Below average rainfall

The Warragul area received 100mm less rain last year.

While rainfall levels varied across the West Gippsland region, rainfall recorded at the Bureau of Meteorology station at Nilma North indicated total rainfall for 2018 dropped from 873mm in 2017 to 772.4mm.

The total rainfall for the year was well below the 115 year average of 1007.7mm. The last time total rainfall was close to the all years’ average was during a threeyear period of more than 1000mm each year between 2010 and 2012.

December finished off last year with a below average start to summer with only 51.6mm of rain.

Rainfall for December was spread across 15 days but almost half of the month’s rainfall was recorded on December 2 when 22.6mm fell.

A further 15mm was recorded between December 13 to 17. During that period, when most of West Gippsland missed out on heavy rainfall, areas around Drouin and Garfield saw storms and flash flooding that produced 52mm within an hour on Thursday, December 13 and more heavy falls on December 22.

Despite a slightly wetter than average start to the year with January 10mm above the 52.2mm average, only three other months of the year recorded above average rainfall including May, July and November.

February was the driest month of the year with only 10.2mm recorded, while November was the wettest month of the year with 122.6mm.

Winter rainfall totalled 251mm, about 30mm lower than the 115 year average. Despite the lower rainfall, Mt Baw Baw recorded a bumper snow season with a 65cm cover of snow into September and a dumping of snow as late as November 21, when snowboarders were still enjoying alpine activities.

Gippsland Water last month reported its water supplies were in good shape for the summer months with storage facilities at Moondarra Reservoir and Blue Rock both full.

Despite climate predictions indicating the current dry period will extend this year, Gippsland Water assured customers that restrictions for water supplies were unlikely over the current summer period.