Monday, 1 February 2016 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0

Victoria in January 2016: a warm month with rain in the north

Temperatures were warm across Victoria in January with several extremely hot days. Rainfall was above average in northern Victoria, with severe thunderstorms contributing to high rainfall.

• Several thunderstorms in the northwest and central Victoria
• Temperatures 1.64 °C above average
• Overnight temperature anomaly seventh-highest on record

The mean rainfall across Victoria during January was about 56% above average. Most of northern Victoria had above average rainfall, with some severe thunderstorms in the northwest and north-central early in the month leading to flooding near Seymour and high rainfall totals. Mid-month storms in the Mallee and across to the northeast, as well as severe thunderstorms in the northwest late in the month, also contributed to above average rainfall in those areas—some sites had their highest total January rainfall for at least 20 years. A severe thunderstorms on the 27th brought flash flooding to Geelong and 54 mm of rain in 30 minutes at Avalon. More thunderstorms late in the month resulted in generally above average rainfall in Gippsland. Three sites recorded their highest January daily rainfall on the 31st, including 121 mm at Wilson's Promontory. Significantly below average monthly rainfall was confined to parts of the southwest coast.

Temperatures were above average for most of Victoria in January, with the State mean temperature 1.53 °C above average. Maximum temperatures were 1.04 °C above average for the State, but particularly warm in the west. Minimum temperatures were above average to very much above average for the whole State with an anomaly of +2.01 °C, the seventh-highest on record. The warmest overnight temperature was 27.0 °C at Kerang, Mildura and Ouyen on the 20th. There were some days of extreme heat across the State mid-month. On the 13th, many sites recorded their highest maximum temperature for the month, including Echuca that recorded the hottest day of 45.6 °C (which was also its highest January temperature on record). Melbourne (Olympic Park) recorded 42.2 °C on the 13th, followed by its coldest day for the month of 18.1 °C on the 14th.

The heat also contributed to increased fire risk across the State, with the hot days and some strong winds making it challenging for firefighters working on the 2500 hectare fire near Wye River that started on 19 December but continued to burn into January. Later in the month, a bushfire on the Mornington Peninsula and a fast-moving grassfire in central Victoria each destroyed at least one home.

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

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* 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