Greater Melbourne in March 2019: warm days and nights

Rainfall in March was below average across Greater Melbourne. Both daytime and night-time temperatures were above average.

Drier than average

  • March rainfall was below average across Greater Melbourne
  • Averaged across all measuring sites, March rainfall in Greater Melbourne was 27 mm, the lowest since 2006
  • A cold front which crossed the city on the 6th resulted in mostly light falls across the Melbourne metropolitan area, while a low pressure trough on the 23rd brought thunderstorms to the eastern parts
  • The highest daily rainfall total this March was 44 mm, recorded at Willowmavin, in the northern part of Greater Melbourne, on the 23rd
  • More rainfall resulted from the cold fronts on the 25th and the 29th, with daily rainfall totals generally between 5 and 15 mm
  • The wettest place in Greater Melbourne in March was Ferny Creek, which received 105 mm during the month
  • Several sites had either their lowest total March rainfall on record or their lowest total March rainfall for at least 20 years

Warm days and nights

  • Both mean maximum and minimum temperatures in March were above average in all parts of Greater Melbourne
  • The month started with warm days and nights across the Melbourne metropolitan area, a continuation of the heatwave that developed in the last week of February
  • The warmest day in most suburbs was on the 1st, with most sites recording temperatures above 38.0 °C
  • The hottest temperature recorded in Greater Melbourne for the month was 39.2 °C at Moorabbin Airport and Scoresby Research Institute on the 1st
  • Laverton RAAF, Melbourne Airport and Moorabbin Airport had their warmest March night on record on the 1st and 3rd
  • A strong cold front crossed the city on the 6th, bringing a rapid decrease in temperatures
  • Coldstream recorded the coldest night-time temperature during the month, 4.3 °C, on the 8th
  • Mild to warm weather dominated between the 16th and 25th, with daytime temperatures generally in mid- to high 20s
  • A cold front, which crossed the city on the 29th, brought another sharp decrease in temperatures across Greater Melbourne
  • The coldest maximum temperature in Greater Melbourne was 9.1 °C, recorded at Ferny Creek on the 30th
  • Coldstream had its coldest March day on record on the 30th

Melbourne (Olympic Park)

  • Total rainfall for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 12.0 mm
  • The mean daily maximum temperature for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 24.8 °C. The warmest day was 38.1 °C on the 1st, and the coolest day was on the 30th when the temperature reached 15.6 °C
  • The mean daily minimum temperature for Melbourne (Olympic Park) was 15.2 °C. The coldest morning was 9.1 °C on the 30th, and the warmest morning was on the 3rd when the minimum temperature was 25.1 °C

Thunderstorms and strong winds

  • Thunderstorms associated with a low pressure trough delivered heavy rain and large hail to eastern parts of Greater Melbourne on the 23rd; the Victorian State Emergency Service (SES) responded to 73 calls for assistance for building damage, flash flooding and fallen trees
  • A strong cold front crossed Melbourne on the 25th, producing damaging winds; many sites recorded gusts in excess of 80 km/h; the strongest wind gust in the Greater Melbourne area was 104 km/h, recorded at South Channel Island on the 25th

Further information

Media
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Extremes in March 2019
Hottest day 39.2 °C at Moorabbin Airport on the 1st
39.2 °C at Scoresby Research Institute on the 1st
Warmest days on average 27.5 °C at Coldstream
Coolest days on average 22.9 °C at Ferny Creek
Coldest day 9.1 °C at Ferny Creek on the 30th
Coldest night 4.3 °C at Coldstream on the 8th
Coolest nights on average 11.2 °C at Coldstream
Warmest nights on average 15.2 °C at Melbourne (Olympic Park)
Warmest night 26.3 °C at Laverton RAAF on the 1st
Warmest on average overall 20.4 °C at Essendon Airport
Coolest on average overall 17.8 °C at Ferny Creek
Wettest overall 104.8 mm at Ferny Creek
Wettest day 44.0 mm at Willowmavin (Avalon Station) on the 23rd
Strongest wind gust 104 km/h at South Channel Island on the 25th

Record lowest March total rainfall
New record
(mm)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Upper Plenty 7.0 7.8 in 1998 33 45.4
Kinglake West 20.0 20.6 in 2005 26 59.4

Lowest March total rainfall for at least 20 years
Observed
(mm)
Most recent
lower
Average for
March
Moorabbin Airport 17.8 13.4 in 1986* 43.3
Melbourne Airport 6.2 4.4 in 1998 36.2

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




Record lowest March daily maximum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Coldstream 14.5 on the 30th 14.7 on the 28th in 1999 25 25.3



