Thursday, 5 January 2017 - Monthly Climate Summary for Victoria - Product code IDCKGC16R0
Victoria in December 2016: warm and slightly drier than average
Victorian rainfall in December was generally average to below average in most areas. December 2016 in Victoria saw warmer than average temperatures throughout the State.
Drier than average, heavy rain at times
- Rainfall in December was 18% below average for Victoria as a whole
- Rainfall totals were below average across much of the south and northwest of the State
- Areas of above average rainfall were recorded in the Wimmera, alpine northeast and Goulburn regions
- Storms on the afternoon of 29 December resulted in some of the highest rain rates ever recorded in Victoria
- Several sites around Melbourne and in the State's northeast recorded more than 100 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 30th
- The storms in late December were associated with high humidity
- On the morning of the 29th, Melbourne Airport recorded a precipitable water value (a measure of the total amount of moisture in the atmosphere) of 48.2 mm, the highest December value recorded in Victoria in at least 24 years
- Some sites had their highest December daily rainfall on record, with Mount Hotham breaking its previous daily record by almost 50 percent
Warmer than average temperatures
- Summer in Victoria began with generally cooler than average temperatures, but the State warmed up later in the month with mean temperatures more than four degrees above average for the last week of December
- December mean maximum temperatures were 1.75 °C warmer than average and mean minimum temperatures were 1.08 °C warmer than average
- Gippsland recorded very much above average temperatures for December, while most of the rest of Victoria had above average temperatures
- Mean minimum temperatures were slightly cooler than average in far western Victoria
- In late December, some sites had their warmest December night (highest daily minimum temperature) on record
- Castlemaine and Mallacoota had their highest December mean daily minimum temperature on record
- Mallacoota had its highest December mean temperature on record
Wind and snow
- The strongest wind gust in Victoria was 124 km/h at Mount Hotham on 8 December
- December snow fell in alpine areas early in the month
Further information
- Media
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Extremes in December 2016 | |
|---|---|
| Hottest day |
41.6 °C at Walpeup Research on the 25th |
| Warmest days on average |
32.3 °C at Ouyen (Post Office) |
| Coolest days on average |
14.9 °C at Mount Hotham |
| Coldest day |
6.6 °C at Mount Baw Baw on the 9th |
| Coldest night |
-3.7 °C at Mount Hotham on the 18th |
| Coolest nights on average |
7.0 °C at Mount Hotham |
| Warmest nights on average |
15.9 °C at Mildura Airport |
| Warmest night |
28.9 °C at Mildura Airport on the 26th |
| Warmest on average overall |
23.8 °C at Mildura Airport |
| Coolest on average overall |
11.0 °C at Mount Hotham |
| Wettest overall |
290.2 mm at Mount Hotham |
| Wettest day |
158.6 mm at Mount Hotham on the 30th |
| Strongest wind gust |
124 km/h at Mount Hotham on the 8th |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Maps | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Observed | Anomaly | Decile rank | |
