Victoria in summer 2022-23: below average rainfall

Rainfall during summer 2022-2023 was below average for Victoria as a whole. Mean maximum temperatures were below average in the state's north-east and close to average elsewhere. Mean minimum temperatures were above average in much of Victoria's south and below average in parts of the north-west.

Below average rainfall

  • Rainfall totals during summer were below average in most of western and central Victoria and much below average in large parts of the Wimmera district.
  • State-wide, summer rainfall was about 22% below the 1961–1990 summer mean of 119 mm.
  • After the state's wettest spring on record, Victoria's rainfall in December, January and February was 14%, 26% and 33% below average for each of the respective months.
  • The highest daily rainfall total this summer of 149.6 mm was recorded at Hunters Hill on 30 January, due to a low pressure trough that brought heavy rain to the far north-east of the state; it was the highest summer daily rainfall on record for this site.
  • With 345.0 mm Hunters Hill was the wettest site in Victoria this summer.

Close to average temperatures

  • Mean maximum temperatures were below average in the state's north-east and close to average elsewhere.
  • State-wide, the mean maximum temperature was just 0.08 °C above the 1961–1990 average for summer.
  • In December, state-wide mean maximum temperature was 0.44 °C below average, the coolest December since 2010.
  • Mean maximum temperatures were warmer than average in large parts of Victoria in January (monthly anomaly of +0.89 °C; in February, historically the warmest month of the year for Victoria, statewide mean maximum temperature was below average (an anomaly of −0.21 °C).
  • Mean minimum temperatures were above average in much of Victoria's south and below average in parts of the Mallee district.
  • Statewide, mean minimum temperature this summer was 0.27 °C above the summer average.
  • A heatwave developed across Victoria between 15 and 17 February, with temperatures on the 17th more than 8 degrees above average across the state.
  • The highest temperature this summer in Victoria was 43.2 °C, recorded at Mildura Airport on 17 February.
  • Falls Creek and Combienbar AWS had their coldest summer day on record.
  • Some sites had their lowest summer temperature on record.

Further information

Media
(03) 9669 4057

Extremes in summer 2022-23
Hottest day 43.2 °C at Mildura Airport on 17 Feb 2023
Warmest days on average 32.3 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest days on average 15.2 °C at Falls Creek
Coldest day -0.1 °C at Mount Baw Baw on 8 Dec 2022
Coldest night -5.4 °C at Mount Hotham on 14 Dec 2022
Coolest nights on average 6.6 °C at Falls Creek
Warmest nights on average 16.0 °C at Gabo Island Lighthouse
Warmest night 29.1 °C at Mildura Airport on 28 Dec 2022
Warmest on average overall 23.9 °C at Mildura Airport
Coolest on average overall 10.9 °C at Falls Creek
Wettest overall 345.0 mm at Hunters Hill
Wettest day 149.6 mm at Hunters Hill on 30 Jan 2023
Strongest wind gust 141 km/h at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse on 8 Dec 2022

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 summer daily rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Hunters Hill 149.6 on 30 Jan 2023 104.0 on 30 Jan 2021 30



Record lowest summer daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
summer
Falls Creek 0.5 on 3 Feb 2023 1.5 on 3 Feb 2005 33 16.9
Combienbar AWS 8.4 on 14 Dec 2022 10.0 on 10 Dec 2021 29 24.4



Lowest summer mean daily maximum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
summer
Falls Creek 15.2 14.5 in 2001 16.9
Gelantipy 21.1 19.4 in 2001 22.9



Record lowest summer temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
summer
Bairnsdale Airport 2.5 on 10 Dec 2022 3.1 on 1 Dec 1994 42 12.5
Falls Creek -4.8 on 9 Dec 2022 -4.5 on 26 Dec 2006 33 8.1
Mount Hotham -5.4 on 14 Dec 2022 -5.0 on 26 Dec 2006 32 7.3
Mount Baw Baw -3.1 on 14 Dec 2022 = -3.1 on 25 Dec 2006 26 7.6
Orbost 4.4 on 10 Dec 2022 5.6 on 13 Dec 2006 23 14.1



