Friday, 1 March 2019 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in February 2019: drier than average with warmer than average days

February 2019 for the State was drier than average. Daytime temperatures were above average

Drier than average month

  • Areas in central, southern and northwestern Victoria, observed drier than average conditions during February, with only parts of East Gippsland reporting above average rainfall
  • State-wide, February rainfall was 29% below average for the month
  • A line of thunderstorms associated with a low pressure trough developed over western parts of the State on the 6th, resulting in widespread falls with daily totals locally exceeding 30 mm
  • The second half of the month was mostly dry across the State
  • The highest totals for the month were in the southeast of Victoria, with Falls Creek the State's wettest site with 154.4 mm

Above average daytime temperatures

  • In February most of Victoria had above average daytime temperatures
  • Night-time temperatures were close to average across most of the State
  • State-wide, mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 0.72 °C and 0.45 °C above the long-term February average
  • The month started and ended with warm daytime temperatures, with a period of cooler days which followed the passage of cold fronts on the 9th and 12th
  • The coldest day saw a maximum temperature of 3.5 °C at Mount Baw Baw on the 13th, while the coldest night saw a minimum temperature of −3.0 °C at Mount Hotham also on the 13th
  • On the same day Mangalore Airport had its lowest February temperature on record

Thunderstorms and fires

  • A bushfire in Timbarra in East Gippsland burnt more than 15 000 hectares at the beginning of February
  • A gust front associated with a line of thunderstorms developed over the western parts of Victoria on 6 February; winds in excess of 70 km/h resulted in dust-storms, which were reported in Birchip, Kerang, Swan Hill and Wycherproof. The SES received more than 200 calls for help, mostly for fallen trees, powerlines and building damage

Further information

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Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Extremes in February 2019
Hottest day 43.6 °C at Hopetoun Airport on the 3rd
Warmest days on average 33.1 °C at Kerang
Coolest days on average 16.3 °C at Mount Hotham
Coldest day 3.5 °C at Mount Baw Baw on the 13th
Coldest night -3.0 °C at Mount Hotham on the 13th
Coolest nights on average 7.0 °C at Mount Baw Baw
Warmest nights on average 16.1 °C at Point Hicks (Lighthouse)
Warmest night 25.1 °C at Rutherglen Research on the 3rd
Warmest on average overall 24.4 °C at Kerang
Coolest on average overall 11.7 °C at Mount Baw Baw
Wettest overall 154.4 mm at Falls Creek (Rocky Valley)
Wettest day 91.0 mm at Cann River on the 6th
Strongest wind gust 111 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on the 9th

Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps
ObservedAnomalyDecile rank
Total
rainfall		 Map of Rainfall totals Map of Percentage of normal rainfall Map of Rainfall deciles
Mean
daily
maximum
temperatures		 Map of Mean maximum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean maximum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean maximum temperature
Mean
daily
minimum
temperatures		 Map of Mean minimum temperature Map of Anomaly in mean minimum temperature Map of Decile rank of mean minimum temperature

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

Record highest February daily rainfall
New record
(mm)		 Old
record		 Years of
record
Cann River 91.0 on the 6th 90.6 on the 28th in 2007 44


Record lowest February temperature
New record
(°C)		 Old
record		 Years of
record		 Average for
February
Mangalore Airport 3.0 on the 13th 3.5 on the 20th in 2017 61 14.3


Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Summary statistics for February 2019
Maximum temperatures
(°C)		 Minimum temperatures
(°C)		 Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
February
2019		 Diff
from
average		 Highest for
February
2019		 Mean for
February
2019		 Diff
from
average		 Lowest for
February
2019		 Total for
February
2019		 Average
for
February		 Rank of
February
2019		 Fraction of
February
average
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport 32.8 +1.0 42.2 3rd 15.9 -0.6 8.5 13th 2.8 21.6 low 13%
Ouyen (Post Office) 32.1 +0.4 43.0 3rd 15.1 -0.3 7.5 13th 20.0 23.7 average 84%
Walpeup Research 32.5 +1.1 43.3 3rd 14.7 -0.7 6.8 13th 5.2 23.1 average 23%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport 31.8 -0.3 43.6 3rd 13.9 -1.0 6.3 10th 11.8 15.9 average 74%
Swan Hill Aerodrome 32.4 0.0 41.6 3rd 15.3 -0.7 8.6 13th 13.0 20.4 average 64%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Kellalac (Warracknabeal Airport) 31.2   42.8 3rd 12.9   6.3 14th 12.6
Nhill Aerodrome 30.3 -0.3 41.9 3rd 13.0 -0.5 6.6 1st 15.4 12.0 average 128%
Warracknabeal Museum 31.2 +0.4 42.0 3rd 13.2 -1.0 7.1 14th 17.8 21.2 average 84%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport 29.1 +0.3 41.2 3rd 12.3 -0.9 6.6 13th 6.4 16.0 average 40%
Grampians (Mount William) 20.9 +0.6 33.6 3rd 9.1 -0.6 2.3 13th 32.4 35.0 average 93%
Horsham Aerodrome 30.5 +0.1 42.7 3rd 11.5 -1.1 5.6 19th 11.2 21.6 average 52%
Kanagulk 29.3 +0.5 41.5 3rd 11.6 -1.3 6.3 14th 14.8 16.1 average 92%
Longerenong 30.5 +0.5 42.9 3rd 12.6 -0.6 6.3 19th 31.0 23.2 high 134%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis) 24.9 +0.7 37.3 3rd 11.4 -0.9 4.2 13th 25.6 32.0 average 80%
Stawell Aerodrome 28.8 +0.2 40.7 3rd 12.3 -1.5 6.4 14th 22.2 28.0 average 79%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton 31.4 0.0 42.1 3rd 14.1 -0.9 7.7 13th 16.8 17.5 average 96%
Echuca Aerodrome 31.7 +1.1 42.0 3rd 15.0 -0.2 8.2 14th 12.0 26.3 average 46%
Kerang 33.1 +1.9 42.2 3rd 15.2 0.0 8.5 13th 10.6 23.6 average 45%
Kyabram 31.5 +1.5 39.5 3rd 14.8 -0.1 7.8 13th 21.4 28.0 average 76%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport 30.4 +0.8 40.4 3rd 13.5 -0.9 6.4 10th 10.6 30.9 average 34%
Shepparton Airport 31.4 +0.4 38.4 3rd 15.2 +0.1 8.2 10th 6.6 36.7 low 18%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 30.1 +0.6 37.5 3rd 14.4 -0.1 7.1 14th 6.8 32.9 low 21%
Yarrawonga 32.0 +0.3 39.6 3rd 15.7 0.0 7.7 14th 11.6 43.6 low 27%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport 31.3 +0.3 37.3 3rd 14.9 -0.4 5.0 13th 15.3 44.4 average 34%
Dartmouth Reservoir 29.9 +0.8 36.0 3rd 13.8 +0.1 5.0 14th 52.6 56.2 average 94%
Hunters Hill 26.1 +0.8 31.2 3rd 13.4 -0.6 4.6 13th 38.2 72.7 average 53%
Rutherglen Research 31.6 +0.8 37.6 4th 14.4 +0.5 5.6 13th 36.4 37.8 average 96%
Strathbogie 28.1 +0.7 35.5 3rd 10.6 -1.1 3.2 13th 6.4 43.8 low 15%
Wangaratta Aero 31.6 +0.6 38.2 3rd 13.5 -0.3 5.0 13th 23.4 42.8 average 55%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Falls Creek 17.2 0.0 22.0 3rd 8.3 -0.3 -1.9 13th 80.2 91.8 average 87%
Mount Buller 17.6 +0.4 23.8 3rd 8.6 -0.3 -1.9 13th 52.4 74.0 average 71%
Mount Hotham 16.3 +0.4 20.9 27th 7.6 -0.4 -3.0 13th 64.6 99.9 average 65%
Omeo 27.6 +2.1 34.8 3rd 10.8 +0.3 1.3 14th 24.4 54.7 average 45%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS 25.4 +0.9 36.0 3rd 13.4 0.0 7.2 13th 88.2 80.9 average 109%
Gabo Island Lighthouse 23.0 +1.4 33.0 12th     12.3 14th 38.0 67.2 average 57%
Gelantipy 24.3 +1.1 34.7 3rd 11.2 -0.3 3.3 14th 73.0 67.4 average 108%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) 24.2 +0.4 35.7 3rd 14.9 0.0 10.4 13th 50.0 52.7 average 95%
Mallacoota 24.7 +0.7 32.6 12th 15.3 -0.4 8.9 14th 62.0 61.7 average 100%
Mount Nowa Nowa 25.7 +1.1 36.6 3rd 14.5 +0.2 8.6 14th 37.0 61.3 average 60%
Orbost 27.0 +1.5 38.3 3rd     7.9 13th 19.6 51.6 low 38%
Point Hicks (Lighthouse) 24.6 +0.8 31.7 3rd 16.1 0.0 11.5 10th 99.6 57.8 high 172%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport 26.9 +1.4 38.5 3rd 13.3 +0.4 7.2 14th 25.4 46.5 low 55%
