Wednesday, 1 December 2010 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC26R0

Victoria in spring 2010: A wet spring at last!

• Wettest spring for Victoria since 1993
• Spring days close to average despite cold start to season
• Close to normal overnight temperatures

Details Records Summaries Important notes the top

Rainfall

Soggy paddocks across Victoria were again a regular spring-time feature for the first time in more than a decade. Numerous locations across the state had their highest rainfall on record for the September to November period. In fact, Mildura Airport, Melbourne Airport, Castlemaine, Maryborough and Resedale all had their highest spring rainfall on record. Remarkably, Boort, close to Birchip in the Mallee district, recorded its highest spring rainfall since 1889.

Spring 2010 has been the 9th wettest spring on record for the Victorian region. Interestingly, over a dozen locations across the state recorded their highest spring rainfall since 1975, which saw the 3rd highest spring rainfall for the state. Significant rainfall events were the feature of the 2010 Victorian spring, with several memorable rainfall events accumulating to push rainfall totals well above average. Favourable conditions for convection in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans led to enhanced tropical moisture, which was the main factor that contributed to the highest spring rainfall totals for the state since 1993.

Major flooding was observed across northern Victoria in the first week of September with several locations recording multi-day rainfall totals in excess of 200 mm. A downpour on Derby Day provided a heavy track at Flemington Racecourse, where more than 60 mm in the 24 hours till 9am on the 31st October was observed. Humid conditions throughout November were highly unseasonable, with rainfall in the last week of the month almost doubling that usually received for many locations across the state. The wettest location overall was Mount Hotham, which recorded 797.6 mm in spring, more than twice that usually received (395 mm).

Temperature

Maximum temperature

Daytime temperatures across Victoria were below average this spring, despite close to average maximum temperatures throughout October and warm days throughout November. Particularly cool days were experienced state-wide in September, with some locations experiencing average temperatures more than 2°C below normal. A series of warm springs in recent years meant that daytime temperatures close to the long-term average were generally perceived as unusually cool.

Temperatures reached 30 °C across much of the State in mid-November and extremely humid conditions persisted for the rest of the month as a result of tropical systems and enhanced atmospheric moisture. Much of the Central and Wimmera districts recorded their maximum temperatures for spring on the 22nd of November, with several locations recording temperatures in excess of 34 °C. The 12th of November was the hottest day this season, with temperatures across the state soaring over 30 °C, particularly across Gippsland. Mildura Airport recorded the season maximum on this day, a very warm 37.5 °C.

Particularly cold days were common in September and October, with days below 12 °C occurring regularly. The coolest days on average were 6.9 °C at Mount Hotham, which also observed the coldest day, a frosty -2.6 °C on the 16th of September.

Minimum temperature

Nights were slightly warmer than average for spring overall, with particularly warm nights experienced throughout November. Minimum temperatures in September and October were close to average. Late-season snow falls in October were accompanied by a particularly frosty night state-wide, with temperatures plummeting to below -7 °C overnight in the Alpine area on the 16th.

Warm nights were particularly frequent throughout November, Victorians experiencing balmy nights on the 12th and 24th. Mildura Airport recorded the warmest night of the season, a tropical 24 °C on the 12th of November. Gabo Island Lighthouse was the warmest overnight location throughout spring, averaging a mild 11.7 °C, slightly above the long-term average of 11.2C.

Wintry conditions continued well into spring with overnight temperatures frequently close to zero occurring particularly in elevated areas. Some parts of central and western Victoria also experienced particularly cool nights on the 7th, 16th, 24th and 25th of October. The coolest nights on average were just 0.9 °C recorded at Mount Hotham during spring.

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Maps

Anomaly in mean maximum temperature

Anomaly in mean minimum temperature

Rainfall deciles

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top

Details Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top