Rainfall still below average

RAINFALL recorders had a not very well-earned, and not very welcome, lull in activity in October.
Keith Thomas, who keeps an eye on the gauge in Warburton, and Alma Mitchell, who records in Healesville, both recorded dismal readings.
Mr Thomas described the 47mm tally for the Warburton area as “disastrous”, especially when measured against the average of 142.3mm.
“For the first 10 months of 2007, we have recorded only 919.5mm whereas our average for that period is 1115mm,” Mr Thomas said.
He said Melbourne’s storage dams held only 706,881m.ltr at the end of the month, 39.9 per cent of capacity.
At this time last year, they held 45.9 per cent and the previous year held 59.3 per cent, he said.
Mrs Mitchell had the pen out on just 12 days recording 23.5mm, the same incidence of rainfall days as last year when the reading was a bit higher on 28.4mm.