Record highest March daily minimum temperature
New record
(°C)
Old
record
Years of
record
Average for
March
Laverton RAAF 26.3 on the 1st 25.8 on the 18th in 2008 76 12.6
Melbourne Airport 25.4 on the 1st 24.3 on the 13th in 2013 49 12.7
Moorabbin Airport 24.4 on the 3rd 24.0 on the 18th in 2008 48 13.0



Summary statistics for March 2019
Maximum temperatures
(°C)
Minimum temperatures
(°C)
Rainfall
(millimetres)
Mean for
March
2019
Diff
from
average
Highest for
March
2019
Mean for
March
2019
Diff
from
average
Lowest for
March
2019
Total for
March
2019
Average
for
March
Rank of
March
2019
Fraction of
March
average
Cerberus 24.7 +1.6 38.6 1st 13.3 +0.7 7.3 15th 19.0 44.0 v low 43%
Coldstream 27.5 +2.2 38.3 1st 11.2 +1.4 4.3 8th 44.4 47.3 average 94%
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens 25.9 +2.3 38.5 1st 13.9 +1.4 7.5 30th 36.8 43.2 average 85%
Essendon Airport 26.3 +2.2 38.9 3rd 14.5 +1.9 8.1 27th 6.8 38.9 v low 17%
Ferny Creek 22.9   34.7 1st 12.8   5.3 30th 104.8
Laverton RAAF 25.5 +1.8 39.1 3rd 14.3 +1.7 6.6 7th 8.8 34.2 v low 26%
Melbourne (Olympic Park) 24.8   38.1 1st 15.2   9.1 30th 12.0
Melbourne Airport 26.4 +2.2 38.4 3rd 14.0 +1.3 6.2 7th 6.2 36.2 v low 17%
Moorabbin Airport 25.6 +1.8 39.2 1st 15.0 +2.0 9.4 15th 17.8 43.3 low 41%
Scoresby Research Institute 26.5 +2.3 39.2 1st 14.0 +1.5 7.6 15th 46.8 52.8 average 89%
Viewbank 26.6 +1.2 38.7 1st 13.8 +1.0 6.6 7th 17.6 40.0 low 44%
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) 24.5 +2.9 34.8 1st 12.6 +1.5 4.7 30th 11.4 43.2 v low 26%

Daily maximum temperatures for March 2019
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Cerberus38.636.536.125.023.018.420.424.924.623.820.518.918.821.621.828.126.025.624.323.425.529.031.930.518.219.720.828.128.416.117.2
Coldstream38.336.237.534.030.419.124.026.730.327.826.918.121.224.926.030.731.229.729.228.628.533.431.830.119.521.524.329.230.214.517.3
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens38.536.737.128.126.318.021.525.626.324.523.819.619.522.922.328.429.327.025.425.228.229.931.615.121.628.028.515.5
Essendon Airport38.736.838.928.424.618.823.927.627.527.525.320.819.322.223.328.127.828.824.424.825.930.031.430.319.721.922.828.530.017.819.7
Ferny Creek34.732.433.329.927.114.220.122.824.823.721.514.516.620.120.826.426.424.024.224.424.428.927.625.514.316.719.923.925.29.111.8
Laverton RAAF38.937.239.126.324.818.120.928.025.125.622.819.519.321.722.026.825.626.423.723.525.428.133.130.918.521.521.229.230.017.119.9
Melbourne (Olympic Park)38.136.336.024.624.317.222.126.824.723.721.819.218.620.822.225.625.628.223.423.424.328.631.329.319.020.321.727.928.515.618.5
Melbourne Airport38.236.938.429.626.818.024.527.627.527.224.419.819.022.622.728.828.427.924.325.126.032.431.530.619.621.623.128.629.716.920.0
Moorabbin Airport39.237.437.627.424.018.121.827.625.125.221.819.019.021.723.929.125.728.126.324.025.731.532.131.018.219.721.128.629.115.918.0
Scoresby Research Institute39.236.536.630.717.624.326.028.827.125.218.920.224.024.830.129.928.327.926.427.832.631.830.418.820.323.028.228.614.118.1
Viewbank38.736.437.929.926.517.723.227.828.127.324.720.020.023.425.230.729.629.326.225.726.432.731.330.319.620.823.628.729.815.318.2
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)34.832.934.133.931.015.722.123.827.024.225.817.316.720.722.028.228.726.123.725.324.229.926.926.215.818.222.024.727.212.717.1
Values are the maximum temperature, usually in the 24 hours from 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred in the afternoon of that day.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily minimum temperatures for March 2019
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Cerberus20.717.619.515.715.212.18.19.011.513.314.612.68.77.57.311.212.716.717.718.416.417.318.414.714.210.511.78.312.19.510.1
Coldstream17.014.915.018.915.712.34.84.36.67.713.614.77.56.14.55.19.89.313.517.919.516.415.313.915.77.38.96.19.66.27.9
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens19.420.023.517.414.913.19.811.112.411.515.413.97.610.89.710.614.215.515.718.217.317.417.513.911.49.315.07.57.9
Essendon Airport23.323.024.617.416.811.18.611.413.912.916.614.39.410.411.511.615.016.316.318.518.318.018.915.214.110.88.19.717.88.48.8
Ferny Creek24.823.224.115.415.28.57.19.313.014.413.711.47.77.99.710.513.612.515.015.215.816.215.013.310.57.08.011.217.35.35.3
Laverton RAAF26.322.523.917.716.812.16.611.413.312.315.911.88.010.312.510.813.915.118.718.719.318.218.814.314.110.96.79.114.88.99.2
Melbourne (Olympic Park)22.622.325.119.018.013.29.711.313.914.315.915.811.912.111.712.214.216.516.919.318.218.719.916.514.812.311.111.614.69.19.4
Melbourne Airport25.422.223.416.216.011.26.211.012.112.117.112.57.99.610.311.412.315.417.017.918.318.019.014.814.810.27.610.416.58.18.5
Moorabbin Airport22.521.724.418.917.113.811.012.312.414.117.615.512.09.99.410.813.314.618.319.117.117.617.715.814.912.113.411.116.710.410.2
Scoresby Research Institute25.922.025.218.415.511.78.79.411.113.416.714.59.88.47.69.412.812.013.617.518.817.318.214.215.010.812.09.816.08.98.2
Viewbank22.519.223.217.616.612.36.68.010.812.114.214.69.810.99.910.213.016.114.617.718.818.818.215.915.811.19.99.212.18.48.4
Wallan (Kilmore Gap)22.320.421.614.815.08.29.212.514.513.111.07.08.79.010.815.214.014.315.715.915.515.814.511.66.17.39.814.84.75.5
Values are the minimum temperature, usually in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated,
and typically occurred that morning.
Temperatures coloured according to their difference
from the long-term average for the period
-10.0 -9.0 -8.0 -7.0 -6.0 -5.0 -4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 +1.0 +2.0 +3.0 +4.0 +5.0 +6.0 +7.0 +8.0 +9.0 +10.0 °C Grey outline marks highest
and lowest for the period

