Tuesday, 1 April 2014 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in March 2014: Mostly Dry and Warm

  • Warmer mean maximum temperatures in parts of the middle to east of the state
  • Slightly warmer mean minimum temperatures in the east of the state contrasted by cooler mean minimum temperatures in the west
  • Dry in central and western Victoria, some rain in the north of the state

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Rainfall totals were slightly above average in parts of the north of the state and average to slighlty below elsewhere. The area averaged mean rainfall for Victoria was 39.27 °C, which is 1.81 mm below the 1961-90 average of 41.08 °C. The wettest overall was Whitlands (Burder's Lane) with 193.6 mm with the wettest single day being at Genoa (Fools Haven) with 58.0 mm on the 27th. Macalister River had their highest March daily rainfall on record with 33.2mm on the 22nd and also thir highest total March rainfall on record. with 65.6mm.

There is a map of rainfall deciles below.

Temperature

The area averaged maximum temperature was 18.98 °C, which is 0.73 °C warmer than the 1961-90 average of 18.25 °C. Mildura had the warmest on average with 22.2 °C whilst the coolest on average was Mount Hotham with 9.7 °C.

Maximum temperature

Daytime temperatures were average to slightly above average across most of the state apart from a small coastal pocket in the south west where maximum temperatures were slightly below average. The area averaged maximum temperature was 25.54 °C, which is 0.79 °C warmer than the 1961-90 average of 24.75 °C. The hottest day was at Ouyen (Post Office) with 38.4 °C on the 10th and the warmest days on average were at Mildura Airport with 29.8 °C. Mount Hotham had both the coldest day, 2.9°C on the 16th, and the coolest days on average with 13.0 °C. Portland (Cashmere Airport) had their coldest March day (lowest maximum temperature) on record. with 13.8°C on the 21st whilst Mallacoota had their highest March mean daily maximum temperature on record. with 24.1°C. There is a map of maximum temperature anomalies below.

Minimum temperature

Overnight temperatures were average to slightly above average across most of the state except in the west to south west of the state where minimum temperatures were slightly below average. The area averaged minimum temperature was 12.41 °C, which is 0.66 °C warmer than the 1961-90 average of 11.75 °C. The coldest night was at Mount Hotham with -0.7 °C on the 17th and also the coolest nights on average were at Mount Hotham with 6.4 °C., The warmest nights on average were at Gabo Island Lighthouse with 16.4 °C, and the warmest night was at Walpeup Research with 24.6 °C on the 11th. Both Mallacoota and Orbost had their highest March mean daily minimum temperature on record. with 15.6°C and 14.0°C respectively. There is a map of minimum temperature anomalies below.

Wind

The strongest wind gust was at Falls Creek with 120 km/h on the 15th.

Further information

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Extremes in March 2014
Hottest day 38.4 °C at Ouyen (Post Office) on the 10th
Warmest days on average 29.8 °C at Mildura Airport
29.8 °C at Ouyen (Post Office)
Coolest days on average 13.0 °C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day 2.9 °C at Mount Hotham on the 16th
Coldest night -0.7 °C at Mount Hotham on the 17th
Coolest nights on average 6.4 °C at Mount Hotham
Warmest nights on average 16.4 °C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Warmest night 24.6 °C at Walpeup Research on the 11th
Warmest on average overall 22.2 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest on average overall 9.7 °C at Mount Hotham
Wettest overall 193.6 mm at Whitlands (Burder's Lane)
Wettest day 58.0 mm at Genoa (Fools Haven) on the 27th
Highest wind gust 120 km/h at Falls Creek on the 15th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Map of Rainfall deciles

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Record highest March daily rainfall
Highest daily rainfall
in March 2014 (mm) 		Previous wettest
for March		 Years of
record
Port Fairy AWS 30.4 on the 22nd 24.8 on the 20th in 2003 20
Macalister River @ Glencairn 33.2 on the 22nd 19.0 on the 27th in 2002 14
Cranbourne (MW) 28.2 on the 16th 21.6 on the 15th in 2009 11
Skye Road Retarding Basin @ Frankston No 25.4 on the 16th 23.2 on the 15th in 2009 11


Record highest total March rainfall
Total rainfall
for March 2014 (mm) 		Previous wettest
for March		 Years of
record		 Average for
March
Macalister River @ Glencairn 65.6 49.6 in 2011 14 31.8


