwest of Victoria, and moved to the southeast across the state, bringing more rainfall to eastern Victoria on the 17th and 18th.
• The highest daily rainfall total in Victoria this October was 73.6 mm, recorded at Falls Creek on the 17th.
• A cold front and an associated low pressure trough, brought widespread rainfall on the 24th and 25th with many sites recording daily rainfall totals between 15 and 30 mm, while a moist easterly flow resulted in showers over parts of Victoria in the following days.
• Some sites had their highest total October rainfall on record or highest total October rainfall since at least 1995.
• With 391.6 mm, the wettest place in Victoria this October was Falls Creek (Rocky Valley).
• Averaged across the state, the year-to-date rainfall total was around 598 mm, 6% above the long-term average.

Warm nights

• Daytime temperatures were close to average across the state away from the north-east.
• Victoria's mean maximum temperature was 0.60 °C above the long-tem October average.
• It was warm across Victoria on the 3rd and 4th, ahead of the approaching frontal system, with both daytime and night-time temperatures more than 5 degrees above the October average.
• The highest daily maximum temperature recorded in Victoria this month was 37.1 °C at Walpeup Research on the 4th; the same site recorded the state's highest daily minimum temperature this October of 21.7 °C, also on the 4th.
• Victoria's mean minimum temperature was 1.62 °C above average, the 3-rd warmest on record.
• Some sites had their highest October mean daily minimum temperature on record or highest October mean daily minimum temperature since at least 1992
• There were some cool nights scattered throughout the month; the coldest temperature in the state this October was -5.2 °C, recorded at Mount Hotham on the 25th, following the passage of a cold front.
• Victoria's mean maximum temperature for the January to October period was 0.11 °C above average, the lowest since 2003.

Further information

Media

media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Extremes in October 2020
Hottest day	37.1 °C at Walpeup Research on the 4th
Warmest days on average	24.3 °C at Mildura Airport 24.3 °C at Swan Hill Aerodrome 24.3 °C at Walpeup Research
Coolest days on average	8.7 °C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day	-0.1 °C at Mount Baw Baw on the 25th
Coldest night	-5.2 °C at Mount Hotham on the 25th
Coolest nights on average	2.3 °C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average	12.8 °C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Warmest night	21.7 °C at Walpeup Research on the 4th
Warmest on average overall	17.8 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest on average overall	5.5 °C at Mount Hotham
Wettest overall	391.6 mm at Falls Creek (Rocky Valley)
Wettest day	73.6 mm at Falls Creek on the 17th
Strongest wind gust	128 km/h at Mount Hotham on the 8th

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

---

Record highest October daily rainfall
	New record (mm)		Old record		Years of record
Merino	56.0	on the 8th	45.0	on the 16th in 1908	128
Mortlake Racecourse	29.6	on the 9th	28.0	on the 24th in 2000	27
Patyah (Booroopki)	30.2	on the 8th	25.4	on the 8th in 2005	23
Warrnambool Airport NDB	55.6	on the 8th	42.2	on the 23rd in 2013	23
Balook	32.6	on the 28th	31.0	on the 14th in 2014	22
Sheans Creek (Heronslea)	31.6	on the 9th	25.8	on the 31st in 2010	20




---




Record highest October total rainfall
	New record (mm)	Old record		Years of record	Average for October
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	126.4	123.4	in 2013	39	61.6
Falls Creek	377.4	271.2	in 2001	27	126.1
Mortlake Racecourse	101.6	96.0	in 2003	27	51.8
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	112.4	105.2	in 2001	26	49.6
Mount Hotham	387.6	360.9	in 2000	26	129.3
Lima East (Charnwood)	171.4	158.6	in 2010	23	67.6
Warrnambool Airport NDB	137.2	129.2	in 2013	23	65.1
Balook	222.0	206.4	in 2016	21	113.3
Bullumwaal	164.6	153.8	in 2010	20	72.4
Gooram (Morella)	132.8	130.4	in 2010	20	49.0




