Winter rain below average

West Gippsland has recorded its driest July-August period in more than 40 years.
The combined rainfall recorded in Warragul over the past two months - 99.6mm over 24 days - was just under half the long-term (115 year) average.
The figure is the lowest July-August rainfall since 1982 in which only 84mm was recorded.
It follows August rain falling 50mm short of the long-term average.
Only 54.4mm of rain was recorded last month, split across 10 days. Significant falls included: 11.4mm on August 19 with 11.4mm, 10.2mm on August 23 and 11.2mm on August 31.
In contrast, the 115-year average for August is 104.6mm.
It represents the driest August in 12 years, after just 39.8mm was recorded in 2011.
The dry two-month period follows above average rainfall in June of 127mm.
As a result, Warragul's winter rainfall of 226.6mm falls below average but isn't the worst we've experienced recently. It is marginally above the 220.6mm recorded during 2020's winter.