Dry March hits region

March finished with disappointing rain totals around the Geelong district, further reducing levels in the region’s water storages.
Totals varied from 30 to 70 per cent of average March rain, although parts of the Otway and Moorabool catchments recorded results were better than normal. Mt Sabine, at the head of the Barwon catchment, recorded 117mm, which was well-above average.
Otherwise the Bellarine Peninsula and Golden Plains Shire were below normal expectations.
The Geelong urban area received around 20mm, which was only 70 per cent of the rain normally received in March.
In recent years Geelong’s March rain has shown a decline and it is now the driest month of the year. But this has been balanced by increases in winter and spring.
Nevertheless the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a 65 per cent likelihood of a wetter-than-average late autumn this year – the highest odds for a long time.
Barwon Water reported the catchments had fallen to about 61 per cent of capacity this week, close to normal for this time of year.
March was cooler than normal.
Average daily minimums were 11.5C compared to the 30-year average of 12.3C. The average maximum was right on the average at 23.3C.
However, the mean temperature was therefore 17.4C, which was .4 C lower than average.
March included two days over 30C, with the highest, 34C, recorded on 19 March usually averages four days over 30C.
The warmest overnight temperature was 16.9C on 17 and 18 March and the lowest minimum was 7.1C on 20 and 21 March.
All these figures are very close to the long-term averages for March.
The Bureau of Meteorology outlook for the rest of autumn is for warmer-than-average temperatures.
As for the month’s other notable weather features, three days of strong wind gusts were recorded on 5, 25 and 26 March. The strongest gust was 69km/h.
No severe storms were recorded and the region had only one thunder day, on 19 March.