Warrnambool records one of its driest Decembers

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Chris Arvier said that was in comparison to 70.8mm in December 2020 and a long-term average of 47.2mm.

"It was an incredibly dry December for most of west and south-west Victoria, with most locations receiving under 10mm of rain," Mr Arvier said.

"Conversely, Gippsland was wetter than average, with the eastern seaboard of Australia feeling the effects of a La Nina summer. Mallacoota had 180mm of rain for the month."

Mr Arvier said the Southern Annual Mode had been positive for all of December.

"This means that the regular cold fronts which often bring rain to the west and south west of the state have been further south in the southern ocean, with very few passing over the state," he said.

"The La Nina has been active over Eastern Australia, bringing high moisture and rainfall, however generally speaking we need cold fronts to drag this moisture over Western Victoria - without these conditions remain quite dry."

Mr Arvier said despite a dry December, Warrnambool had recorded slightly above average rainfall for the year, with 807.6mm recorded.

The average is 735.5mm.

Mr Arvier said rainfall for January was likely to be close to average - 36.7mm.

"There are likely to be wet, humid and storm conditions this week as the remains of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth are dragged south, resulting in rainfall and strong winds over parts of the south-west," he said.

"Storm activity will be a bit hit and miss, so there is uncertainty around rainfall totals."

Warrnambool's hottest December Day was New Year's Eve - with the mercury reaching 34.1C.

The only other day the temperature was above 30 was on December 13, when the mercury reached 32.9C.

On New Year's Day, the temperature hit 30.8C.

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