Under the Weather, by Lindsay Smail
Another very poor month for rain in December closed 2015 with an aggregate of around 70 to 75 per cent of normal annual rainfall for the Geelong region.
In December Geelong’s urban area received 25 mm, just over half the 30-year average of 44mm.
A large area from the Great Dividing Range southward to the Otways coast averaged less than half the normal December figure.
The limited rain left the region’s water storages at 48.8 per cent capacity on the last day of the year, down from 72.6 per cent at the start of 2015.
December 2015 was the hottest on record since 1902. Minimums averaged 13.3C and maximums were 26.9C. The result was a mean monthly temperature 2.6C above the latest 30-year averages.
The top temperature was 44.4C on the 19th, the hottest December day on record, and eight days were over 30C compared to the normal four or five days.
The December result helped make 2015 .7C warmer than normal, with a mean daily temperature of 15.2C compared to the 30-year figure of 14.5C.
December also had one thunder day, on 19th around the Otways and Torquay areas.
Three days in the month shared the highest wind gusts, with 70km/h recorded at Breakwater’s weather station.
* Lindsay Smail operates Geelong Weather Services