Daily rainfall for March 2019
12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
Bonbeach (Carrum) - - - - - 3.0 2.0 - - - - - 2.2 - - - - - - - - - - - 7.5
Bullengarook East - - - - - 2.6 - - - - 0.8 0.2 - 0.4 - - - - - 1.6 - - - - 8.0 0.8 - - - 0.2 3.2
Burnside - - - - - 0.8 - - - - 0.6 - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.0 1.0 - - - - - 3.0
Cape Schanck - - - - - 3.0 - 5.6 - - 0.6 0.6 1.6 - - - - - - 0.2 - 0.6 0.6 - - 1.4 - - - 4.8 6.6
Cerberus - - - - - 0.6 2.8 - - - - 3.2 1.2 - - - - - - - - 0.2 0.4 1.0 - 0.4 - - - 5.2 4.0
Cheltenham Kingston Centre - - - - - 2.3 0.1 - - - - 2.2 - - - - - - - - - 0.3 - 3.0 - - - - 1.0
Coldstream - 0.2 0.2 - - 1.6 0.2 - - - 0.4 - 0.8 - - - - - - - - - 3.6 1.6 - - -
- 6.8 29.0
Cranbourne Botanic Gardens - - - - - 4.4 0.4 - - - 1.0 - 0.8 - - - - - - - - - 4.0 1.2 12.2 - - - 3.8 9.0
Essendon Airport - - - - - 1.6 - - - - 0.2 0.2 - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - 2.4 0.2 - - - - 0.6 1.4
Ferny Creek - - - - - 17.6 0.6 - - - 0.4 - 5.4 - - - - - - 0.2 - 0.2 15.8 0.6 10.0 0.6 - - - 15.2 38.2
Greenvale Reservoir - -


3.0 0.8 - - - 0.4

- - -
- - 0.8
0.2 8.0 1.4 9.0 - - -


Kinglake West - 0.6 - - - 4.6 - - - - 1.0 - 0.8 - - - - - - 0.4 - - - 0.8 0.8 0.4 - - - 1.0 9.6
Kinglake West (Wallaby Creek) - 3.2