Highest October total rainfall for at least 20 years
	Observed (mm)	Most recent higher		Average for October
Stratford	107.4	112.4	in 1975*	52.7
Jeparit	86.2	119.1	in 1975*	35.8
Ararat Prison	110.4	147.0	in 1986	55.8
Mount Best (Upper Toora)	176.8	211.6	in 1989*	106.0
Creightons Creek (Baronga (Creighton's C	127.0	162.4	in 1993	71.6
Ensay	130.0	131.4	in 1993	69.2
Lake Eildon	139.8	144.8	in 1993	77.3
Cann River	150.0	188.0	in 1995	82.5
Combienbar AWS	186.6	203.6	in 1995	92.4
Erica (Parkers Corner)	178.4	204.8	in 1995	110.5
Mount Moornapa	174.0	223.2	in 1995	82.3
Mount Tamboritha	159.6	183.4	in 1990*	78.2
Mallacoota	138.4	188.8	in 1995*	78.7
Murderers Hill	192.0	204.6	in 1995*	78.5
Briagolong	113.2	133.6	in 1995*	60.1

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




---




Record highest October mean daily minimum temperature
	New record (°C)	Old record		Years of record	Average for October
East Sale	10.5	9.9	in 1963	75	7.5
Bairnsdale Airport	10.4	9.1	in 2015	40	7.5
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport)	9.3	8.9	in 2015	36	7.5
Cerberus	10.1	9.9	in 2011	28	8.8
Coldstream	8.9	8.1	in 2011	26	6.6




Highest October mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
	Observed (°C)	Most recent higher		Average for October
Rutherglen Research	8.1	8.7	in 1973	6.2
Mortlake Racecourse	8.0	8.4	in 1992	6.4
Wangaratta Aero	8.4	9.3	in 1992	6.4





Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

---

Summary statistics for October 2020
	Maximum temperatures (°C)				Minimum temperatures (°C)				Rainfall (millimetres)
	Mean for October 2020	Diff from average	Highest for October 2020		Mean for October 2020	Diff from average	Lowest for October 2020		Total for October 2020	Average for October	Rank of October 2020	Fraction of October average
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport	24.3	+0.1	36.6	4th	11.2	+1.4	6.2	19th	59.0	28.7	high	206%
Ouyen (Post Office)	24.1	+0.2	36.6	4th	10.2	+1.3	5.2	25th	55.0	34.0	high	162%
Walpeup Research	24.3	+0.9	37.1	4th	10.0	+1.1	4.5	25th	56.6	32.6	high	174%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport	23.3	-1.6	35.6	4th	8.4	+0.9	2.3	1st	45.2	23.7	high	191%
Swan Hill Aerodrome	24.3	-0.1	37.0	4th	9.5	+1.5	3.1	1st	54.2	22.3	high	243%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Kellalac (Warracknabeal Airport)	21.9		32.3	3rd	7.5		1.8	1st	54.8
Nhill Aerodrome	21.1	-1.6	31.5	2nd	8.1	+0.8	2.6	6th	58.0	30.1	high	193%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport	19.1	-1.7	28.4	2nd	8.1	+0.4	2.9	7th	68.0	36.3	high	187%
Grampians (Mount William)	11.8	-1.2	21.2	2nd	3.6	-0.4	-2.1	25th	147.8	79.8	high	185%
Horsham Aerodrome	20.7	-1.2	30.3	2nd	6.5	+0.9	1.4	1st	60.0	32.1	high	187%
Kanagulk	18.4	-2.2	29.0	2nd	6.9	+0.2	2.5	1st	62.6	33.4	high	187%
Longerenong	20.6	-0.4	30.6	2nd	7.2	+0.6	0.7	1st	65.2	41.0	high	159%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis)	14.9	-1.3	24.0	3rd	6.1	0.0	0.6	25th	82.0	51.2	high	160%
Stawell Aerodrome	19.0	-1.2	28.5	2nd	7.9	+0.4	3.8	14th	59.8	35.3	high	169%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton	22.8	-1.1	34.6	4th	8.5	+0.9	2.9	10th	49.8	23.9	high	208%
Echuca Aerodrome	23.4	+1.2	34.7	4th	9.4	+0.8	3.9	12th	51.7	41.4	high	125%
Kerang	24.0	+1.1	36.2	4th	10.0	+1.2	4.9	10th	44.4	36.6	high	121%
Kyabram	22.6	+1.0	33.4	4th	9.0	+1.4	3.0	12th
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport	21.0	0.0	31.7	4th	8.4	+1.7	2.7	10th	72.2	39.5	high	183%
Shepparton Airport	23.4	+1.1	33.0	4th	9.3	+1.8	3.6	10th	35.8	30.5	average	117%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag	21.5	+0.3	32.5	4th	9.1	+1.5	2.6	10th	75.0	45.9	high	163%
Yarrawonga	23.3	+0.4	31.6	4th	9.0	+1.6	2.1	12th	36.4	36.3	average	100%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport	21.9	-0.7	28.7	4th	9.4	+2.6	1.3	2nd	66.1	36.3	high	182%
Hunters Hill	16.9	+0.6	23.9	4th	8.8	+1.6	2.6	25th	145.0	86.6	high	167%
Rutherglen Research	22.3	+1.2	28.3	4th	8.1	+1.9	1.3	2nd	67.0	57.0	average	118%
Strathbogie	18.5	+0.5	24.9	4th	6.9	+1.6	0.2	10th	122.8	83.9	high	146%
Wangaratta Aero	22.2	+0.6	29.1	4th	8.4	+2.0	1.3	2nd	74.8	47.9	high	156%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Falls Creek	9.5	-0.1	15.7	4th	3.2	+1.6	-4.6	25th	377.4	126.1	highest	299%
Mount Buller	9.8	+1.0	16.3	4th	3.2	+1.7	-4.0	25th	270.8	137.5	v high	197%
Mount Hotham	8.7	+1.1	15.5	4th	2.3	+1.5	-5.2	25th	387.6	129.3	highest	300%
Omeo	18.4	-0.8	26.0	4th	7.7	+2.8	2.7	25th	114.8	59.0	high	195%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS	18.5	-0.1	29.8	3rd	9.2	+1.2	4.8	19th	186.6	92.4	v high	202%
Gabo Island Lighthouse	18.3	+1.1	25.7	3rd	12.8	+1.6	8.3	2nd	126.8	74.1	high	171%
Gelantipy	16.9	+0.2	25.5	3rd	7.9	+1.9	2.4	19th	102.6	70.8	high	145%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road)	19.2	-0.5	32.3	3rd	11.5	+2.1	6.2	2nd	105.0	60.2	high	174%
Mallacoota	19.7	+0.5	33.8	3rd	12.2	+2.3	8.2	2nd	138.4	78.7	high	176%
Mount Nowa Nowa	18.2	-1.1	30.1	4th	10.1	+1.0	5.4	25th	107.2	70.8	high	151%
Orbost	20.0	0.0	32.1	3rd	11.1	+2.0	7.2	12th	111.2	61.0	v high	182%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport	19.4	-0.6	29.7	3rd	10.4	+2.9	5.5	12th	87.6	59.9	high	146%
Corner Inlet (Yanakie)	17.5		27.4	3rd	9.8		3.4	12th	120.2
East Sale	19.6	+0.2	31.6	4th	10.5	+3.0	4.9	25th	78.6	56.6	high	139%
East Sale Airport	19.9		32.4	3rd	10.4		4.4	2nd	87.4
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport)	19.1	-0.6	30.2	4th	9.3	+1.8	2.4	2nd	90.6	69.3	high	131%
Mount Moornapa	17.7	-1.2	29.2	4th	8.9	+0.7	4.9	25th	174.0	82.3	v high	211%
Nilma North (Warragul)	18.4		28.4	3rd	9.3		3.6	19th	118.8
Pound Creek	18.3	-0.6	27.9	3rd	9.6	+1.3	2.7	12th	131.8	71.0	high	186%
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse	16.2	+0.3	28.6	3rd	11.2	+1.2	8.3	25th
Yarram Airport	18.8	-1.1	30.7	3rd	9.1	+1.6	1.7	12th	101.6	47.1	v high	216%
East Central (district 86)
Cerberus	18.4	-0.3	28.2	3rd	10.1	+1.3	3.0	12th	99.8	65.3	high	153%
Coldstream	19.6	-0.2	28.4	4th	8.9	+2.3	2.3	12th	103.8	65.8	high	158%
Essendon Airport	19.3	-0.2	29.3	4th	10.0	+1.6	4.6	12th	71.4	58.7	high	122%
Ferny Creek	15.8		25.0	4th	7.8		3.3	25th	159.0
Frankston (Ballam Park)	18.7		27.9	3rd	10.2		5.5	12th	78.8
Melbourne (Olympic Park)	19.1		29.5	4th	10.9		6.3	12th	74.2
Melbourne Airport	19.0	-0.5	29.0	4th	9.0	+0.5	4.3	12th	64.6	52.8	average	122%
Moorabbin Airport	19.1	-0.3	28.7	4th	10.2	+0.9	4.7	20th	93.0	68.1	high	137%
Rhyll	18.4	+0.3	26.4	4th	11.3	+0.7	7.6	12th	95.8	59.3	high	162%
Scoresby Research Institute	19.5	+0.3	28.2	3rd	9.3	+0.5	3.8	12th	87.8	82.5	average	106%
Viewbank	19.5	-1.1	29.5	4th	9.8	+0.8	3.5	12th	93.8	61.2	high	153%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport	19.1	-1.2	29.6	3rd	9.4	+1.4	3.0	12th	64.2	47.1	high	136%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse)	18.6		29.8	3rd	9.8		4.4	12th	80.6	36.8	v high	219%
Laverton RAAF	19.2	-0.2	29.6	3rd	9.7	+1.4	3.8	12th	61.4	54.5	average	113%
Sheoaks	17.5	-0.9	27.5	3rd	7.8	+0.6	2.1	20th	67.6	51.9	high	130%
North Central (district 88)
Eildon Fire Tower	17.4	+0.3	24.7	4th	8.4	+0.9	3.4	25th	110.0	48.4	v high	227%
Lake Eildon	20.9	+0.8	28.9	4th	9.0	+1.7	3.1	19th	139.8	77.3	v high	181%
Mangalore Airport	20.8	+0.1	30.4	4th	8.9	+1.7	2.5	10th	68.0	45.3	high	150%
Maryborough	20.4	+0.2	30.4	3rd	8.3	+1.1	3.6	10th	41.0	48.4	average	85%
Puckapunyal Lyon Hill (Defence)	20.3		31.0	4th	9.7		5.7	10th	70.6
Puckapunyal West (Defence)	19.1		28.1	4th	8.6		4.6	10th	82.2
Redesdale	20.1	+0.1	28.9	4th	7.4	+1.7	2.0	10th	63.6	51.1	average	124%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)	15.8	-0.5	25.0	4th	7.2	+0.3	3.1	25th	94.8	51.3	high	185%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison			27.6	2nd	7.0	+0.9	2.3	12th	110.4	55.8	v high	198%
Ballarat Aerodrome	16.9	+0.2	25.1	3rd	7.1	+0.9	1.9	12th	77.8	65.8	average	118%
Westmere	17.4	-2.1	25.8	2nd	6.7	+1.3	1.3	10th	78.0	41.8	high	187%
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet	17.5	-0.8	29.4	3rd	10.0	+0.6	6.5	20th	110.8	59.1	high	187%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse	16.6	-0.8	26.8	2nd	10.4	-0.1	6.6	5th	112.4	49.6	highest	227%
Cape Otway Lighthouse	16.3	-0.7	28.5	3rd	10.5	+0.9	6.6	12th
Casterton	17.7	-1.7	28.7	3rd	7.4	+0.4	0.5	7th	89.4	47.4	high	189%
Colac (Mount Gellibrand)	16.5	-0.9	26.1	3rd	8.0	+0.4	3.6	25th	82.4	52.9	average	156%
Dartmoor	17.8	-1.7	27.5	3rd	7.8	+0.1	2.3	20th	94.6	53.0	high	178%
Hamilton Airport	17.1	-0.9	27.4	3rd	7.1	+0.5	3.7	6th	90.6	55.3	high	164%
Mortlake Racecourse	17.6	-0.7	27.1	2nd	8.0	+1.6	3.0	6th	101.6	51.8	highest	196%
Port Fairy AWS	17.2	-1.2	27.1	3rd	10.2	+0.8	6.0	20th	109.2	53.4	v high	204%
Portland (Cashmore Airport)	16.4	-0.6	26.6	2nd	8.9	+0.6	3.7	20th	126.4	61.6	highest	205%
Warrnambool Airport NDB	17.0	-1.1	27.4	3rd	8.3	+0.9	4.0	20th	137.2	65.1	highest	211%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries 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 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 9 am on Monday 2 November 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

media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057

---