More summer scorchers on way
THE first day of summer brought soaring temperatures to Geelong and much of the state on Saturday, with the hot weather set to peak on Friday with 36C.
People flocked to beaches along the Surf Coast to cool down on Saturday as the mercury tipped 34.5C before a cool front reached Geelong between 9pm and 10pm.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Tom Delamotte said it was not uncommon for temperatures in the first week of December to push into the 30s, happening every two to four years.
“There was a high pressure system over the Tasman Sea overnight and into Saturday morning ahead of a cold front that reached Geelong in the evening,” he said.
“We did see fresh northerly winds develop, which brought warm and dry winds.”
Walpeup, in the Mallee, was the hottest part of the state, recording 36.6C.
Mr Delamotte said the BOM was predicting a warming trend for Geelong this week, with northerly winds set to push the mercury up to 33C on Thursday and 36C on Friday, which would be the hottest day in Geelong since January.
He said Geelong also recorded temperatures over 34C twice in November.
Mr Delamotte said the outlook for the rest of December indicated no strong signals that the weather would be any drier or wetter than normal.