Hotter than you think
Spectacular storm farewells surprising summer
SUMMER has been and gone with little fanfare and scorchers few and far between.
But despite a three-month stretch with just 15 days over 30 degrees, the season has, surprisingly, been warmer than usual, according to Geelong Weather Service director Lindsay Smail.
Mr Smail said the average temperature was 0.8 of a degree higher than usual, largely due to a series of warm nights.
“Contrary to what people might think, it has actually been slightly warmer than usual,” he said. “The days haven’t been spectacular, with far fewer days above 30 than normal, no really high temperatures over 40 and no heatwaves to speak of, unlike last year. But the minimum temperatures have been well above the average, with the main feature being warmer- than-usual nights.”
The weekend’s storm aside, Ms Smail said Geelong’s sum- mer weather had been decidedly uninspiring. But while the lack of “really hot days” may have been boring for fervent beach goers, conditions were just right for those who shied away from heat, he said.
“You can call it boring, but it was very satisfactory for someone my age,” Mr Smail said with a laugh. Carrying on from the “warm” conditions, the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a high likelihood of above-average temperatures between March and May.
And though the season past may have been lacklustre for weather watchers, Saturday night proved a storm watcher’s delight, with thunder, lightening and 9.8mm of rain lashing the region. Geelong homes were spared damage, with the SES not reporting any call outs.
But Norlane resident Brent Humphrey, who filmed the storm from his backyard, said the scene was “spectacular”.
“A massive storm front came over and transformed into something like a twister. It was unbelievable,” he said.