| Total rainfall |
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| Mean daily maximum temperatures |
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| Mean daily minimum temperatures |
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Click on a map to show it full size in a pop-up window
| Record highest December daily rainfall | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (mm) |
Old record |
Years of record |
||||
| Stanhope | 88.8 | on the 30th | 69.3 | on the 4th in 1954 | 93 | |
| Bonbeach (Carrum) | 60.0 | on the 30th | 56.4 | on the 23rd in 2000 | 61 | |
| Bundoora (Latrobe University) | 108.0 | on the 30th | 80.4 | on the 28th in 1999 | 38 | |
| Willow Grove (Blue Rock Reservoir) | 35.0 | on the 30th | 33.0 | on the 17th in 1986 | 31 | |
| Falls Creek | 106.2 | on the 30th | 80.0 | on the 23rd in 1994 | 23 | |
| Mount Hotham | 158.6 | on the 30th | 106.0 | on the 26th in 1996 | 23 | |
| Highest December total rainfall for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (mm) |
Most recent higher |
Average for December |
|||
| Highlands (Glentannar) | 128.2 | 143.4 | in 1985 | 55.3 | |
| Record highest December daily minimum temperature | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
|||
| Essendon Airport | 26.2 | on the 26th | = 26.2 | on the 20th in 2015 | 47 | 11.8 |
| Lake Eildon | 22.7 | on the 28th | 22.3 | on the 3rd in 1999 | 47 | 11.0 |
| Bundoora (Latrobe University) | 26.5 | on the 29th | 26.0 | on the 7th in 1994 | 33 | 12.4 |
| Mount Moornapa | 23.9 | on the 29th | 23.7 | on the 12th in 1998 | 24 | 11.2 |
| Coldstream | 24.7 | on the 29th | 21.7 | on the 22nd in 2000 | 23 | 9.6 |
| Record highest December mean daily minimum temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Castlemaine Prison | 13.8 | 13.5 | in 2015 | 48 | 10.9 |
| Mallacoota | 14.9 | 14.8 | in 2014 | 23 | 13.5 |
| Highest December mean daily minimum temperature for at least 20 years | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Observed (°C) |
Most recent higher |
Average for December |
|||
| Point Hicks (Lighthouse) | 15.2 | 15.4 | in 1988* | 14.1 | |
| Gelantipy | 10.8 | 12.0 | in 1992 | 9.5 | |
* note: there are gaps in the historical record at this site, so it is possible a higher value has gone unreported
| Record highest December mean temperature | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New record (°C) |
Old record |
Years of record |
Average for December |
||
| Mallacoota | 19.4 | 19.2 | in 2015 | 23 | 17.8 |
Extremes Maps Records Summaries Important notes the top
| Summary statistics for December 2016 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum temperatures (°C) |
Minimum temperatures (°C) |
Rainfall (millimetres) |
||||||||||
| Mean for December 2016 |
Diff from average |
Highest for December 2016 |
Mean for December 2016 |
Diff from average |
Lowest for December 2016 |
Total for December 2016 |
Average for December |
Rank of December 2016 |
Fraction of December average |
|||
| North Mallee (district 76) | ||||||||||||
| Mildura Airport | 31.8 | +1.5 | 40.5 | 27th | 15.9 | +1.0 | 8.2 | 18th | 5.6 | 25.0 | average | 22% |
| Ouyen (Post Office) | 32.3 | +2.0 | 40.6 | 25th | 15.1 | +1.4 | 7.4 | 18th | 5.3 | 25.2 | low | 21% |
| Walpeup Research | 31.7 | +1.8 | 41.6 | 25th | 14.2 | +0.6 | 6.9 | 9th | 5.0 | 24.0 | low | 21% |
