The Australian Weather Forum

Much needed 9mm here last night, with showers still rolling through this morning. Hoping we can score another 5mm today to green things up a bit.

First hot and dry start to summer here for almost 5 years I reckon. Has that feel like one of those long summers from back in the millennium drought in the 2000s.

Nothing on the Great Ocean Road, the authorities should really consider stopping tourists coming down here on Boxing Day. If a fire starts it could be catastrophic. Never seen it this dry.

4mm here. You know it's our driest year in our 28 years here when I count that as a win

6mm here. Also not looking forward to the heat and wind on Boxing Day, especially with the fire west of Gisborne still not under control. It is very dry around here, so really hoping that maybe something will change in the new year. December 2019 was very dry but the summer eventually turned wetter, starting in January, so a repeat of that would be good.

Gordon wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2024 9:36 am 4mm here. You know it's our driest year in our 28 years here when I count that as a win

What is your YTD total Gordon?
We have had 907mm which is below average but not bad at all. Our total is higher than Trentham this year which is quite unusual. They are still only in the 8's this year.
At work in Macedon we have only had 550mm. That's bad. The average is about 750mm.

Macedonian wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2024 10:20 am

Gordon wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2024 9:36 am 4mm here. You know it's our driest year in our 28 years here when I count that as a win

What is your YTD total Gordon?
We have had 907mm which is below average but not bad at all. Our total is higher than Trentham this year which is quite unusual. They are still only in the 8's this year.
At work in Macedon we have only had 550mm. That's bad. The average is about 750mm.

We're currently on 529.5mm; previous worst was 543mm in 2006. Our average is 894mm.
The east/ west divide is just nuts this year. Worst fail I've seen from the climate forecasts - and that's saying something for this already money-wasting spin-the-wheel nonsense. (And before anyone arcs up at this assessment, keep in mind we're talking about an organisation made up of highly-paid professionals, not volunteers!)

Jeepers, that is low for you at Gordon.
Our lowest in 22 years was 2006 with 560mm. Absolutely shocking that year.
Thankfully the last fifteen years have been much much better and mostly above average.

Wet cold winter like last 24 hours brrrr

17mm here so will green things up but agree woulda being much more useful over the fires out west

Cool day tomorrow
Ripper Xmas day
Hot, windy Boxing day
Then week of mid to high 20s and breezy condtions past new years

Monsoon no where to be seen could be mid late Jan till that shows up so dont expect much change till prob late Jan

Got another bonus 7mm in showers today to give our paltry December total a boost

Hoping for some nice calm and mid 20s weather over new years for our trip down the coast.

We are grateful for the 16mls here, considering so many missed out.

Good to see some decent falls around but predictably mainly in west facing coastal parts. Must be the odd spot near the Nongs on 50mm give or take.

Down here another 3mm. Some cracking coldies but air was quite dry and they were moving fast so totals didn’t add up much. I managed to catch a brief snow and graupel shower on the mountain. Video here https://www.facebook.com/DavidArfonJon ... 3921287041 . Always like a summer snowfall

Years rainfall has been so all over the shop. No regularity and a small number of big events. We are lucky here being about 10% above average. That’s three of four years above average here now. We picked this spot to live as it will do better under climate change. Easterly rainfall is likely to increase here as ECLs basically move south and the Tasman sea warms fast.

Unfortunately the start to the cool season was about the worst I’ve seen it for southern mainland Oz. Hot year, likely the hottest nation wide (waiting on December data) just makes the dry worse