Friday, 1 March 2019 - Seasonal Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC26R0

Victoria in summer 2018-19: the warmest summer on record

Rainfall during summer 2018–2019 was below average for Victoria as a whole. Mean daytime and night-time temperatures were warmer than average across the State. Overall, it was Victoria's warmest summer on record

Below average rainfall

• State-wide, summer rainfall was 12% below the long-term summer mean of 120 mm
• Rainfall during summer was above average in parts of Victoria's north, while in parts of the State's south and southeast it was below average
• Victoria's rainfall in December was 44% above average, while in January and February it was 72% and 29% below average respectively
• Many sites (some with more than 100 year of data) had their highest summer daily rainfall on record from a rain event in mid-December, when a slow-moving low pressure trough brought moisture from the tropics, and subsequently deepened into a low pressure system over central parts of the State
• The highest daily rainfall total this summer, 134.0 mm, was recorded at Bloomfield Park on 13 December
• With 356.0 mm Falls Creek was the wettest site in Victoria this summer

The warmest summer on record

• The Victoria's mean temperature was 2.54 °C warmer than the long-term summer average, making it the warmest summer on record
• Many sites had their highest summer mean temperature on record
• Victoria's mean temperatures in December and January were warmest on record for the respective months, while in February it was close to the long-term February average
• Victoria experienced several heatwaves in December and January; information about the heatwaves that affected large areas of the country can be found in the Special Climate Statement Widespread heatwaves during December 2018 and January 2019
• Mean maximum temperatures during summer were highest on record in large parts of northern, central, and eastern Victoria
• State-wide, the mean maximum temperature was 2.74 °C above the long-term average for summer, the highest on record
• Many sites had their highest summer temperature on record, mostly on the 25th
• The highest temperature in Victoria during summer was 47.6 °C, recorded at Kerang on 25 January
• Averaged across the State, the mean minimum temperature was 2.33 °C above the long-term average for summer, the highest on record
• A large number of sites had either their highest summer mean daily maximum temperature on record or their highest summer mean daily maximum temperature since at least 1980
• In most of Victoria's east and parts of the north, mean minimum temperatures were more than 2 °C above average
• Rutherglen (102 years of data) and Dartmouth had their warmest summer night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record on 25 and 26 January
• Many sites had either their highest summer mean daily minimum temperature on record or highest summer mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years

Storms, flash floods and bushfires

• Strong winds, heavy rain, and severe thunderstorms affected Victoria on 13 and 14 December; about a month's worth of rain fell over northeastern Victoria, resulting in flash flooding
• About 200,000 homes across Victoria were hit by power blackouts as temperatures soared on 25 January
• Thunderstorms, produced damaging winds on 30 January; wind gusts exceeded 70 km/h at many sites across the State; the SES reported more than 800 calls for assistance, mostly due to wind damage
• 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
• Several bushfires burnt through areas of central and eastern Victoria during January and the beginning of February; a bushfire near Rosedale in Gippsland burnt more than 10,000 hectares at the beginning of January, while the one in Timbarra in East Gippsland burnt more than 15,000 hectares at the beginning of February

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

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a lower value has gone unreported

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported

* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported

* 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