| South Mallee (district 77) | ||||||||||||
| Hopetoun Airport | 30.9 | +0.4 | 40.8 | 25th | 13.1 | +0.1 | 3.6 | 18th | 12.8 | 25.9 | average | 49% |
| Swan Hill Aerodrome | 31.7 | +1.2 | 39.6 | 13th | 14.5 | +0.9 | 5.3 | 18th | 4.8 | 20.5 | low | 23% |
| North Wimmera (district 78) | ||||||||||||
| Nhill Aerodrome | 29.0 | 0.0 | 39.6 | 25th | 11.9 | -0.4 | 5.2 | 15th | 32.0 | 27.4 | high | 117% |
| Warracknabeal Museum | 29.6 | +0.8 | 39.5 | 25th | 12.1 | -0.1 | 5.5 | 10th | 17.2 | 26.8 | average | 64% |
| South Wimmera (district 79) | ||||||||||||
| Edenhope Airport | 26.6 | -0.3 | 38.3 | 25th | 10.8 | -0.3 | 3.4 | 18th | 38.8 | 39.6 | average | 98% |
| Grampians (Mount William) | 18.5 | +0.2 | 28.9 | 25th | 7.4 | -0.2 | 1.2 | 9th | 63.6 | 65.8 | average | 97% |
| Horsham Aerodrome | 28.6 | 0.0 | 39.3 | 25th | 10.5 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 18th | 31.6 | 25.3 | high | 125% |
| Kanagulk | 26.6 | -0.7 | 38.7 | 25th | 10.4 | -0.3 | 5.0 | 16th | 42.2 | 43.1 | average | 98% |
| Longerenong | 29.0 | +1.2 | 40.1 | 25th | 10.6 | -0.6 | 2.3 | 18th | 48.4 | 27.9 | high | 173% |
| Pyrenees (Ben Nevis) | 22.5 | 32.2 | 25th | 10.0 | 3.1 | 18th | 46.4 | 45.8 | average | 101% | ||
| Stawell Aerodrome | 26.8 | +0.2 | 37.9 | 25th | 11.5 | +0.2 | 5.8 | 16th | 53.2 | 35.4 | high | 150% |
| Lower North (district 80) | ||||||||||||
| Charlton | 31.1 | +1.4 | 40.0 | 28th | 12.7 | -0.3 | 4.2 | 18th | 33.2 | 31.0 | average | 107% |
| Echuca Aerodrome | 30.6 | +1.6 | 38.0 | 28th | 14.4 | +1.0 | 7.0 | 19th | 20.3 | 29.1 | average | 70% |
| Kerang | 31.2 | +1.5 | 38.8 | 28th | 15.1 | +1.7 | 8.0 | 18th | 16.4 | 27.1 | average | 61% |
| Kyabram | 30.5 | +2.3 | 38.3 | 26th | 13.9 | +1.4 | 6.3 | 19th | 45.4 | 32.4 | high | 140% |
| Upper North (district 81) | ||||||||||||
| Bendigo Airport | 28.7 | +1.3 | 37.6 | 28th | 13.4 | +1.6 | 6.4 | 18th | 29.2 | 39.6 | average | 74% |
| Shepparton Airport | 29.6 | +0.7 | 37.1 | 13th | 14.0 | +1.3 | 7.8 | 19th | 39.4 | 32.1 | high | 123% |
| Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag | 29.4 | +1.9 | 37.5 | 13th | 13.5 | +1.2 | 5.0 | 19th | 58.0 | 34.4 | high | 169% |
| Yarrawonga | 31.2 | +1.2 | 38.8 | 13th | 14.3 | +1.1 | 6.3 | 10th | 14.6 | 39.3 | low | 37% |
| Lower Northeast (district 82) | ||||||||||||
| Benalla Airport | 29.1 | +0.1 | 37.1 | 26th | 13.5 | +0.5 | 6.9 | 18th | 58.2 | 48.4 | high | 120% |
| Corryong Airport | 29.4 | +0.4 | 36.1 | 28th | 11.7 | +0.3 | 5.1 | 10th | 68.2 | 62.5 | average | 109% |
| Dartmouth Reservoir | 28.3 | +1.5 | 33.5 | 25th | 13.2 | +1.5 | 7.4 | 21st | 102.8 | 73.4 | high | 140% |
| Hunters Hill | 23.7 | +0.9 | 29.8 | 13th | 13.5 | +1.7 | 4.5 | 9th | 76.0 | 77.9 | average | 98% |
| Rutherglen Research | 30.7 | +1.5 | 37.7 | 13th | 11.8 | +0.3 | 3.7 | 10th | 13.6 | 43.8 | low | 31% |
| Strathbogie | 25.4 | +0.7 | 32.4 | 13th | 10.4 | +1.0 | 3.5 | 19th | 77.0 | 56.7 | high | 136% |
| Wangaratta Aero | 30.1 | +1.0 | 38.1 | 13th | 12.6 | +0.9 | 4.3 | 10th | 30.8 | 43.7 | average | 70% |
| Upper Northeast (district 83) | ||||||||||||
| Falls Creek | 15.9 | +0.8 | 22.1 | 25th | 8.1 | +2.0 | -2.1 | 18th | 153.6 | 111.9 | high | 137% |
| Mount Buller | 15.8 | +1.2 | 21.9 | 25th | 7.8 | +1.6 | -2.5 | 18th | 125.6 | 96.6 | average | 130% |