Lowest summer mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
summer
Falls Creek 6.6 6.0 in 2001 8.1
Ouyen (Post Office) 14.2 13.3 in 2001 14.9



Lowest summer mean temperature for at least 20 years
Observed
(°C)
Most recent
lower
Average for
summer
Falls Creek 10.9 10.3 in 2001 12.5



Summary statistics for summer 2022-23
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
summer
2022-23
Diff
from
average
Highest for
summer
2022-23
Mean for
summer
2022-23
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
summer
2022-23
Total for
summer
2022-23
Average
for
summer
Rank of
summer
2022-23
Fraction of
summer
average
North Mallee (district 76)
Mildura Airport 32.3 +0.7 43.2 17 Feb 2023 15.5 -0.6 6.6 8 Dec 2022 29.1 68.2 low 43%
Ouyen (Post Office) 31.6 +0.1 42.3 17 Feb 2023 14.2 -0.7 5.8 8 Dec 2022 36.6 69.4 low 53%
Walpeup Research 31.6 +0.4 42.3 17 Jan 2023 14.1 -0.8 4.7 8 Dec 2022 54.0 68.9 average 78%
South Mallee (district 77)
Hopetoun Airport 30.8 -1.2 41.5 17 Feb 2023 13.1 -1.4 4.7 8 Dec 2022 25.4 71.5 low 36%
Swan Hill Aerodrome 31.0 -1.1 42.6 17 Feb 2023 14.2 -1.2 5.4 9 Dec 2022 42.6 65.4 low 65%
North Wimmera (district 78)
Kellalac (Warracknabeal Airport) 30.2   40.4 26 Dec 2022 12.7   5.0 8 Dec 2022 16.8
Nhill Aerodrome 29.2 -1.1 40.2 27 Dec 2022 12.2 -1.0 4.9 9 Dec 2022 22.0 69.3 v low 32%
South Wimmera (district 79)
Edenhope Airport 27.2 -1.2 39.5 27 Dec 2022 11.9 -0.6 4.5 9 Dec 2022 40.0 84.7 low 47%
Grampians (Mount William) 18.6 -1.3 30.2 10 Feb 2023 8.5 -0.7 0.1 14 Dec 2022 49.4 151.4 v low 33%
Horsham Aerodrome 28.8 -1.3 39.4 27 Dec 2022 11.5 -0.4 3.6 9 Dec 2022 17.8 72.6 lowest 25%
Kanagulk 27.1 -1.5 39.6 27 Dec 2022 11.6 -0.5 4.3 9 Dec 2022 47.4 90.4 low 52%
Longerenong 29.7 +0.4 40.6 27 Dec 2022 11.6 -0.9 2.6 9 Dec 2022 24.4 74.0 low 33%
Pyrenees (Ben Nevis) 22.7 -1.2 36.0 17 Feb 2023 10.9 -0.7 2.0 14 Dec 2022 71.6 119.7 low 60%
Stawell Aerodrome 27.2 -1.0 38.2 27 Dec 2022 12.3 -0.6 4.1 9 Dec 2022 37.0 95.1 v low 39%
Lower North (district 80)
Charlton 30.6 -0.7 42.2 17 Feb 2023 13.2 -1.4 5.4 9 Dec 2022 23.2 76.9 v low 30%
Echuca Aerodrome 30.1 -0.2 41.5 17 Feb 2023 13.9 -0.7 5.3 10 Dec 2022 79.5 82.7 average 96%
Kerang 30.8 -0.1 42.9 17 Feb 2023 14.5 -0.2 7.1 14 Dec 2022 30.2 74.2 low 41%
Kyabram 29.6 -0.1 41.7 17 Feb 2023 14.1 0.0 5.6 14 Dec 2022 68.0 95.2 average 71%
