Victoria records hottest September ever

The national average-mean temperature of 2.43 degrees warmer than the 1961–1990 average, making September the third-warmest on record.

Already the warm weather is increasing bushfire risk across the state, with several blazes threatening parts of Victoria’s east.

Firefighters are battling several out-of-control bushfires in Gippsland, with one of the main areas of concern north of the town of Briagolong. Campers in the region have been told to evacuate, while one house has burnt down in the area.

Melbourne recorded 28 degrees on Monday, well above the monthly average of 19.7 degrees.

But Konta said that a cool and wet weather system would move across the state, providing some relief. Temperatures are expected to plummet to 14 and 15 degrees in the middle of the week.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the cold front is likely to bring 100 mm of rainfall in 24 hours in parts of eastern Victoria and southeast NSW.

Warm weather is likely to return after the cold change, Konta said.

Dr Simon Bradshaw, research director at the Climate Council, said the heat records were being broken every week, and would likely continue to tumble for the rest of the year.

He said while global reliance on the fossil fuel industry had resulted in much of the weather extremes being experienced, ensuring governments acted swiftly was vital.

“If we don’t hurry up and put the solutions we have at our fingertips in place now, these types of summers will eventually become the normal – and in fact, we may look back on this one as mild.
“The only way to turn down the heat, is to turn off fossil fuels,” he said.

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“It it will undoubtedly be a tough summer ahead, with potentially deadly heat and grass fires to contend with.”

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