Valley dries out

NOVEMBER has been a dry month in the Yarra Valley compared to the same time last year, and 2012 has been drier than 2011.
The Mail’s weather watchers recorded less than average November rainfall in Healesville, Hoddles Creek and Warburton.
Hoddles Creek experienced rainfall well below its November average with 64 milimetres over 10 days, compared to last year’s 114mm.
The average November rainfall in Hoddles Creek for the last 25 years was 107mm.
Warburton had less rainfall as well, with an average of 117mm but this November recording only 60.5mm, while Healesville recorded the lowest rainfall of the three areas with only 52mm compared with 209mm last year.
Warburton’s rainfall for the first eleven months of the year totals 1311mm, whereas its annual average is 1232mm, while Hoddles Creek recorded 1235mm over the 11 months compared to 1561mm in 2011.
Water restrictions have been eased after Melbourne’s storage dams reached more than 80 per cent capacity.
They currently hold 1,473,439 mega litres.