Dams 90% after our wet October

By Lindsay Smail
THE REGION experienced well-above average rain in October.
Urban Geelong received between 60mm and 90mm, while Anakie had well over 100mm.
The average for October is 50mm.
Most of the rain was at the start and the end of the month, with the middle weeks comparatively dry.
An interesting period between October 29 and 30 featured a small wrap-around system powered by a low to our east, which pushed up rain bands from the south to provide unexpected heavy falls over 20mm in Geelong.
In the Otways catchment area, Weeaproinah and Lavers Hill both recorded over 200mm for the month. Even though West Barwon Reservoir recorded below-average rain, Mt Sabine, at the head of the catchment, received 150mm.
The falls left Geelong’s water supplies at a healthy 90 per cent of capacity at the end of the month.
Although the Bureau of Meteorology’s three-month outlook is for dry conditions over summer in south-western Victoria, a developing La Nina suggests otherwise.
It should also be remembered the Geelong region often fails to conform to the bureau’s outlooks.
Temperatures in October were clearly above average. Taking into account the warmer urban site of Geelong’s new weather station, overall temperatures were above 1C higher than normal.
The average daily minimum was 10C and the maximum 19.9C, giving October an overall figure of 15C.
The long-term average for the area is only 13.1C but the observed site difference would account for at least .6C.
The top temperature was 30.8C on October 19, while the lowest overnight was 4.1C on the 18th.
The month recorced two thunder days but no severe storms.
On the wettest day, which was up to 9am on October 1, over 20mm fell and caused some minor street flooding but without noteworthy damage.
Only one strong wind day was recorded for the month, with a gust of 63km/h from the west on October 16.