Record lowest March daily maximum temperature
Lowest daily maximum
temperature
in March 2014 (°C) 		Previous coolest
for March		 Years of
record		 Average for
March
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 13.8 on the 21st 13.9 on the 31st in 1999 32 21.1


Record highest March mean daily maximum temperature
Mean daily maximum
temperature
for March 2014 (°C) 		Previous warmest
for March		 Years of
record		 Average for
March
Mallacoota 24.1 23.7 in 2013 20 22.3


Record highest March mean daily minimum temperature
Mean daily minimum
temperature
for March 2014 (°C) 		Previous warmest
for March		 Years of
record		 Average for
March
Mallacoota 15.6 15.2 in 2013 20 14.0
Orbost 14.0 = 14.0 in 2010 13 12.9

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for March 2014
Maximum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
for March
(°C)		 Rainfall
for March
(millimetres)
Mean for
March
2014		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
March
2014		 Mean for
March
2014		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
March
2014		 Total for
March
2014		 Average
for
March		 Rank of
March
2014		 Fraction of
March
average
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport 29.8 +1.5 38.2 10th 14.6 +0.8 7.7 24th 28.4 20.5 high 139%
Ouyen (Post Office) 29.8 +1.4 38.4 10th 13.9 +1.0 7.0 22nd 6.0 20.0 average 30%
Walpeup Research 29.1 +1.2 38.1 10th 14.2 +1.1 6.5 22nd 19.2 21.4 average 90%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport 28.9 36.9 9th 12.5 6.9 22nd 20.4 17.4 average 117%
Swan Hill Aerodrome 29.3 +1.0 37.6 10th 13.4 +0.7 7.6 20th 13.6 17.3 average 79%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Nhill Aerodrome 26.8 -0.7 35.5 4th 10.8 -0.7 4.6 22nd 4.8 15.4 low 31%
Warracknabeal Museum 28.0 +1.0 35.7 9th 12.2 +0.3 6.0 22nd 12.3 20.9 average 59%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport 25.8 35.7 9th 10.3 3.5 22nd 22.6 27.1 average 83%
Grampians (Mount William) 17.7 26.2 4th 8.2 2.1 22nd 40.8
Horsham Aerodrome 27.4 +0.6 35.5 4th 10.0 -0.1 4.4 19th 13.6 14.6 average 93%
Kanagulk 26.4 35.5 9th 10.1 4.5 22nd 12.4 26.0 low 48%
Longerenong 27.6 +1.4 35.6 9th 11.1 +0.3 3.8 24th 16.2 22.9 average 71%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis) 21.7 29.7 4th 10.7 3.9 22nd 23.0
Stawell Aerodrome 25.9 +0.6 33.1 9th 11.8 +0.5 6.3 24th 4.8 20.5 low 23%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton 28.8 37.7 10th 12.6 6.2 24th 35.8 28.5 average 126%
Echuca Aerodrome 28.7 +1.5 36.5 10th 13.3 +0.4 7.8 23rd 24.0 31.0 average 77%
Kerang 28.8 +1.0 37.4 10th 13.6 +0.8 9.0 22nd 45.6 27.3 high 167%
Kyabram 28.9 +2.4 36.7 10th 13.7 +1.3 7.8 20th 28.2 29.7 average 95%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport 27.5 +1.7 35.3 10th 12.5 +1.0 6.2 7th 41.6 30.3 high 137%
Shepparton Airport 28.4 +1.2 35.7 10th 13.5 +1.4 6.5 20th 34.6 34.0 high 102%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 27.4 +1.2 34.6 10th 13.3 +1.5 7.5 20th 25.6 34.7 average 74%
Yarrawonga 28.6 +1.0 36.0 11th 13.6 +1.0 7.7 23rd 51.6 37.7 high 137%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport 28.0 35.0 10th 12.8 5.5 23rd 80.0
