February, 2009

RAINFALL
A miserable 2.2mm was recorded at the Mt Duneed Airport AWS in February. This was not Geelong's driest ever February, but, added to the 1mm in January it marked the driest start to the year since 1891, almost an all-time record. There were only 4 rain days, but thunder / lightning was experienced on two days. Much of the precipitation received consisted of patchy, misty drizzle and dew. Water catchments are now 22% of capacity.

All areas in the region fared likewise and even Weeaproinah in the Otways only got 16mm. Despite the very low rainfall, summer overall was not as far below average as it could have been, Geelong having received 80mm in December.

TEMPERATURES and OTHER FEATURES
Geelong in February was 0.5 degree warmer than the long-term mean. Daily maximums averaged 25.5C compared with the normal 24.9C, and minimums averaged 13.9C compared with 13.5C. A new all-time maximum record was achieved on "Black Saturday" (Feb 7th), the day of Victoria's worst bushfires, when 47.4C was recorded at Mt Duneed and 47.8C at Avalon, breaking the previous February and all-time records by a full two degrees. There were three days over 30C.

During the month drifting smoke from the Gippsland fires was noticeable over Geelong on at least 12 days, and there were three days when wind gusts at Mt Duneed exceeded 60 kph.

RAINFALL DATA

GEELONG REGION
LocationTotal for
Month
(mm)
Monthly
Average
(mm)
Aireys Inlet3.638.9
Anakie5.844.0
Angleseana45.0
Apollo Bay8.850.3
Bacchus Marshna42.8
Ballan5.048.7
Ballarat1.444.7
Bannockburn2.835.0
Barwon Heads5.041.0
Barwon Heads Golf Club4.441.0
Bells Beachna30.4
Bellbrae (1)7.230.4
Bellbrae (2)5.030.4
Beeac0.937.6
Birregurrana36.3
Boonah5.840.0
Cape Otway1.641.8
Colac (Mt Gellibrand)1.043.8
Clifton Springs (BoM)3.239.4
Cressy0.635.6
Curlewis 2.537.4
Durdidwarrah1.048.3
Gellibrandna46.0
Gerangamete1.647.2
Inverleighna42.9
Laverton1.849.0
Lal Lalna49.8
Little River West1.032.0
Melba Gully12.0 
Melbourne (City)3.048.0
Meredith (Darra)8.047.2
Meredith na47.2
Moriac4.535.0
Morrisons5.045.8
Mt Cowley5.849.6
Mt Mercer0.043.8
Mt Sabine2.248.8
Ocean Grove4.632.0
Pt Lonsdale2.338.1
Scotsburnna34.0
Shelfordna34.0
Sheoaks3.634.0
Skiptonna34.0
St Leonardsna40.0
Teesdalena32.3
Torquay2.044.0
Weeaproinah16.287.5
West Barwon2.044.8
Winchelsea 1.434.5
GEELONG SUBURBS
LocationTotal for
Month
(mm)
Monthly
Average
(mm)
Avalon2.637.3
Bell Park2.443.8
Belmont2.039.0
City3.036.1
Connewarrena39.8
Corio1.836.0
Grovedale1.536.3
Grovedale South2.239.1
Hamlyn Heights1.038.2
Hightonna39.0
Lara (1)3.537.6
Lara (2)1.037.6
Lara (Serendip)5.437.6
Leopold Eastna40.7
Leopold7.540.7
Moolap2.248.8
Mt Duneed Airport2.232.0
Mt Duneed West2.432.0
Waurn Ponds3.432.0
Whittingtonna36.1
Urban Area Average2.037.6