The Rainfall of the Year 1903. 673 



Port Phillip Bay, 34 per cent, over Central Gippsland, 41 per cent, 

 over the North-eastern quarter, 102 per cent, over the basins of the 

 Tambo and Snowy Rivers, and not less than 105 per cent, above 

 av^erage over the whole of the North-western quarter, including again 

 most of the Mallee lands. 



The results for the third quarter are most satisfactory for the 

 Northern country west of tho Campaspe River, showing an excess of 

 about 40 per cent, of the average rainfall. The Western districts 

 and Eastern Gip])slan(l shows also a slight excess of from 3 to 6 per 

 cent, of the average ; but for the Cape Otway Forest, counties 

 around Port Phillip Bay, South Gippsland, and the North-eastern 

 districts, the totals are from 4 to 12 per cent, below average. 



October. — In this month the average rainfall was exceeded by 12 

 per cent, in the districts around Port Phillip Bay, and nearly equalled 

 in the North-eastern quarter of the State ; but a deficiency was 

 experienced in all other parts amounting to 23 percent, of the average 

 for the Western districts, and from 8 to 18 per cent, of the average 

 for the remaining areas. 



November. — November was a wet month, and its rainfall generally 

 exceeded the average, excepting that in South Gippsland and Central 

 Gippsland it was 6 per cent, below average. 



The Western half of the State was again favoured with plentiful 

 rains, 90 per cent, above average being recorded in the North-west 

 and Mallee country, and 50 per cent, in the South-western quarter. 

 Eastern Gippsland received 18 per cent., and the North-eastern 

 quarter 5 per cent., above average. 



December. — The December rain did not differ very considerably 

 from normal conditions. It was below average by 14 per cent, in 

 the Cape Otway Forest, 21 per cent, in Central Gippsland, 7 per cent, 

 in the North-western quarter ; and above average by 15 per cent, 

 in the Western districts, and 5 per cent in the country aronnd Port 

 Phillip Bay, the average being just reached in the remaining parts. 



The Year a,s a Whole. — The rainfall records for the year 1903, 

 show the following prominent characteristics : — 



The Western half of the State received from 4 to 16 per cent, 

 more, and the Eastern half from 4 to 15 per cent, less than the 

 average yearly rainfall for these parts respectively. 



There were long periods of relative dryness in the Eastern districts, 

 more especially during the colder months of the year, which were 

 somewhat severely felt in some parts, chiefly in Gippsland ; but the 

 autumn and spring rains, which are always the most necessary and 

 beneficial, were sufficient to ensure the success of the seasons, even in 

 the least favoured localities. 



Amongst the year's accounts of floods we find recorded, the 

 April flood at Maryborough, the July floods in various parts 



