Thursday, 2 March 2023 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in February 2023: drier than average

February was drier than average for Victoria as a whole. Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were generally close to average.

Drier than average

• Statewide, rainfall for the month was 33% below the 1961–1990 average February rainfall of 31 mm.
• Rainfall totals were below average in parts of the Gippsland, Northern Country and Mallee districts.
• Rainfall totals were above average in much of the South-West district.
• A cold front associated with a deep low pressure system located south of Tasmania crossed the state on the 2nd bringing widespread rainfall, strong and gusty winds and low temperatures.
• The highest daily total for the month, 60.0 mm, was recorded at Cape Liptrap (Illawong) in the 24 hours to 9am on the 4th.
• Isolated thunderstorms developed across eastern Victoria on the 17th ahead of a cold front, with daily rainfall totals 5 to 15 mm across parts of the Gippsland.
• With 110.4 mm for the month, Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse was the wettest place in Victoria this February.
• Port Fairy AWS had its highest total February rainfall on record and several sites had their highest total February rainfall for at least 20 years.

Close to average temperatures overall

• Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were close to average overall.
• Mean maximum temperatures in February were close to average across most of Victoria.
• State-wide, the mean maximum temperature was just 0.21 °C below the 1961–1990 average for February.
• A strong cold front crossed the state on the 2nd bringing a very cold airmass in its wake; the lowest maximum and minimum temperatures in Victoria this month were recorded during this event, which were 0.5 °C at Falls Creek and -1.6 °C at Mount Hotham respectively, both on the 3rd.
• Mount Buller and Falls Creek had their coldest February day on record on the 3rd.
• A heatwave developed across Victoria between 15 and 17 February, with temperatures on the 17th more than 10 degrees above average across large parts of the state.
• Victoria's highest temperature this month, 43.2 °C, was recorded at Mildura Airport on 17 February.
• Mean minimum temperatures in February were close to average across most of Victoria apart from parts of the Mallee and Northern districts, where they were cooler than average.
• State-wide, the mean minimum temperature was 0.25 °C below the 1961-1990 February average.

Strong winds, snow and flooding

• The first snow this year fell in the Victorian Alps on the 2nd as temperatures plummeted below zero in a polar airmass that followed the passage of a strong cold front.
• Coastal flooding of streets and jetties due to storm surge and high tide was observed at Lakes Entrance on the 3rd.
• The strongest wind gust this February was 120 km/h at Bairnsdale Airport on the 17th and was due to thunderstorms that developed in the area ahead of an approaching cold front.

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

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

* 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 Important notes the top

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top