Cold, but rain down
A cold snap with overnight temperatures dropping to close to zero degrees overnight and maximums that failed to reach 10 degrees marked the end of autumn in West Gippsland.
What was described in weather reports as a "polar blast" saw minimum temperatures recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology's station at Nilma North of 0.1 degrees, just above freezing point, on May 29 and 30 with the top temperatures on those days of just 9.2 decrees.
Only twice early in the month - May 2 and 3 - did the maximums top 20 degrees and the average daily maximum temperature across the month was 15.7.
However, rainfall in the district was again below average.
At Warragul 47.8 millimetres of rain was registered last month, just over half of the May average over the past 115 years, and Nilma North was similar with 49 millimetres.
The Warragul average for the first five months of the year is 346.8 millimetres, but this year has been almost 70 millimetres below that.
The Bureau is forecasting the cold weather will continue again this week.
That's good news for the Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort that will officially open its winter snow season next weekend.
Late last week the resort reported snow to an average depth of 20 centimetres on its ski runs and the forecast is for more snow showers during the next few days and maximum temperatures under zero.
Rainfall was also down on average on the mountain during May.
Sixty millimetres was reported with the heaviest daily fall of 11.2 millimetres on the final day of the month.