City’s soaking

Erin Pearson
GEELONG has recorded its highest January rainfall in four decades, according to a weatherman.
Geelong Weather Services’ Lindsay Smail said 123mm had already drenched the city with a week left until the end of the month.
“That level equates to approx 250 per cent more January rain than average and a recording of a quarter of our normal yearly rainfall already this year.”
Mr Smail said Geelong’s wettest January on record measured 143mm in 1886.
He said January’s rain in Geelong was mostly from the same weather system that flooded Queensland, New South Wales and northern Victoria.
Mr Smail warned that a second system could return to the region in “months”.
“We’re not out of the woods yet. Just because we’ve seen a big flood event doesn’t mean the next one won’t be for 10 years – it could happen very shortly.”
Mr Smail said Geelong “got off luckily” compared to other regions in eastern Australia.
“We should take it as a wake-up call because we have three big rivers: the Moorabool, Barwon and Leigh. If they flood all at the same time then we’ll be in trouble.”
Mr Smail said Geelong’s flooding in the last week was only classified as moderate.
“They classify it accordingly to the level above sea level at the McIntyre Bridge in Belmont. This time we got up to 3.6 metres above sea level.
“The four biggest floods Geelong’s had over the last 160 years have all been over five metres but anything over 4.5 metres is of serious concern.”