31/03/2011: A chilly last few days has helped Melbourne have its coolest March in 14 years, according to weatherzone.com.au.

In terms of daytime temperatures it was the coolest March since 1997, when maximums averaged 23.0 degrees.

The average maximum this March was held down to 23.5 degrees, about half a degree below the long-term norm. This was also the first cooler-than-average month since September last year. We only had two days in the month which warmed to 30 degrees, three fewer than average.

In contrast, nights were warmer than normal.

Nighttime temperatures averaged 14.9 degrees, almost two degrees above the long-term norm, but nowhere near as high as March last year when they averaged 16.3, which was half a degree short of the record.

It was also the driest March in five years, only 30 millimetres for the month, 20mm short of the long-term average. This is despite having two more rain days than normal, 11.

Even with a dry March Melbourne is still having its wettest start to a year since 1973 and 14th wettest start in more than 150 years of records.

In the first three months of this year 246mm was recorded, 100mm more than the long-term January-to-March average.

"The cooler, drier than normal March was largely due to many days with southerly winds and extra cloud. This cloud tended to only bring heavy rain to the north and east of Melbourne," Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said.

Northern and eastern suburbs ended up being wetter than normal, where Scoresby gained 66mm, whilst most western suburbs were drier than normal, where Laverton only had 19mm.

Melbourne averaged just six hours of sunshine per day, about one hour less than normal. When this extra cloud did bring rain it was generally light in the city and western suburbs. The highest daily rainfall for the city was only 11mm."

Elsewhere in Victoria, rain was generally heavier than in Melbourne, apart from in parts of the Western Plains where Ballarat only gained 20mm, half the average. This was Ballarat's driest March in five years.

The wettest part of the state was east of Melbourne, in Gippsland. Conbienbar had 218mm all up, their wettest March in at least 17 years. Point Hicks had its wettest March in at least 50 years with 168mm, almost three times the average.

It was also a wet month for parts of the Mallee and Wimmera. Mildura had 100mm more than average, gaining 120mm for the month, making it their wettest March since 1969, when 128mm fell. It's also their second wettest March in 120 years of records. Mildura is also having its wettest start to a year on record with 442mm so far, 385mm more than average. Mildura's annual average is only 282mm.

"Looking ahead to the rest of autumn and into winter, we are likely to see near-or-slightly-above average rainfall in Victoria, including Melbounre with help from relatively warm waters in the Tasman Sea. But with each month the risk of flooding decreases as La Nina weakens. Relatively warm waters should also keep temperatures near-or-slightly-above average, and there should be fewer frosts than normal," Dutschke said.

Media Inquiries:

Brett Dutschke
media@weatherzone.com.au
02 9965 9269

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