Rainfall - November 2006
November 2006 was dry across the State, with most districts receiving only about half of their usual rainfall. Only north-west and north-central Victoria received average November rainfalls. The driest districts were the Wimmera, and along the West Coast, where only a third of the usual rainfall was received.
A feature of the month was the wide fluctuation in temperatures. 15 November saw snowfalls down to low levels (including the Dandenongs and outskirts of Melbourne), whilst on 21 and 22 November temperatures rose over 40°C in the northwest of the State.
Melbourne received 24.6 mm of rain during the month (long-term November average 56.9 mm). Maximum temperatures were slightly above average.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the below average rainfall is a consequence of two major features of the global sea surface temperature distribution:
- The current sea surface temperature pattern is typical for the development phase of an El Nino event. This is associated with weaker than average Trade Winds, which reduces the amount of moisture being brought towards Australia.
- Current sea surface temperatures over Indonesian waters are very low, which prevents the formation of cloud bearing jet streams ahead of cold fronts.
Spring Rainfall
Rainfall for the three months of Spring (September to November) was very much below average across most of the State, with the areas between Ballarat and Geelong and between the Latrobe Valley and Bairnsdale receiving the lowest spring totals on record.
About 30% of the State received totals that were 20-40% of the monthly average and the highest rainfalls recorded were still less than 60% of the monthly average.
In this section
Rainfall Graphs
- Western Victoria (Ouyen, Horsham, Hamilton)
- Central Victoria (Echuca, Seymour, Melbourne)
- Eastern Victoria (Wodonga, Orbost)
Rainfall Maps
- Bureau of Meteorology Rainfall Maps (Monthly, Decile, 6 Month Decile)