Upper North (district 81)
Bendigo Airport 28.8 -0.3 41.0 17 Feb 2023 13.0 -0.6 5.1 13 Dec 2022 63.2 101.7 low 62%
Shepparton Airport 30.0 -0.8 40.9 17 Feb 2023 14.0 -0.5 5.9 10 Dec 2022 97.2 95.9 average 101%
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag 28.7 -0.3 40.0 17 Feb 2023 13.8 0.0 5.4 14 Dec 2022 101.8 101.2 average 101%
Yarrawonga 30.9 -0.7 40.8 17 Feb 2023 14.3 -0.7 4.8 14 Dec 2022 61.0 116.8 low 52%
Lower Northeast (district 82)
Benalla Airport 29.6 -1.2 39.1 17 Feb 2023 13.8 -1.0 4.6 14 Dec 2022 121.7 134.1 average 91%
Corryong Airport 28.6 -2.1 36.2 13 Jan 2023 11.7 -1.3 3.0 9 Dec 2022 272.1 192.9 high 141%
Dartmouth Reservoir 27.2 -1.3 34.9 13 Jan 2023 13.0 -0.2 4.5 15 Dec 2022 160.2 191.5 average 84%
Hunters Hill 23.1 -1.7 31.2 26 Dec 2022 12.4 -1.2 1.5 14 Dec 2022 345.0 226.4 v high 152%
Rutherglen Research 30.0 -0.5 38.6 17 Feb 2023 12.2 -0.9 2.8 15 Dec 2022 191.2 120.9 high 158%
Strathbogie     37.3 17 Feb 2023 10.0 -1.0 0.6 14 Dec 2022 91.2 150.2 low 61%
Wangaratta Aero 29.9 -0.9 39.2 17 Feb 2023 12.2 -1.1 3.8 9 Dec 2022 86.8 130.0 average 67%
Upper Northeast (district 83)
Falls Creek 15.2 -1.7 22.5 20 Feb 2023 6.6 -1.5 -4.8 9 Dec 2022 301.6 312.0 average 97%
Mount Buller 15.5 -1.0 23.3 17 Feb 2023 7.6 -0.5 -4.8 14 Dec 2022 225.6 256.9 average 88%
Omeo 24.0 -1.7 32.2 12 Jan 2023 9.3 -1.1 -1.2 10 Dec 2022 178.0 180.4 average 99%
East Gippsland (district 84)
Combienbar AWS 22.8 -1.6 32.9 27 Dec 2022 12.2 -0.7 4.0 14 Dec 2022 241.2 233.2 average 103%
Gabo Island Lighthouse 21.2 +0.2 27.1 2 Feb 2023 16.0 +0.5 10.3 7 Dec 2022 174.6 203.3 average 86%
Gelantipy 21.1 -1.8 31.3 27 Dec 2022 10.4 -0.6 1.5 10 Dec 2022 181.8 199.9 average 91%
Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) 22.7 -0.9 36.5 17 Feb 2023 13.8 -0.6 4.5 10 Dec 2022 211.3 170.2 high 124%
Mallacoota 22.9 -0.6 32.7 27 Dec 2022 15.0 -0.1 7.7 14 Dec 2022 150.0 199.7 low 75%
Mount Nowa Nowa 23.4 -0.6 36.4 14 Jan 2023 13.2 -0.5 4.9 14 Dec 2022 120.4 203.8 low 59%
Orbost 24.5 -0.8 36.2 17 Feb 2023 13.4 -0.7 4.4 10 Dec 2022 162.6 166.7 average 98%
West Gippsland (district 85)
Bairnsdale Airport 24.7 -0.4 38.6 17 Feb 2023 12.4 -0.1 2.5 10 Dec 2022 117.2 156.5 average 75%
Corner Inlet (Yanakie) 22.8   38.9 17 Feb 2023 13.8   4.3 10 Dec 2022 99.2