Corryong Airport 27.5 33.0 11th 12.1 4.1 17th 60.4
Dartmouth Reservoir 26.4 +0.6 32.2 10th 12.0 +1.1 5.9 17th 95.8 61.9 high 155%
Hunters Hill 21.8 +0.3 27.9 10th 12.6 +1.2 6.7 17th 110.2 70.1 high 157%
Rutherglen Research 28.0 +0.7 34.6 10th 11.8 +0.9 4.7 23rd 58.6 39.7 high 148%
Strathbogie 24.4 +0.6 32.2 10th 10.0 +0.9 4.9 23rd 63.0 57.9 average 109%
Wangaratta Aero 28.0 +0.5 34.1 11th 12.1 +1.5 6.2 20th 66.8 42.4 high 158%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Dinner Plain (Mount Hotham Airport) 19.5 +0.5 25.5 11th 7.4 +1.2 2.5 19th 84.6 61.4 high 138%
Falls Creek 14.4 +0.3 20.8 10th 7.5 +1.4 0.3 17th 102.6 102.0 average 101%
Mount Buller 15.0 +0.9 21.5 10th 7.5 +0.9 0.0 17th 101.0 80.1 high 126%
Mount Hotham 13.0 +0.1 19.2 10th 6.4 +0.7 -0.7 17th 160.2 116.4 high 138%
Omeo 24.2 31.0 10th 10.3 5.6 20th 54.6 57.7 average 95%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS 23.5 +2.0 31.8 11th 13.0 +1.2 8.6 24th 69.2 80.5 average 86%
Gabo Island Lighthouse 22.3 +1.3 26.1 5th 16.4 +1.0 12.3 17th 61.8 72.6 average 85%
Gelantipy 22.0 +1.9 29.8 10th 11.1 +1.6 6.4 23rd 49.0 62.2 average 79%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) 23.6 32.6 21st 14.0 8.9 17th 65.6
Mallacoota 24.1 +1.8 31.3 15th 15.6 +1.6 9.4 17th 75.2 74.3 average 101%
Mount Nowa Nowa 23.9 +1.4 33.7 11th 14.2 +1.4 10.4 16th 60.4 56.7 average 107%
Orbost 25.4 +1.6 34.8 11th 14.0 +1.1 9.4 20th 50.2 55.7 average 90%
Point Hicks (Lighthouse) 23.5 +1.4 29.5 15th 15.9 +0.8 12.5 17th 66.1 67.6 average 98%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport 25.7 +1.9 35.9 11th 12.6 +1.5 6.8 24th 41.8 45.2 average 92%
East Sale Airport 25.4 +1.9 34.8 10th 12.7 +1.2 7.0 24th 45.6 49.4 average 92%
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 26.2 +1.9 35.8 10th 12.2 +1.0 4.2 24th 37.2 49.3 average 75%
Mount Baw Baw 14.6 +0.7 21.5 10th 7.0 +0.8 0.4 16th 91.8 100.1 average 92%
Mount Moornapa 24.0 +2.0 32.5 4th 13.1 +1.2 9.3 24th 62.8 58.5 average 107%
Pound Creek 24.6 34.0 4th 11.7 5.1 20th 22.4
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 20.8 +1.4 30.4 11th 15.4 +1.2 11.0 17th 116.8 69.9 high 167%
Yarram Airport 24.3 33.4 10th 11.9 5.6 24th 50.8
East Central (district 86)
Bundoora (Latrobe University) 25.6 +1.4 35.0 10th 13.1 +0.6 7.5 20th 22.8 44.7 low 51%
Cerberus 24.3 +1.4 34.1 4th 12.5 0.0 6.8 20th 29.0 45.7 average 63%
Coldstream 26.4 +1.4 34.1 10th 10.0 +0.4 3.2 20th 25.6 48.0 average 53%
Coldstream Comparison 26.3 34.2 10th 9.9 3.1 20th 25.6
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens 24.5 +1.1 33.6 4th 12.8 +0.4 8.0 13th 45.2 42.7 average 106%
Essendon Airport 25.5 +1.5 36.2 10th 13.9 +1.5 8.7 20th 24.4 40.0 average 61%
Ferny Creek 21.8 30.6 10th 12.2 7.5 16th 36.2
Frankston AWS 23.9 +1.4 34.2 4th 15.0 +0.5 11.5 20th
Melbourne (Olympic Park) 24.4 32.9 4th 14.8 10.5 20th 21.8
Melbourne Airport 25.5 +1.4 35.2 10th 13.6 +0.9 8.9 24th 24.4 37.5 average 65%
Melbourne Regional Office 25.4 +1.5 33.7 4th 15.3 +2.1 11.2 20th 23.4 50.1 low 47%
Moorabbin Airport 25.2 +1.5 34.6 10th 13.9 +1.0 9.6 20th 34.0 44.6 average 76%