Corner Inlet (Yanakie) 23.7   30.0 25th 13.8   7.5 27th 31.4
East Sale 26.7 +1.3 38.5 3rd 13.1 -0.1 6.0 14th 41.4 42.0 average 99%
East Sale Airport 27.1   39.3 3rd 13.6   6.8 14th 42.2
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 27.9 +1.2 39.6 3rd 12.6 -0.3 6.0 1st 21.4 42.8 low 50%
Mount Baw Baw 16.8 +0.1 26.3 3rd 7.0 -1.2 -0.8 13th 39.4 94.9 low 42%
Mount Moornapa 25.8 +1.0 34.2 28th 13.0 -0.5 7.8 13th 18.6 63.7 low 29%
Nilma North (Warragul) 27.0   38.6 3rd 12.7   5.5 1st 45.0
Pound Creek 25.1 -0.3 38.0 28th 12.9 -0.2 4.7 27th 29.2 37.8 average 77%
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 21.3 +0.7 31.0 28th 15.8 +0.9 8.9 13th 66.4 46.7 high 142%
Yarram Airport 25.5 +0.6 37.3 3rd 12.4 -0.8 6.2 27th 27.0 46.1 average 59%
East Central (district 86)
Cerberus 25.6 +0.6 38.0 28th 14.1 -0.2 6.7 20th 11.0 37.2 low 30%
Coldstream 28.8 +1.0 40.1 3rd 11.5 -0.5 4.7 14th 27.6 51.3 average 54%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens 26.9 +1.2 42.2 3rd 13.6 -0.4 7.7 27th 21.8 48.3 low 45%
Essendon Airport 26.9 +1.0 40.5 3rd 14.7 +0.7 10.3 14th 29.2 44.9 average 65%
Ferny Creek 24.5   36.5 3rd 12.5   6.2 13th 41.6
Melbourne (Olympic Park) 26.0   38.2 3rd 15.8   11.8 13th 18.6
Melbourne Airport 27.7 +1.1 41.1 3rd 14.0 -0.2 8.7 14th 14.2 41.2 average 34%
Moorabbin Airport 26.5 +0.4 38.1 28th 15.2 +0.8 10.7 1st 9.6 44.4 low 22%
Rhyll 25.3 +0.9 34.8 28th 15.9 -0.1 10.4 13th 10.6 39.4 low 27%
Scoresby Research Institute 28.0 +1.4 40.7 3rd 14.1 +0.2 9.3 10th 17.6 52.3 low 34%
Viewbank 28.0 +0.3 41.2 3rd 14.2 -0.4 8.0 14th 21.6 44.9 average 48%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport 27.0 +0.7 40.7 28th 14.1 -0.4 9.0 13th 8.8 32.3 low 27%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse) 26.2   39.9 28th 14.4   9.7 13th 6.4
Laverton RAAF 26.1 +0.5 38.5 28th 14.3 0.0 8.1 14th 16.0 45.0 low 36%
Sheoaks 26.4 +0.8 39.6 3rd 12.4 -0.4 6.6 20th 29.6 37.5 average 79%
North Central (district 88)
Castlemaine Prison 28.4 0.0 38.0 4th 12.1 -1.4 4.0 13th 34.8 36.4 average 96%
Eildon Fire Tower 27.1 +0.3 36.0 3rd 12.9 -0.9 5.8 13th 21.8 40.6 average 54%
Lake Eildon 30.1 +1.0 37.9 3rd 12.2 -0.6 5.1 14th 16.6 42.2 average 39%
Mangalore Airport 30.8 +1.4 39.6 3rd 13.5 -0.8 3.0 13th 8.6 34.1 low 25%
Maryborough 29.6 +0.9 40.6 3rd 12.7 -0.5 6.2 13th 15.0 32.2 average 47%
Puckapunyal Lyon Hill (Defence) 30.1   40.5 3rd 14.3   7.3 13th 9.4
Puckapunyal West (Defence) 29.4   39.8 3rd 13.6   7.1 14th 12.8
Redesdale 30.6 +1.6 40.5 3rd 12.0 -1.3 4.1 13th 14.6 36.6 average 40%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 26.2 +1.4 37.4 3rd 12.2 -0.5 6.6 13th 12.0 46.8 low 26%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison 27.9 +0.7 40.0 3rd     6.1 20th 44.0 31.4 high 140%
Ballarat Aerodrome 26.7 +1.6 38.6 3rd 11.2 -0.3 4.1 14th 12.4 43.4 low 29%
Westmere 27.4 -0.1 40.4 3rd 10.5 -1.2 4.2 2nd 19.8 16.9 high 117%
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet 24.8 +1.7 39.1 28th 14.4 -0.3 8.2 13th 16.2 32.8 low 49%
Cape Nelson Lighthouse 21.6 +0.3 34.9 25th 14.8 -0.4 10.3 13th 24.6 26.4 average 93%
Cape Otway Lighthouse 21.2 -0.4 34.6 28th 14.6 +0.6 10.0 13th 38.8 41.6 average 93%
Casterton 28.0 +0.6 39.0 3rd 11.5 -1.1 4.6 1st 7.0 27.8 low 25%
Colac (Mount Gellibrand) 25.5 +0.1 39.9 3rd 12.4 -0.6 7.2 13th 23.6 28.0 average 84%
Dartmoor 26.2   37.7 25th 12.5   7.0 1st 13.6 28.3 low 48%
Hamilton Airport 27.4 +0.6 39.6 3rd 11.3 -0.1 5.4 1st 15.2 23.3 average 65%
Mortlake Racecourse 27.2 +0.7 40.1 28th 10.7 -1.0 4.6 1st 23.4 31.4 average 75%
Port Fairy AWS 23.1 +0.3 36.0 25th 14.1 -0.5 9.4 2nd 16.0 28.4 average 56%
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 22.9 +0.4 35.0 25th 13.0 +0.2 6.5 1st 26.2 28.3 average 93%
Warrnambool Airport NDB 24.9 +0.1 39.7 28th 12.0 -0.5 5.4 2nd 24.4 30.9 average 79%

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 11 am on Friday 1 March 2019. 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

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