East Sale 25.1 +0.3 39.5 17 Feb 2023 12.9 +0.4 3.6 10 Dec 2022 72.2 140.2 v low 51%
East Sale Airport 25.5   39.5 17 Feb 2023 12.9   4.1 10 Dec 2022 66.0
Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) 26.5 +0.5 39.5 17 Feb 2023 12.7 +0.2 3.3 10 Dec 2022 92.2 157.4 low 59%
Mount Baw Baw 15.3 -0.9 25.2 27 Dec 2022 7.0 -0.6 -3.1 14 Dec 2022 320.4 344.3 average 93%
Mount Moornapa 23.8 -0.7 36.9 17 Feb 2023 12.4 -0.3 5.0 10 Dec 2022 173.8 213.0 average 82%
Nilma North (Warragul) 25.0   39.0 17 Feb 2023 12.8   5.8 14 Feb 2023 147.0
Pound Creek 24.2 -0.2 38.8 17 Feb 2023 12.6 +0.1 2.8 10 Dec 2022 115.8 135.9 average 85%
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse 20.2 +0.3 31.7 27 Dec 2022 14.9 +1.0 8.8 3 Feb 2023 180.2 163.5 average 110%
Yarram Airport 24.4 -0.3 40.5 17 Feb 2023 11.8 -0.7 2.4 10 Dec 2022 89.8 142.8 low 63%
East Central (district 86)
Cerberus 24.2 +0.2 39.4 17 Feb 2023 13.7 +0.3 5.0 10 Dec 2022 96.6 128.9 low 75%
Coldstream 26.5 -0.5 39.7 17 Feb 2023 11.1 -0.2 3.4 10 Dec 2022 118.2 156.4 low 76%
Essendon Airport 25.8 +0.1 41.3 17 Feb 2023 14.1 +0.8 6.2 10 Dec 2022 119.6 139.0 average 86%
Ferny Creek 22.1 -1.3 35.8 17 Feb 2023 12.1 -0.4 3.7 14 Dec 2022 256.4 243.8 average 105%
Frankston (Ballam Park) 24.8   39.1 17 Feb 2023 14.2   8.0 16 Dec 2022 92.4
Melbourne (Olympic Park) 25.0   40.5 17 Feb 2023 15.3   8.1 10 Dec 2022 86.2 128.0 low 67%
Melbourne Airport 25.7 -0.3 41.3 17 Feb 2023 13.4 0.0 5.2 10 Dec 2022 122.4 132.9 average 92%
Moorabbin Airport 25.2 -0.1 41.4 17 Feb 2023 14.4 +0.6 6.9 10 Dec 2022 103.6 149.7 low 69%
Rhyll 24.1 +0.6 37.2 17 Feb 2023 15.2 +0.1 8.3 8 Dec 2022 97.8 122.3 average 80%
Scoresby Research Institute 26.2 +0.4 39.9 17 Feb 2023 13.2 +0.1 4.7 10 Dec 2022 116.0 180.0 low 64%
Viewbank 26.5 -0.7 41.4 17 Feb 2023 13.6 -0.4 5.3 10 Dec 2022 135.4 154.4 average 88%
West Central (district 87)
Avalon Airport 25.4 -0.3 40.8 17 Feb 2023 13.4 -0.1 4.6 10 Dec 2022 27.6 93.6 v low 29%
Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse) 24.3 -1.0 40.3 17 Feb 2023 13.7 -0.3 6.5 10 Dec 2022 76.4 103.3 low 74%
Laverton RAAF 25.3 +0.2 42.0 17 Feb 2023 14.2 +0.8 5.6 10 Dec 2022 65.2 130.6 v low 50%
Point Cook RAAF 24.6   41.8 17 Feb 2023 14.5   7.2 14 Dec 2022 65.4
She Oaks 24.6 -0.5 38.5 17 Feb 2023 11.8 -0.1 3.5 10 Dec 2022 109.2 107.6 average 101%
North Central (district 88)