| Mount Hotham | 14.9 | +1.3 | 20.4 | 25th | 7.0 | +1.5 | -3.7 | 18th | 290.2 | 123.4 | v high | 235% |
| Omeo | 25.5 | +1.5 | 32.3 | 25th | 9.9 | +1.2 | -0.2 | 18th | 83.2 | 61.7 | high | 135% |
| East Gippsland (district 84) | ||||||||||||
| Combienbar AWS | 24.9 | +1.9 | 35.1 | 25th | 13.1 | +1.9 | 5.4 | 18th | 6.2 | 66.6 | v low | 9% |
| Gabo Island Lighthouse | 21.8 | +1.9 | 34.8 | 13th | 15.3 | +0.9 | 11.0 | 19th | 53.4 | 66.6 | average | 80% |
| Gelantipy | 23.5 | +2.2 | 31.6 | 25th | 10.8 | +1.3 | 2.6 | 18th | 53.4 | 67.9 | average | 79% |
| Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) | 24.5 | +1.9 | 35.9 | 13th | 13.6 | +0.6 | 6.9 | 19th | 33.0 | 63.1 | low | 52% |
| Mallacoota | 23.8 | +1.7 | 36.8 | 13th | 14.9 | +1.4 | 8.7 | 19th | 40.8 | 70.1 | low | 58% |
| Mount Nowa Nowa | 24.4 | +1.9 | 34.3 | 13th | 13.4 | +1.3 | 7.3 | 18th | 69.4 | 82.9 | average | 84% |
| Point Hicks (Lighthouse) | 24.5 | +2.4 | 34.6 | 13th | 15.2 | +1.1 | 9.8 | 19th | 64.2 | 71.6 | average | 90% |
| West Gippsland (district 85) | ||||||||||||
| Bairnsdale Airport | 25.4 | +1.7 | 35.7 | 13th | 12.3 | +1.1 | 4.3 | 19th | 28.6 | 59.7 | low | 48% |
| Corner Inlet (Yanakie) | 22.5 | 34.6 | 13th | 12.6 | 5.0 | 19th | 28.6 | |||||
| East Sale Airport | 25.5 | +2.1 | 35.4 | 26th | 12.8 | +1.5 | 6.0 | 15th | 23.6 | 54.2 | low | 44% |
| Morwell (Latrobe Valley Airport) | 26.5 | +2.2 | 36.6 | 25th | 12.3 | +1.1 | 4.0 | 15th | 93.8 | 66.4 | high | 141% |
| Mount Baw Baw | 16.0 | +1.7 | 24.2 | 25th | 7.3 | +1.6 | -1.5 | 9th | 80.8 | 139.8 | v low | 58% |
| Mount Moornapa | 25.3 | +2.3 | 35.8 | 26th | 12.5 | +1.3 | 6.4 | 9th | 31.6 | 59.7 | low | 53% |
| Nilma North (Warragul) | 25.2 | 35.7 | 24th | 12.2 | 5.0 | 15th | 90.8 | |||||
| Pound Creek | 23.5 | 35.0 | 24th | 11.7 | 4.2 | 16th | 29.0 | 57.1 | low | 51% | ||
| Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse | 20.7 | +1.9 | 32.5 | 13th | 13.8 | +1.1 | 10.0 | 9th | 30.8 | 63.9 | low | 48% |
| Yarram Airport | 24.3 | 36.0 | 13th | 11.6 | 3.9 | 7th | 52.0 | 52.8 | average | 98% | ||
| East Central (district 86) | ||||||||||||
| Bundoora (Latrobe University) | 26.7 | +1.8 | 37.6 | 28th | 13.4 | +1.0 | 6.0 | 19th | 134.1 | 64.3 | v high | 209% |
| Cerberus | 23.7 | +1.3 | 36.3 | 28th | 12.2 | +0.3 | 4.9 | 3rd | 41.4 | 52.8 | average | 78% |
| Coldstream | 26.4 | +1.2 | 35.7 | 25th | 11.2 | +1.6 | 2.8 | 19th | 48.2 | 54.6 | average | 88% |
| Cranbourne Botanic Gardens | 36.5 | 28th | 11.7 | 0.0 | 6.2 | 19th | 76.4 | 65.1 | average | 117% | ||
| Essendon Airport | 26.6 | +2.1 | 38.8 | 28th | 13.5 | +1.7 | 6.5 | 19th | 54.6 | 50.9 | average | 107% |
| Ferny Creek | 22.6 | 31.9 | 25th | 11.9 | 5.7 | 9th | 117.0 | |||||
| Frankston AWS | 23.5 | +1.0 | 35.0 | 25th | 13.4 | -0.4 | 8.8 | 19th | ||||
| Melbourne (Olympic Park) | 25.5 | 38.2 | 28th | 14.6 | 8.8 | 19th | 39.6 | |||||
| Melbourne Airport | 26.3 | +1.7 | 38.2 | 28th | 12.7 | +0.7 | 5.5 | 19th | 77.0 | 48.9 | high | 157% |
| Moorabbin Airport | 25.5 | +1.6 | 38.0 | 28th | 13.5 | +0.9 | 7.4 | 19th | 72.0 | 59.3 | average | 121% |
| Rhyll | 23.2 | +1.4 | 34.2 | 28th | 14.3 | +0.6 | 10.4 | 19th | 34.2 | 43.9 | average | 78% |
| Scoresby Research Institute | 26.3 | +2.3 | 36.2 | 25th | 13.1 | +1.3 | 6.5 | 19th | 90.4 | 75.2 | average | 120% |
| Viewbank | 27.2 | +1.5 | 37.0 | 28th | 13.5 | +0.9 | 7.7 | 15th | 103.2 | 65.9 | high | 157% |
