Monthly Weather Review, March 2024
Published: April 1, 2024
Summary
The total rainfall was 6.6 mm, which is 19% of the long-term March median rainfall.
The mean maximum temperature was 25.2° C, which is 1.4° C warmer than the long-term March mean maximum temperature.
The mean minimum temperature was 14.1° C, which is 0.1° C cooler than the long-term March mean minimum temperature.
Weather Records
The total rainfall of 6.6 mm is a new record for the lowest March total rainfall. The previous record was 7.8 mm in 2019.
The maximum temperature of 38.9° C on the 9th supersedes the record for the warmest March maximum temperature. The previous record was on 1 March 2019.
The mean maximum temperature of 25.2° C supersedes the record for the warmest March mean maximum temperature. The previous record was in 2019.
The 6 days over 30° C is a new record for the most days in March over 30° C. The previous record was 5 days in 2019.
The 3 days over 35° C supersedes the record for the most days in March over 35° C. The previous record was in 2019.
The mean sea level pressure of 1032.1 hPa on the 21st is a new record for the highest March pressure. The previous record was 1031.2 hPa on 20 March 2018.
Monthly Review
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Monthly Meteograms
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Performance Monitoring
The daily rainfall and temperature data are routinely compared against the BoM AWS at Laverton for quality assurance. The daily rainfall is also routinely compared against the Melbourne Water rainfall and river level station on Skeleton Creek at Hoppers Crossing (Hoppers in the table below).
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Units of Measurement
Unless otherwise advised, temperature is given in degrees Celsius (° C) and rainfall in millimetres (mm).
Observation Times & Reporting Periods
The main observation for the day is at 9 am when the precipitation over the past 24 hours is determined, and the maximum and minimum thermometers are also read and reset. The following conventions are used for assigning dates to the observations made:
- Maximum temperature : the 24 hours from 9 am on the date the data are recorded. The maximum temperature will usually occur in the afternoon of that day.
- Minimum temperature : the 24 hours to 9 am on the date the data are recorded. The minimum temperature will usually occur in the morning of that day.
- Mean temperature : the average of the daily maximum and minimum temperatures on the date the data are recorded.
- Daily rainfall : the 24 hours to 9 am on the date the data are recorded. A significant portion of the rain may have occurred on the previous calendar day.
- Monthly rainfall : from 9 am on the last day of the previous month to 9 am on the last day of the current month.
- Phenomena : the 24 hours to midnight on the date the data are recorded.
Climatology & Station Records
Our climatology and station records are based on all available data since 1 April 2017. All annual data are based on complete calendar years commencing in 2018. If a station record is equalled, the most recent date shall supersede the previous date to conform to standard BoM practice.
Variation from climatology: This is a measure of the difference between the current month and the long-term average for that month. For most meteorological elements, the mean of the values recorded over many years is the standard measure of the average. For rainfall however, particularly if there is a small volume of available data, the median is the preferred measure of the average due to the high variability of rainfall. The median is less affected by extreme rainfall events than the mean.
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