Eildon Fire Tower 25.0 -1.0 35.9 17 Feb 2023 12.3 -0.6 2.9 14 Dec 2022 113.8 132.0 average 86%
Lake Eildon     38.2 17 Feb 2023 12.6 +0.4 4.0 14 Dec 2022 181.8 148.7 high 122%
Mangalore Airport 28.7 -0.1 41.2 17 Feb 2023 12.9 -0.6 4.5 9 Dec 2022 79.6 117.9 low 68%
Maryborough 27.5 -0.6 40.0 17 Feb 2023 12.6 0.0 4.9 9 Dec 2022 84.1 100.7 average 84%
Puckapunyal Lyon Hill (Defence) 28.3   40.9 17 Feb 2023 13.8   5.9 8 Dec 2022 55.0
Puckapunyal West (Defence) 27.4   40.5 17 Feb 2023 12.8   4.2 14 Dec 2022 53.4
Redesdale 28.2 -0.5 41.4 17 Feb 2023 11.2 -1.1 3.7 9 Dec 2022 49.6 107.3 low 46%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 23.6 -0.5 37.8 17 Feb 2023 11.7 -0.1 3.2 14 Dec 2022 89.4 139.9 low 64%
Western Plains (district 89)
Ararat Prison 26.2 -0.2 38.2 17 Feb 2023 11.2 +0.5 2.4 9 Dec 2022 39.1 107.3 v low 36%
Ballarat Aerodrome 24.3 0.0 38.5 17 Feb 2023 11.0 +0.4 4.1 9 Dec 2022 68.8 132.3 v low 52%
Westmere 26.0 -1.2 39.1 27 Dec 2022 11.0 +0.2 3.1 9 Dec 2022
West Coast (district 90)
Aireys Inlet 22.6 0.0 37.8 27 Dec 2022 13.9 +0.2 7.7 8 Dec 2022
Cape Nelson Lighthouse 20.9 +0.1 39.5 27 Dec 2022 14.3 0.0 8.9 14 Dec 2022 81.6 97.5 average 84%
Cape Otway Lighthouse 20.2 -0.7 37.3 27 Dec 2022 14.0 +0.9 8.5 7 Dec 2022 160.2 138.5 high 116%
Casterton 25.0 -1.8 38.2 14 Jan 2023 11.1 -0.5 2.6 9 Dec 2022 133.2 102.0 high 131%
Colac (Mount Gellibrand) 24.6 -0.3 38.1 17 Jan 2023 12.0 -0.2 5.0 8 Dec 2022 118.4 96.1 high 123%
Dartmoor 24.9 -1.1 40.7 27 Dec 2022 11.8 -0.2 3.0 9 Dec 2022 126.6 106.0 high 119%
Hamilton Airport 25.1 -0.8 38.5 27 Dec 2022 11.0 +0.3 4.3 8 Dec 2022 111.0 101.2 average 110%
Mortlake Racecourse 24.8 -0.6 37.5 27 Dec 2022 11.0 +0.3 4.3 9 Dec 2022 112.4 107.5 average 105%
Port Fairy AWS 22.2 0.0 39.8 27 Dec 2022 13.8 +0.1 8.3 10 Dec 2022 122.6 99.4 high 123%
Portland (Cashmore Airport) 21.8 +0.1 38.4 27 Dec 2022 12.3 +0.2 5.8 27 Jan 2023 120.4 114.2 average 105%
Warrnambool Airport NDB 22.9 -1.1 38.5 17 Jan 2023 11.5 0.0 3.8 20 Dec 2022 140.4 113.2 high 124%

Notes

The Seasonal climate summary, generally published on the third 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 8 am on Thursday 2 March 2023. 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

Media
(03) 9669 4057

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Climate