Rhyll 24.1 +1.7 32.3 4th 15.2 +0.6 12.7 13th 32.8 37.6 average 87%
Scoresby Research Institute 26.1 +2.1 33.7 10th 12.9 +0.5 6.8 24th 23.6 53.7 low 44%
Viewbank 26.2 +1.0 34.7 4th 13.1 +0.4 6.7 24th 20.6 44.1 low 47%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 23.2 +2.0 32.1 10th 11.5 +0.6 7.4 24th 35.4 46.1 average 77%
Wonthaggi 23.5 +0.8 33.0 4th 12.7 +0.5 8.4 20th 37.2 61.0 low 61%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport 25.1 +0.9 35.5 4th 12.5 0.0 7.1 20th 18.8 27.2 low 69%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse) 24.2 34.0 11th 12.9 8.2 20th 19.0
Laverton RAAF 24.8 +1.1 34.3 10th 13.3 +0.7 8.2 20th 23.6 35.2 average 67%
Sheoaks 24.2 +1.3 33.5 4th 11.1 0.0 5.2 24th 24.0 23.9 average 100%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison 25.7 +1.1 31.9 10th 11.0 +0.2 4.8 24th 38.3 34.6 average 111%
Eildon Fire Tower 24.1 +1.1 31.9 10th 12.2 +0.7 7.3 23rd 60.8 40.2 high 151%
Lake Eildon 26.7 +1.1 33.4 10th 11.2 +0.6 6.1 24th 86.4 53.0 high 163%
Mangalore Airport 27.5 +1.4 35.1 10th 13.1 +0.9 6.7 20th 57.8 36.6 high 158%
Maryborough 26.5 +1.1 33.4 4th 11.8 +0.5 7.2 20th 43.6 30.8 high 142%
Redesdale 27.2 +2.1 35.3 10th 11.3 +0.7 6.3 20th 68.6 33.9 high 202%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison 25.0 +1.2 32.5 9th 9.8 +0.2 1.0 22nd 11.0 30.6 low 36%
Ballarat Aerodrome 23.9 +1.7 31.0 4th 10.4 +0.4 4.8 20th 26.6 42.4 average 63%
Westmere 25.1 34.3 4th 9.5 3.2 20th 14.8
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet 22.7 +1.2 34.9 4th 13.8 +0.3 10.1 20th 45.6 34.8 high 131%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse 20.4 +0.2 31.7 9th 13.9 0.0 9.7 20th 51.6 35.7 high 145%
Cape Otway Lighthouse 20.2 -0.2 32.2 11th 14.2 +1.0 10.3 16th 58.8 55.4 average 106%
Casterton 35.2 9th 10.6 5.4 22nd 29.4 35.8 average 82%
Colac (Mount Gellibrand) 23.8 +0.9 34.3 4th 11.7 0.0 8.2 22nd 31.4 31.0 average 101%
Dartmoor 23.8 36.1 4th 10.4 4.7 6th 47.0
Hamilton Airport 24.7 +0.6 34.5 9th 10.0 -0.2 4.4 6th 22.2 34.9 average 64%
Mortlake Racecourse 25.5 +1.8 36.5 4th 9.1 -0.8 2.9 6th 19.0 31.5 average 60%
Port Fairy AWS 21.7 +0.1 33.5 31st 12.8 -0.2 7.3 20th 56.4 36.9 high 153%
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 21.4 +0.3 33.4 4th 11.4 -0.3 5.4 20th 61.0 46.8 high 130%
Portland NTC AWS 19.7 28.7 31st 13.5 8.7 20th
Warrnambool Airport NDB 23.5 +0.4 35.6 4th 11.1 +0.3 5.5 6th 42.6 49.2 average 87%

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Notes

A Monthly Climate Summary is prepared to list 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. Later information, including data that has had greater opportunity for quality control, will be presented in the Monthly Weather Review, usually published in the fourth week of the month.

A Climate Summary is generally published on the first working day of each month.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Tuesday 1 April 2014. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.

Averages 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.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057
Enquiries