| Wonthaggi | 23.4 | +1.4 | 34.0 | 24th | 12.9 | +1.3 | 6.2 | 19th | 37.2 | 60.7 | low | 61% |
| West Central (district 87) | ||||||||||||
| Avalon Airport | 26.4 | +2.1 | 39.8 | 28th | 12.4 | +0.7 | 5.1 | 19th | 5.0 | 29.3 | low | 17% |
| Breakwater (Geelong Racecourse) | 25.1 | 38.5 | 28th | 12.4 | 6.0 | 19th | 13.4 | |||||
| Laverton RAAF | 25.6 | +1.8 | 38.8 | 28th | 13.1 | +1.1 | 5.6 | 18th | 36.6 | 45.6 | average | 80% |
| Sheoaks | 25.6 | +2.0 | 36.9 | 28th | 10.8 | +0.5 | 3.3 | 19th | 15.8 | 30.9 | low | 51% |
| North Central (district 88) | ||||||||||||
| Castlemaine Prison | 26.9 | +1.4 | 36.5 | 28th | 13.8 | +2.9 | 5.0 | 18th | 47.8 | 40.6 | average | 118% |
| Eildon Fire Tower | 24.4 | +0.5 | 32.2 | 25th | 12.5 | +1.3 | 5.1 | 18th | 52.0 | 42.8 | average | 121% |
| Lake Eildon | 27.8 | +1.4 | 36.1 | 25th | 12.4 | +1.4 | 5.4 | 15th | 47.4 | 55.9 | average | 85% |
| Mangalore Airport | 28.7 | +1.6 | 36.8 | 13th | 13.2 | +1.3 | 3.0 | 18th | 38.0 | 39.8 | average | 95% |
| Maryborough | 27.7 | +1.0 | 37.1 | 28th | 12.3 | +1.0 | 5.3 | 18th | 33.6 | 37.2 | average | 90% |
| Redesdale | 28.7 | +2.0 | 36.7 | 28th | 11.0 | +0.9 | 0.9 | 18th | 48.8 | 37.5 | high | 130% |
| Wallan (Kilmore Gap) | 24.2 | +2.1 | 33.7 | 28th | 11.5 | +1.3 | 4.6 | 18th | 19.8 | 44.5 | low | 44% |
| Western Plains (district 89) | ||||||||||||
| Ararat Prison | 26.3 | +1.6 | 37.5 | 25th | 10.5 | +1.1 | 4.0 | 18th | 78.0 | 38.4 | high | 203% |
| Ballarat Aerodrome | 24.4 | +1.8 | 34.4 | 28th | 10.3 | +0.9 | 3.3 | 19th | 27.6 | 49.9 | average | 55% |
| Westmere | 25.9 | +0.1 | 38.3 | 25th | 9.3 | +0.1 | 1.2 | 3rd | 26.4 | 43.4 | average | 61% |
| West Coast (district 90) | ||||||||||||
| Aireys Inlet | 22.9 | +1.7 | 33.5 | 28th | 12.6 | +0.4 | 7.8 | 19th | 31.8 | 39.5 | average | 81% |
| Cape Nelson Lighthouse | 20.2 | +0.4 | 30.6 | 12th | 12.8 | -0.3 | 7.3 | 6th | 46.6 | 40.8 | high | 114% |
| Cape Otway Lighthouse | 20.5 | +0.6 | 30.6 | 25th | 12.8 | +0.8 | 7.9 | 3rd | 32.2 | 52.8 | low | 61% |
| Casterton | 24.3 | -1.0 | 36.9 | 25th | 9.8 | -0.3 | 3.5 | 1st | 42.6 | 42.5 | high | 100% |
| Colac (Mount Gellibrand) | 24.1 | +0.8 | 36.6 | 25th | 11.0 | +0.3 | 5.8 | 18th | 27.4 | 36.3 | average | 75% |
| Dartmoor | 24.4 | 37.5 | 25th | 10.3 | 3.2 | 3rd | 51.8 | |||||
| Hamilton Airport | 24.8 | +0.7 | 37.9 | 25th | 9.8 | +0.3 | 3.3 | 18th | 35.2 | 43.8 | average | 80% |
| Mortlake Racecourse | 24.6 | +1.1 | 38.3 | 25th | 9.4 | +0.2 | 1.4 | 3rd | 32.6 | 41.9 | average | 78% |
| Port Fairy AWS | 21.4 | +0.1 | 33.0 | 12th | 12.4 | -0.1 | 5.4 | 3rd | 24.8 | 40.7 | low | 61% |
| Portland (Cashmore Airport) | 20.7 | +0.5 | 30.3 | 12th | 10.7 | -0.2 | 3.6 | 3rd | 51.6 | 50.0 | average | 103% |
| Warrnambool Airport NDB | 22.6 | -0.1 | 32.5 | 12th | 10.1 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 16th | 37.6 | 47.1 | average | 80% |
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 10 am on Wednesday 4 January 2017. Some checks have been made on the data, but it is possible that results will change as new information becomes available.
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
- media@bom.gov.au (03) 9669 4057
- Enquiries
- helpdesk.climate@bom.gov.au
Unless otherwise noted, all maps, graphs and diagrams in this page are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence
