Friday, 8 January 2021 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in December 2020: cooler and drier than average

Victorian rainfall in December was near average to below average over much of the state, with only isolated patches of above average rainfall in the Western and Northern Country districts. Both daytime and night-time temperatures were cooler than average, particularly in the state's west.

Drier than average, heavy rain at times

• Rainfall in December was 24% below average for Victoria as a whole.
• December rainfall totals were below average in some areas in the state's north-west and east.
• Above average rainfall totals were recorded in parts of the Western and Northern Country districts.
• A cold front brought widespread light falls to Victoria on the 6th, while moderate falls were reported in the state's north-east, where some sites had daily rainfall totals of more than 20 mm.
• A low pressure trough deepened over central Victoria on the 16th, bringing moderate to heavy rainfall to some areas in the north of the state.
• A low pressure trough developed in western Victoria on the 21st and moved across the state, with a complex low pressure system forming off the south coast of New South Wales. The system and associated trough, which brought moisture from the tropical north, produced active cloud and widespread rainfall, with isolated moderate to heavy falls over parts of southern Victoria, where some sites recorded daily totals of more than 30 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 22nd. on the 22nd of more than 30 mm.
• Nullawarre had its highest December daily rainfall on record on the 22nd, while the highest daily rainfall total in Victoria this December of 73.6 mm, was recorded on the 23rd at Mount Baw Baw.
• Cape Nelson Lighthouse had its highest total December rainfall on record.

Cooler than average temperatures

• Both daytime and night-time temperatures were cooler than average for Victoria as a whole.
• The Victorian mean maximum temperature was 0.24 °C below average.
• After several years of very warm Decembers, it was the coolest December for Victoria as a whole since 2010.
• Mean minimum temperatures were cooler than average across most of northern Victoria and warmer than average only in the state's far east.
• The statewide December mean minimum temperature was 0.09 °C below average, the coolest since 2006.

Strong winds, fire and floods

• A EF1 tornado (with peak gusts of 138-178 km/h) was reported at Horsham in western Victoria on the 7th; strong winds downed trees, damaged roofs and windows, scattering debris across roads, and cut the power supply to many houses.
• A cold front brought light snowfalls to the Victorian Alps on the 8th.
• A grass fire threatened Mount Cottrell, Chartwell and Truganina in Melbourne's west on the 14th. The fire grew to 110 hectares in size before it was contained.
• The State Emergency Services received more than 100 calls for help for fallen trees, flooding and building damage caused by damaging winds and heavy rainfall associated with thunderstorms, which developed over parts of southern Victoria on the 22nd.

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

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

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top