5.0 0.2 - - - 1.0

- - -
- - 0.8
- 0.2 0.8 0.6 0.2 - -

7.2
Lancefield - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2.0 - 9.8 0.2 - - - - 3.2
Laverton RAAF - - - - - 1.6 2.2 - - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.8 0.8 - - - - 0.2 2.0
Main Ridge - - - - 4.6 10.6 - - - - 5.4 5.8 - - - - - - - - - - 3.2 - - - - - - 13.2 10.0
Melbourne (Olympic Park) - - - - - 1.6 2.0 - - - 0.2 - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - 1.8 2.0 0.2 - - - - 1.8 2.2
Melbourne Airport - - - - - 1.0 1.4 - - - 0.6 - - - - - - - - 0.6 - - - 1.0 - - - - - - 1.6
Mitcham - -


6.0 1.0 - - - 0.2

- - -
- - -
- 29.6 1.8 4.0 - - -

28.8
Moorabbin Airport - - - - - 1.4 1.0 - - - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - - 0.2 0.4 6.2 - - - - 1.4 6.2
Mount Waverley (Riversdale Golf Club) - - - - - 7.0 2.0 - - - - - 2.0

















Newham (Cobaw) - - - - - - - - - - 0.6 - - - - - - - - - - - 5.6







Oakleigh (Metropolitan Golf Club) - - - - - 5.8 - - - - - - 1.2 - - - - - - - - - 0.8 1.2 - - - - - 26.4
Prahran (Como House)






-






















Preston Reservoir - -


3.6 1.2
- - 0.4

- - -
- - -
0.8 2.4 1.8 0.4 - - -

6.4
Romsey - - - 0.2 0.2 0.4 - - 0.6



















Rosebud (Country Club) - - - - - 4.2 10.0 - - - 1.2 0.6 - - - - - - - - - - 0.4 0.8 - - - - 4.8 8.0
Scoresby Research Institute - - - - - 4.4 1.8 - - - - - 1.2 - - - - - - - - - 2.6 0.4 7.2 - 0.2 - - 9.2 19.8
Springvale (Sandown) - - - - - 4.8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.4 - 0.4 - - - - - 12.8
Springvale Necropolis - - - - - 7.5
























Toorourrong Reservoir (Toorourrong) - 0.4


0.2 0.2 - - - 0.6

- - -
- - 1.0
- - 0.2 3.6 - - -

2.4
Upper Plenty - - - - - 0.2 0.4 - - - 0.6 - - - - - - - - 1.4 - - - - 1.2 - - - - - 3.2
Viewbank - - - - - 4.0 1.0 - - - 0.6 - - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 1.6 2.6 - - - - 1.6 5.4
Wallan - - - - - - - - - - 0.8 - - - - - - - - 1.0 - 0.6 0.4 - 6.0 - - - - - 2.4
Wallan (Kilmore Gap) - 1.0 - - - 0.2 0.2 - - - 0.6 - - - - - - - - 0.8 0.2 - 1.0 0.2 3.6 0.2 - - - - 3.4
Warburton (O'Shannassy Reservoir (Quarte - -


- 3.4 - - - -

- - -
- - -
- 0.4 1.2 7.2 - - -

21.2
Willowmavin (Avalon Station) - - - - - - - 0.2 - - 0.2 - - - - - - - - - - - 44.0 0.2 2.0 - - - - - 2.6
Woodend - - - 0.2 - 0.6 0.4 - - - 1.0 - - - - - - - - 0.2 - - 2.4 - 3.2 0.6 - - - - 3.6
Yan Yean - -


0.8 0.2 - - - 0.6

- - -
- - 0.6
- - 1.0 1.6 - - -

2.8
Yarra River @ Warrandyte




2.2 1.6














10.0
7.0



4.6 9.4
Most values are the precipitation in the 24 hours to 9 am on the day indicated. Days marked with → are part of a longer accumulation, which is shown on the final day.
Values over 100 mm have been rounded to the nearest whole millimetre.
Days marked with - have a rainfall report of zero; days left blank have no rainfall report (which often indicates no rain fell).
Rainfalls coloured
according to the amount
0 1.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 25.0 50.0 100 150 200 300 400 600 millimetres

Notes

The Monthly climate summary, generally published on the first working day of each month, lists the main features of the weather in Greater Melbourne 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 summary includes data from observing sites in or near the Greater Melbourne “Greater Capital City Statistical Area” (GCCSA). The Australian Bureau of Statistics designed the GCCSAs to “include the population within the urban area of the city, as well as people who regularly socialise, shop or work within the city, and live in small towns and rural areas surrounding the city. It is important to note that GCCSAs do not define the built up edge of the city. They provide a stable definition for these cities and are designed for the output of a range of social and economic survey data.

This statement has been prepared based on information available at 10 am on Monday 1 April 2019. 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
Enquiries

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