By PETER NELSON, retired CSIRO climatologist

THE month of May was certainly much colder than usual over most of Victoria and as far north as southern inland Queensland.

The mean maximum temperature of 15.3 degrees in Wangaratta was more than two degrees below the May normal and the coldest in May since 14.9 degrees in 1973.

The last half of May the mean maximum temperature was 13.9 degrees, the coldest since 12.5 degrees in 1968.

Benalla had its coldest May since 1968 whilst Rutherglen had its coldest May since 2000.

Other cold Mays were in 1909, 1917, 1926, 1960, 1962, 1968 as well as 1973.

Quite a few of those did lead to a winter season slightly warmer than normal in our regions and rainfalls near average.

Actually the weather profiles this year is similar to that of 1926.

The winter of 1926 was warmer and slightly wetter than average in North East Victoria, whilst the spring of 1926 was warmer and drier than usual.

Rainfalls last month included 46.8mms at Wangaratta, 56.4mms at Benalla, 38mms at Rutherglen and 70mms at both Strathbogie and Whitfield.

All totals were about 10 to 15mms below average.

The lack of sunshine was a notable weather feature in May.

At Lake Eildon there were only 75 hours of sunshine for all of last month.

There were frequent frosts further north to well into Queensland mainly because of very low to little rainfall in many places.

Alice Springs recorded frosts on 13 days during May; the average number of frost days at Alice Springs in May is usually two or three days.

There were a record 23 days of frosts in May 1976 and 13 days in May of 1879 and 2012 in Alice Springs.

The mean minimum temperature of 3.7 degrees at Alice Springs was 10 degrees below the May normal and the third coldest in 145 years behind 3.4 degrees in 1879 and 1.4 degrees in 1976.

Interestingly the springs of 1879 and 2012 in our regions were warmer and drier than usual but the spring of 1976 was exceptionally wet and stormy.

Who can remember Melbourne Cup Day on November 2, 1976?

A violent thunderstorm broke at the time of the race.